2018 FIAT 500L Review

Name: 2018 FIAT 500L
Brand: FIAT

Price Range: $13,590 - $15,990

Below Average

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Appraise My 2018 FIAT 500L

FIAT 500L model years

FIAT 500L for Sale

Edmunds' Expert Review

by Cameron Rogers

Pros

Plenty of passenger room and cargo space for a small hatchback
Touchscreen interface is attractive and easy to use
Without the sunroof, there's plenty of headroom for tall passengers

Cons

Ride quality is choppy over rough pavement
Feels slower than most other cars in the class
Touchy brakes make it hard to come to a smooth stop
Rear seats don't fold flat for more cargo flexibility

What’s new

The Fiat 500L receives a mild refresh for 2018. It includes revised front and rear styling, a conventional parking brake lever and a revised center console. A rearview camera and a new 7-inch touchscreen with the newest Uconnect infotainment system are standard. The Trekking trim's new Urbana Appearance package adds black wheels and mirror caps, along with a black-painted roof. Two appearance packages debuted later in the year — the Pop trim's Chrome Appearance package, with 17-inch bright wheels and chrome exterior trim, and the Lounge's Graphite Edition, with non-painted wheels, a dual-pane sunroof, and gray-painted roof and mirror caps.

Vehicle overview

Compact crossover SUVs and wagons are all about extracting the maximum amount of passenger and cargo room from an inherently small package. Generally, style rarely plays a part in this price- and utility-conscious class. The 2018 Fiat 500L bucks convention by wrapping its roomy cabin in a body that looks like a supersize version of the Fiat 500 city car. The uniquely Italian design brings a bit of flair to this conservative class, and 2018 model's new front and rear fascias give it an updated look compared to previous model years.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

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2018 FIAT 500L
Trekking Wagon
$4,995
- 85,872 miles
- 5 Seats, 22 City / 30 Hwy MPG
- 221 mi away
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
Close
Located in Lodi, NJ
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'AW-17728344047');
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Issue reported
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: Yes
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
25 Combined MPG (22 City/30 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: ZFBCFADH9JZ041230
Stock: 041230
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 03-31-2026
2018 FIAT 500L
Lounge Wagon
$13,590
- 94,375 miles
- 5 Seats, 22 City / 30 Hwy MPG
- 466 mi away
- Home delivery*
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
Close
Located in Indianapolis, IN
At Carvana, we go miles beyond the extra mile. That's why we provide you with a convenient, fast, and hassle-free car buying experience that puts you ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
25 Combined MPG (22 City/30 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: ZFBCFACH6JZ040327
Stock: 2004746700
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 04-17-2026

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Aside from the exterior design, however, there's not much reason to buy the 500L over one of the other compelling choices in its class. Significant drawbacks include a harsh ride quality, uncomfortable seats, compromised outward visibility and overall poor build quality.

Fiat offers another small crossover, the 500X, and it's the superior choice. The 500X doesn't offer as much interior space, but it's more enjoyable to drive, has a more upscale interior and gives you the option of all-wheel drive.

Though the 2018 Fiat 500L isn't a terrible car in its own right, we suggest going with a competing wagon, hatchback or crossover SUV instead.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

5.8 / 10

The 2018 Fiat 500L marries the distinctive styling of the tiny Fiat 500 with the interior space of a small crossover SUV. Unfortunately, most rivals are superior in numerous ways, including Fiat's own 500X.

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2015 Fiat 500L Trekking (turbo 1.4L inline-4 | 6-speed automatic | FWD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current 500L has received some revisions, including a new infotainment system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility) for 2018. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's 500L, however.

Scorecard

Overall	5.8 / 10
Driving	5.5
Comfort	6.0
Interior	6.0
Utility	7.5

Driving

5.5

The engine produces only adequate power, the brakes are grabby, and handling is unremarkable. As a result, overall drivability is poor.

Acceleration

5.0

The automatic transmission offers manual control and responds intuitively in parking lots and on the highway alike. In Edmunds performance testing, the 500L posted a 0-60 mph time of 8.5 seconds, which is an average for this class.

Braking

5.5

The 500L lacks stability in panic stops and wiggles considerably from side to side. It's not unsafe, but it also isn't confidence-inspiring. It required 122 feet to stop from 60 mph in our testing, which is average. Pedal response is inconsistent in typical use.

Steering

7.0

Though the steering is reasonably precise, the Fiat's steering wheel commands a tall vehicle with low grip limits. Quick steering inputs are met with lots of lean and a sense that turning rapidly isn't a 500L strength.

Handling

6.5

You can hustle the 500L without it being unsafe, but it isn't rewarding or quick-reacting. The limits are modest and end in predictable understeer that the driver can't correct easily. Stability control intervention is aggressive and poorly executed.

Drivability

4.0

The 500L doesn't exhibit the major drivability gaffes with the traditional six-speed automatic the way it did with the dual-clutch automatic (produced before 2015). But it's still never a real pleasure to drive due to the engine's modest, nonlinear power delivery.

Comfort

6.0

Though it can manage short trips well, the 500L isn't a confident or comfortable road tripper. Its stiff ride and hard seat bottoms make it a poor choice for journeys lasting more than an hour.

Seat comfort

5.5

The front seats are highly adjustable, but a good outward view demands a wholly upright seating position, which hurts comfort. The seat bottoms, both front and rear, are extremely hard. The rear seatbacks are rather upright.

Ride comfort

6.0

The 500L's ride comfort feels unrefined in the real world. There's ample vertical motion over even small imperfections. Rough roads create vibrations throughout the structure, including the steering wheel. Most competitors are better.

