2019 FIAT 500 Review

Name: 2019 FIAT 500 Review
Brand: FIAT
Rating: 4.5 (29 reviews)

Price Range: $14,790 - $16,997

2019 FIAT 500 Abarth 2dr Hatchback Exterior

2019 FIAT 500 Lounge 2dr Hatchback Exterior Shown

+11

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Price & Payment

5 cars

$15,756 avg. price

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Appraise My 2019 FIAT 500

FIAT 500 model years

2012

FIAT 500 for Sale

FIAT 500 types

Edmunds' Expert Review

by Travis Langness^{Reviews Editor
Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.}

Pros

Nimble size for easy parking
Fairly comfortable ride quality for a car of this size
Lots of personality for the price

Cons

Disappointing fuel economy given the slow acceleration
Cramped interior
Poor rear visibility with the convertible's top lowered
Abarth model isn't very quick or much fun

What's new

New 1957 Edition exterior and interior appearance package
Part of the first 500 generation introduced for 2012

The 2019 Fiat 500 answers a very specific question: What do you buy if you want a tiny car that combines a bit of nostalgia with distinct European styling? As a two-door subcompact, the 500 is certainly small. And with styling cues that clearly harken back to the original Fiat 500 of the 1950s, it's got the nostalgia and styling angle handled. But how does it do as a modern daily driver? That answer isn't as rosy.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Seattle, WA

5 listings

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2019 FIAT 500
Pop 2dr Hatchback
$15,998
fair price
$306 below market
- 20,842 miles
- No accidents, 3 owners, personal use only
- 4cyl automatic
- CarMax Ft. Myers (2,618 mi away)
- Delivery available*
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
Close
Located in Fort Myers, FL
CarMax values transparency and wants you to love your next car, not settle on it. Certain vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. Check nhtsa.gov...
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:
30 Combined MPG (28 City/33 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 3C3CFFKH2KT693567
Stock: 27183107
Certified Pre-Owned: No
2019 FIAT 500
Pop 2dr Hatchback
$14,998
- 49,475 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use only
- 4cyl automatic
- CarMax Albuquerque (1,180 mi away)
- Delivery available*
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
- Auto Climate Control
Close
Located in Albuquerque, NM
CarMax values transparency and wants you to love your next car, not settle on it. Certain vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. Check nhtsa.gov...
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:
30 Combined MPG (28 City/33 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 3C3CFFKH6KT809868
Stock: 25814756
Certified Pre-Owned: No

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To the 500's credit, it's one of the easiest cars you'll ever park. Its scant dimensions make it ideal for crowded cities, and its nimble nature lends an advantage in traffic. Unfortunately, those same dimensions mean your people-carrying space is limited. Most adults in the front seat will be relatively comfortable, but the back seat is basically a glorified shelf. The trunk is just as small.

Under the hood, the 500 gets an equally tiny turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It provides a certain amount of personality that helps the 500 feel eager and spritely around town, but the reality is that the 500 is still one of the slowest cars in the segment. Fuel economy is disappointing as well.

Ultimately, the 2019 Fiat 500 is an interesting option for subcompact shoppers, but it's not our first choice. Competitors are less expensive in many cases and offer more amenities. If you need a bit more space, we recommend looking at four-door subcompacts such as the Kia Rio or the Honda Fit. And if you've got your heart set on a two-door city car, we suggest looking at the standard Mini Cooper or even an electric Fiat 500e, which we prefer to the gasoline-powered model.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

Driving

While it may be nimble and maneuverable, the 500 definitely isn't sporty. Even the Abarth model, with 160 horsepower, can spin the front tires at full throttle but instrumented acceleration numbers are less impressive. It can barely keep up with the base Mini Cooper Hardtop, let alone the Cooper S model.

Comfort

Limitations to the seat and steering wheel adjustability compromise comfort, and the contouring of the front seat will bother some drivers. The lack of adequate elbow padding and the drone of the engine and exhaust further hurt comfort scores. The ride quality is decent enough.

Interior

While the 500's minimalist interior has a certain retro design appeal, it also serves to limit the functionality of many systems. The limited passenger space leaves it trailing rivals by a considerable margin.

Utility

The cabriolet's trunk only measures 5.4 cubic feet, roughly half the capacity of the hatchback model (9.5 cubes). The tiny opening hampers usefulness. It's a struggle to get a carry-on suitcase to fit. Interior storage is minimal, with shallow door pockets and cramped cupholders.

Compare 2019 FIAT 500 trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2019 FIAT 500 models

The 2019 Fiat 500 is a small city car with seating for four, although the rear seats are only suitable for very small children. It's available as a two-door hatchback or convertible (Fiat calls this the 500C) that uses fixed roof rails and a folding center portion. Three trim levels are available: Pop, Lounge and Abarth.

