New Fiat 500, presentation and test drive in Turin

The Fiat 500 has marked a before and after within the Italian brand. It has meant a real resurrection for a company that, at the time of its launch, was betting everything on a coin toss.

Time has put things in their place, and has confirmed that the Fiat 500 has been a genuine success worldwide. Now, we travel to Turin to test the most thorough update the small Italian has undergone to date.

Exterior design: very subtle details

The exterior design of the Fiat 500 has changed, though not radically. The basic lines remain unchanged after the great work the designers put into this reissue, launched on the market in 2007 and based on the Fiat Trepiùno prototype, presented at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show.

The brand claims the new 500 has more than 1,900 new parts, which represents a significant percentage of the total vehicle. Much of these new parts are found on the exterior, starting with the front, which features a modernised look. The light clusters now have a completely new internal design, integrating a projector for the halogen lighting. As an option, xenon is still available.

The daytime running lights remain located in the small lower lamp, but now feature an LED surround that gives them a more modern look. The famous chrome “moustaches” flanking both the logo and its lower part have been reinforced and are now larger.

At the bottom we find better-integrated fog lights, with a three-dimensional grille with chrome inserts. As you may have already noticed, the 500 has embraced chrome…

On the side, the most eye-catching novelty is the arrival of two new designs for the 15″ and 16″ alloy wheels, both very attractive. Furthermore, at the rear the light clusters have modified their design -not their shape- and have a very appealing “LED style”, although incandescent bulbs still handle the lighting. Both the reverse light and the fog light have moved to the lower part of the bumper, integrated into a fairly thick chrome strip.

Interior: few changes, but well thought out

The interior of the Fiat 500 has been improved with various elements that make life on board easier. The materials used, as well as their fit and finish, have not changed, so we still have a small city car with hard plastics, coloured trim and good panel fit.

The most obvious change is in the dashboard, which now features a redesigned upper section. The previous audio unit has been replaced by a U-Connect infotainment system similar to the one fitted to most FCA Group vehicles, such as the Alfa Romeo Mito or the Jeep Renegade. This time the screen is smaller -five inches- but still sufficient.

The central air vents have also changed, now positioned vertically. Other minor elements have been slightly modified, such as the electric window switches, which have a better feel and appearance. Furthermore, the AUX and USB sockets are now integrated into a more elegant piano black trim.

The instrument cluster can be digital, and some graphics have barely changed, such as the ECO indicator, to make it quicker and more pleasant to the eye. On the other hand, the small compartment to the left of the steering wheel, used for storing items like a remote control or a set of keys, has disappeared, but the door storage pockets are now larger.

Mechanics and safety: slight adjustments for a more enjoyable drive

The Fiat 500 already had an extensive range of engines, which in this update have improved their efficiency and performance. We still have both diesel and petrol engines, with the option on the latter to also fit LPG on certain models.
On diesel, the options are limited to the well-known 1.3 Multijet with 95 CV, which now reduces its emissions to 89 g/km of CO2.

On petrol the range is much broader, with a first option corresponding to the classic 1.2 Fire, which produces 69 CV and reduces its CO2 emissions to 99 g/km. The petrol offer is completed by the 0.9 TwinAir in two other power levels, 85 and 105 CV, with the latter paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox, just like the diesel version.
Of course, more “exotic” options will remain available, such as the LPG-powered 1.2 Fire or the 5-speed automated manual gearbox.

The Italian company asserts that the safety of the Fiat 500 has been improved thanks to the inclusion of larger-diameter brake discs on the front axle. On the rear axle they still rely on a drum system, sufficient for the city, though somewhat “behind the times”. Only the 105 CV petrol version fits rear discs, measuring 240 mm, while the front ones are now ventilated.

Personally, I still don’t understand the reason for the refusal of Fiat to include features such as city emergency braking or traffic sign recognition, systems already widespread, fitted on other 500 models such as the 500L or the 500X, and which can also be fitted to segment models such as the Peugeot 108 or the MINI. I also miss cruise control, or at least a voluntary speed limiter.

Equipment: more multimedia, more personalisation

The Fiat 500 has always been synonymous with style, personalisation and image. The Italian house is aware of this, and that is why they have further emphasised this aspect with the arrival of this restyling.

In pure and simple equipment, the small Cinquecento has not undergone major changes, but now we can enjoy systems such as projector lighting with either halogen or xenon bulbs, LED daytime running lights, or the U-Connect infotainment system we mentioned earlier.

This multimedia system features a 5″ screen that will be touch-enabled on the Lounge trim, from which we can control both the radio and the audio sources. We will also have an updatable navigation system signed by TomTom, as well as numerous apps that we can acquire and modify at will. Also noteworthy is the upcoming arrival of a Beats version, equipped with an 8-speaker sound system and 440 W of power.

In terms of personalisation, the 500 will offer 13 different body colours and 10 interior ambiences, to which we can add, as a novelty, two new alloy wheel designs, as well as a new range of vinyls the brand calls “Second Skin”, consisting of 4 different patterns.

Driving: different, yet the same

Behind the wheel of the 500, things remain in their place; we still enjoy a small city car that is extremely agile, able to turn in any tight spot, always with a “big car” feel that makes it very stable.

In this first contact I was able to drive two versions: the 1.2 Fire with 69 CV and a 5-speed manual gearbox, in the black and yellow of the photos, as well as a 0.9 TwinAir with 85 CV, also manual -the turquoise convertible-.

The 1.2 is a well-proven engine, with many years of history, which has been fitted to numerous vehicles across the group for years, and which maintains a very characteristic smoothness and agile feel. It is a “pure Italian” engine that likes to rev high, with a very attractive sound.

The 0.9, by contrast, is a far more technological engine. Being two-cylinder, its sound is very distinctive, especially at idle and low revs. At standstill the vibrations are noticeable, but they are not bothersome, at least for me.

The response is much more energetic than the 1.2’s thanks to turbocharging, and in the city it becomes a real “torpedo”. On the road the 85 CV TwinAir moves with confidence, capable of propelling the tonne-plus Fiat with great cheer. The downside is that if we abuse the accelerator, fuel consumption will suffer and will not be as low as one might expect from a two-cylinder engine of less than one litre.

If you want to enjoy all the details of the Fiat 500, you have an extensive gallery right below.

Photography | Daniel Valdivielso