Noise & vibration

6.0

Both wind noise and tire noise manage to find their way inside the cabin more frequently than they should. Coarse surfaces and crosswinds pose real problems. Engine noise isn't too loud in normal conditions but can be burdensome at high rpm.

Interior

6.0

The 500L's double roof-pillar design inhibits quarter-angle visibility in all directions. The rear seats don't fold completely flat, but the movable rear shelf makes up the difference. Even though this is an economically priced car, the materials feel below par.

Ease of use

7.0

The trip computer button's location at the end of the wiper stalk is odd, but large air-conditioning knobs, legible displays, and logical placement of most controls make the 500L easy to operate.

Getting in/getting out

7.0

The doors lack obvious detents but offer good access to the seats, which are at a convenient height. The doorsills are wide, and grab handles are provided above each door. The rear seats slide fore and aft and tumble forward, but they curiously don't fold flat.

Roominess

7.0

Because the roof is quite high, there's a feeling of openness. Even so, long-torsoed rear passengers will run out of headroom if the optional sunroof is installed.

Visibility

6.0

We appreciate the design idea of double roof pillars, but in practice there are four pillars both front and back, where there could be just two. The standard rearview camera and optional rear parking sensors ease anxiety while in reverse.

Quality

5.0

Inconsistent panel gaps, less than stellar paint, and below-average fit and finish inside hurt the 500L's score. Most competitors feel better from behind the wheel. Many controls feel hollow and don't give an impression of quality.

Utility

7.5

The 500L is pretty roomy, with cargo space of 68 cubic feet and behind-the-rear-seat space of 21.3 cubic feet. Small-item storage is OK, with decent-size cupholders, but the door pockets and front bin are all underwhelming.

Which 500L does Edmunds recommend?

The entry-level Pop is a pretty good deal, considering its low base price and ample features list. But check out the range-topping Lounge. It doesn't cost too much more and adds niceties such as leather upholstery, heated seats and navigation. True, you can get most of that stuff in the midtier Trekking, but the Lounge is actually less expensive if you want the Trekking with the Popular Equipment package (which is standard on the Lounge). For these reasons, the Lounge is our pick in the 500L lineup.

Compare 2018 FIAT 500L trim levels

2018 FIAT 500L models

The 2018 Fiat 500L is a four-door compact wagon that competes against a small group of like-minded wagons and hatchbacks, as well as some compact crossovers. Fiat offers it in three trim levels: the base Pop, the midlevel Trekking and the loaded-up Lounge.

Every Fiat 500L is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine (160 horsepower, 184 pound-feet of torque) that powers the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.

The base-level Pop comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, heated mirrors, tinted windows, remote locking and unlocking, a rearview camera, air conditioning, cruise control, height-adjustable front seats, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 60/40-split folding rear seats that slide fore and aft, Bluetooth, a 7-inch touchscreen, and a six-speaker audio system with two USB ports (one is charge-only) and smartphone compatibility via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Popular Equipment Group adds rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, two-way power lumbar adjustment for the driver (the Trekking also adds manual lumbar for the passenger) and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The Pop's Premium Group includes those features plus satellite radio, a navigation system and a seven-speaker BeatsAudio system.

Stepping up to the Trekking level adds 17-inch wheels, foglights, unique body panels and trim with a rugged theme, LED ambient interior lighting, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a rear-seat armrest and the BeatsAudio system, navigation and satellite radio from the Premium Group package. It is also available with the Popular Equipment Group.

The top-trim Lounge equips the 500L with 17-inch alloy wheels with a painted finish, chrome exterior mirrors and body accents, and the contents of the Popular Equipment Group.

A panoramic sunroof, matte black finish wheels, a spare tire, and color combinations that match the roof and exterior mirrors are other available options, depending on trim level.

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$251/mo

$233/mo

Avg. Compact Car

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Reliability

The 2018 FIAT 500L has a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic warranty and no recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 3 out of 5, ranks it #29 out of 29 among Compact SUVs. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

3 out of 5 stars3/5Above Average

#29 out of 29 among Compact SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$489/yr

vs. $465/yr
for Average Compact SUV

Frequency

1.89x/yr

vs. 1x/yr
for Average Compact SUV

Severity

16.8%

vs. 11.5%
for Average Compact SUV

Recalls

There are no recalls for the 2018 FIAT 500L

Warranty

4 years / 50,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 4 years / 50,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 4 years / 50,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 5 years / unlimited miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 4 years / unlimited miles

FIAT 500L Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.2

36 reviews

5(67%)

4(8%)

3(5%)

2(17%)

1(3%)

See all 36 reviews of the FIAT 500L

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2018 500L Features & Specs

Trim:

Pop

MSRP (New) Excludes Destination Fee	$20,995
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$251/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	22.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the 500L models:

ParkSense Rear Park Assist System: Alerts the driver as the 500L approaches an object behind the vehicle.
ParkView Rear Backup Camera: Displays an image of the area behind the vehicle in the touchscreen display.
Hill Start Assist: Prevents the 500L from rolling backward when pulling away from a stop while traveling uphill.

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Poor
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

2018 FIAT 500L Review

Price & Payment

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Vehicle overview

For sale near Ashburn, VA

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Edmunds' Expert Rating

Trim tested

Scorecard

Driving

Acceleration

Braking

Steering

Handling

Drivability

Comfort

Seat comfort

Ride comfort

Noise & vibration

Interior

Ease of use

Getting in/getting out

Roominess

Visibility

Quality

Utility

Which 500L does Edmunds recommend?

2018 FIAT 500L models

Cost to Drive

Reliability

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

Recalls

Warranty

FIAT 500L Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2018 500L Features & Specs

Safety