2013 FIAT 500

INTELLIGENT POWER CONVERTIBLE TOP
The 500c's dual-layer power top cycles in just 15 seconds and can be deployed at speeds up to 60 mph. The folded top stack automatically slides up into an "easy-access" position when you pop the decklid. Unfortunately, it also hampers rearward views.

ECO:DRIVE
Plug a USB memory stick into the Fiat 500's glovebox-mounted USB port and the car will upload onto it a variety of trip details including carbon dioxide emissions information. Plug the memory stick into your computer and you'll get personalized tips on how to improve your driving efficiency.

The Fiat 500 is roomier up front than you might expect, and just as tight in back as it looks. If you will transport more than two adults on a regular basis, we'd suggest a larger 4-door alternative. The interior style lives up to the promise of the quirky but fashionable exterior, and we found the materials, build quality and seat comfort impressive for a car with a starting price around $16,000. As the athlete of the group, the 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth offers aggressively bolstered front seats, exclusive red seam stitching and a thick-rimmed, flat-bottom steering wheel.

The 2013 Fiat 500 is a modern interpretation of the tiny, rear-engine original introduced to Europe in 1957. Although larger than the original, it's still seven inches shorter than today's Mini Cooper. The iconic sloping rear end is a big part of the 500's personality, though it doesn't do much for rear headroom. For 2013, the Fiat 500 is available in seven distinct model and trim combinations: The hatchback offers Pop, Sport and Lounge trim levels, the soft-top Cabrio comes in Pop and Lounge, and the new Turbo and the Abarth are their own packages. Wheels, fascias and body trim differentiate the models.

The front-wheel-drive 2013 Fiat 500 is motivated by a small but sophisticated 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine using Fiat's patented MultiAir technology, which varies intake-valve timing and lift. This engine is tuned to three different power levels in the 500 family: The base hatchback and cabrio models have 101 horsepower (naturally aspirated), the new-for-2013 Turbo makes 135 horsepower and the Abarth, also turbocharged, cranks out 160 horsepower. Those numbers may look modest but they only have to move some 2400 pounds of car. The turbocharged engines get only a 5-speed manual gearbox; the other models offer that or a 6-speed automatic. We like the automatic for its extra ratio and responsive shifting though it does cut fuel efficiency by more than 10 percent.

1.4-liter inline-4
101 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
98 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 31/40 mpg (manual), 27/34 mpg (automatic)

1.4-liter turbocharged inline-4
135 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
150 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/34 mpg

1.4-liter turbocharged inline-4
160 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
170 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/34 mpg

The 2013 Fiat 500 lineup starts at a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $16,200 for a hatchback Pop and will climb toward $28,000 for a fully loaded Abarth. The 2013 Mini Cooper has a starting sticker price of just over $20,000 and can top $35,000, a substantial difference. And Fiat includes a Mini-matching 4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty with roadside assistance and a 3-year/36,000-mile no-cost maintenance package. The 2013 Ford Fiesta Hatchback ranges from about $14,000 to $21,000. It's still a bit early to know exactly how Fiat's return to America will play out in the long run, but we expect the 2013 Fiat 500 to remain a hot commodity for the foreseeable future. Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price should reflect real-world transaction prices close to MSRP. Five-year projected residual values for the 500 fall considerably short of the Mini's, but remain slightly higher than those for Ford's Fiesta.

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