All three trims are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, while a six-speed automatic is optional. In the Pop and Lounge models, the engine produces 135 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. Abarth models receive a modest but noticeable power bump: 160 hp and 170 lb-ft.

Standard features for the Pop trim include 16-inch alloy wheels, a rearview camera, hill start assist, heated mirrors, foglights, keyless locking and unlocking, air conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver's seat, a 7-inch color driver information display, 50/50-split folding rear seatbacks, a tilt-only leather-wrapped steering wheel, a cargo cover, and Fiat Chrysler's Uconnect infotainment interface with a 5-inch center touchscreen, Bluetooth, voice controls, and a six-speaker Alpine audio system with an auxiliary audio input and two USB ports (one for mobile device integration, the other for charging). The Pop convertible also comes with rear parking sensors.

The Lounge trim is a bit more luxury-oriented so it includes all of the above, plus chrome exterior trim, a fixed glass roof, rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic climate control, heated front seats, leather upholstery and satellite radio.

At the top of the Fiat 500 food chain is the performance-focused Abarth. It includes the parking sensors from the Lounge and adds a more powerful engine, a rear spoiler, sportier suspension tuning, upgraded brakes with red-painted calipers, a performance exhaust system, distinctive exterior and interior styling tweaks, premium cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a sport steering wheel and front floor mats.

Some of the Lounge's extra features can be added to the Pop and the Abarth as options. Other notable options include a 1957 Edition package (special colors and badging), a sunroof for coupe models, 17-inch wheels for the Abarth, a BeatsAudio sound system, a navigation system, and a variety of exterior and interior styling enhancements.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2019 FIAT 500 Pop 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.76 per gallon for premium unleaded in Washington.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Washington

$197/mo

$205/mo

Avg. Compact Car

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Above Average

#18 out of 27 among Subcompact Cars

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

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the FIAT 500 from 2008-2022.}

$448/yr

vs. $416/yr
for Average Subcompact Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

1.04x/yr

vs. 1.22x/yr
for Average Subcompact Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

10.8%

vs. 10.1%
for Average Subcompact Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

FIAT 500 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.5

29 reviews

5(86%)

4(0%)

3(0%)

2(4%)

1(10%)

Write a vehicle review See all 29 reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Most smiles per dollar available!!

Brandon, 12/26/2017

2017 FIAT 500 Abarth 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M)

I have owned this car for about 8 months and have put just over 6k miles on it. I drive it daily in city traffic, take it for spirited drives through the mountains, and have taken it to the local track day a few times. This car has never let me down, had any real issues, or made me regret buying it. The dealership has been very helpful with the 2 issues I have had(a bad clamp on the …

Not a clue

JM, 11/10/2019

2019 FIAT 500 Abarth 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M)

Article missed the mark. Abarth owners don't buy this car for the vanilla conveniences of an ordinarily car. Engine drone??? This is Carl Abarth's signature exhaust sound. Fast no, quick yes, and you'll be hard pressed to find a better deal for track performance off the floor. This is an Italian car enthusiast's entry level dream. The Fiat 500 racing heritage transferred well to this …

Cutest car ever owned

Brian Pawlak, 04/25/2018

2017 FIAT 500 C Pop 2dr Convertible (1.4L 4cyl 5M)

This car gets so much attention, convertible, easy to park, good on freeway, surprisingly fun car, runs/drives very good. Virtually a two seater, they should redo speedo cluster pkg, don't need tach, somewhat confusing overall interior gage itinerary just simplify, no spare tire, AC good, handles well. Retro look very snappy, not a cheap car. They don't need rear seat headrests, …

Makes me feel like I’m in a ‘50s movie

Bill Kupersmith, 03/26/2019

2019 FIAT 500 Pop 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M)

What I like best is the feeling of safety. That may seem paradoxical for such a small car. But being able to manouevre quickly whilst using little space is the easiest way to avoid other cars and obstacles. Quite love it.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2019 FIAT 500, so we've included reviews for other years of the 500 since its last redesign.

See all 29 reviews of the FIAT 500

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2019 500 Highlights

Type:

Hatchback

Trim:

Pop

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$16,245
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	30 MPG
Cost to Drive	$197/month
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	9.5 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the 500 models:

ParkSense Rear Park Assist System: Sounds an alert as the Fiat 500 approaches an object behind the car.
ParkView Rear Backup Camera: Displays an image of the area directly behind the car in the central touchscreen.
Hill Start Assist: Keeps the brakes applied even after you let your foot off the pedal while on a hill to prevent rolling backward.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger3 / 5
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover14.7%

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

2019 FIAT 500 Review

Price & Payment

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros