GO
GoAutoLogo
MENU

Make / Model Search

Car reviews - Fiat - 500 - Lounge 1.4 3-dr hatch

Overview

The new 500 is a cleverly modern interpretation of Fiat's original, with some flaws

19 Sep 2008

EUROPEAN car of the year winners don’t come more evocative than the Nuova Cinquecento. Visually, Fiat’s reborn 500 is stunningly faithful to the original, which is an amazing feat in itself considering how much larger, safer and more accommodating the modern version had to be. Plus, while the Fiat feels more akin to the BMW Mini than the VW New Beetle for quality and detail, the Italians have priced the base models considerably below either of these, thus allowing more people access to such a charming little car. But, as the top-of-the-line Lounge 1.4 reveals, it isn’t all Marcello Mastroianni and gelati on a hot summer’s night by the Trevi Fountain, with a few significant flaws undermining what is still unquestionably a worthy addition to our roads.
Model release date: 1 February 2008 to 1 May 2013

Previous model

FSM Niki

Released: 1989
Ended: 1990
Family Tree: 500

DON’T laugh. This car is the direct successor to the original Nuovo 500, direct predecessor of the 1991 Fiat Cinquecento and 1996 Seicento, and the beginning of Fiat’s relationship with the FSM car company, which brought the 1972 Fiat 126 (basically a reclothed Nuovo 500) to Communist-era Poland. With its rear-mounted 652cc two-cylinder engine, rear-wheel drive, four-speed manual gearbox and four seats, the Niki was s-l-o-w, noisy, and quite scary in the wet – with a tendency to snap oversteer like an inebriated early Beetle. Obviously, Australians laughed when some enterprising '80s executives decided we needed this hopelessly outdated economy car, at a time when all we were interested in were big V8-powered VN Commodores. Unbelievably, FSM continued to make the 126 until 2000.

Click to share

Click below to follow us on
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram

GoAuto can help you buy a new 500

Customer Terms and Conditions – New Car Lead enquires

Agreement

This is an agreement between GoAutoMedia Pty Limited ACN 094 732 457 of PO Box 18, Beach Road, Sandringham, VIC, 3191 (“we/us”), the owner and operator of the GoAuto.com.au website (“the website”) and the person wanting GoAuto.com.au to provide them with a lead for the purchase of a new car (“you”).

By completing a New Car Lead Enquiry, you agree to the terms and conditions and disclaimers and acknowledge the policies set out below.

Terms and Conditions

  • In order for us to effect a lead you must you must complete a New Car Lead Enquiry (“Enquiry”).
  • We will call you as soon as possible after you complete the Enquiry and certainly no later than the next business day. When we call, we will discuss with you your new car requirements.
  • You consent to our passing on the Enquiry and your requirements to an appropriate authorised motor car dealer as a lead.
  • We will contact you again in approximately eight days following your initial enquiry to check on the progress of the Enquiry.
  • While we will provide the dealer with the Enquiry and details of your new car requirements, we take no responsibility for what happens after passing on that material as a lead.
  • You acknowledge that we are a new car information service providing new car editorial information, pictures and prices to our customers as a guide only. Any new car prices published on the website are the manufacturers’ recommended retail prices and do not include delivery charges and on-road costs. Any authorized motor car dealer to which we pass on your Enquiry as a lead will provide you with full details of the price at which the vehicle will be sold to you.
  • You acknowledge that we do not sell motor vehicles. Any sale of a new car to you by a dealer after we have passed on your Enquiry to that dealer as a lead, is a sale by that dealer not by us.

Privacy Policy– New Car Lead Enquires

  • We take privacy very seriously. We understand that you will only complete an Enquiry if you can trust us to protect your personal information and use it appropriately. Our policy is to ensure that the personal information collected when you make an Enquiry is only used for the purposes of connecting you with an authorised motor car dealer.
  • We do not on-sell information collected from you or any other customer.
  • From time to time, we may email you with information or promotions that may be relevant for car buyers. You will continue to receive communications from us unless you tell us that you do not want to receive any advertising or promotional information in the future by unsubscribing from these communications.
close
* Denotes required field
** Australian inquiries only

500 pricing

Motor industry news

GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events.

Catch up on all of the latest industry news with this week's edition of GoAutoNews
Click here