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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2013 FIAT 500

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Overview

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2013 FIAT 500 Review

By KBB.com Editors

KBB Expert Rating: 7.1

The slick and sassy 500 is anchoring both Fiat's return to the U.S. market and the company's new role as Chrysler's small-car brand. It's easy to see the 2013 Fiat 500 as an Italian Mini Cooper: They're both small cars with big personalities and they both have storied pasts dating back to the 1950s. But they're very different cars, the 500 countering the Mini's superior power and sharper handling with a lower price, more comfortable ride and superior fuel efficiency. For 2013, the 500 comes in seven distinct model/trim configurations, including a convertible and two levels of up-power sport tuning, and offers a rich opportunity for personalization. No telling how Fiat's return to the U.S. market will play out, but the 500 is a great start.

You'll Like This Car If...

Cool, funky, fun and unexpectedly refined, the 2013 Fiat 500 bridges the gap between the sportier, pricier Mini Cooper and the more pedestrian Toyota Yaris. If you like a little car with attitude, and hear the call of Italian style sensibilities, the Fiat 500 may be for you.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If you're not smitten by the style of the 2013 Fiat 500, you can get more car for your money in something like a Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta or Mazda2, all offering more doors, more room and more standard power.

KBB Expert Ratings

Overall Rating

7.1
Driving Dynamics

7.1
Comfort & Convenience

6.7
Design: Interior & Exterior

7.9
Value

6.7
Safety

5.9

How It Ranks

#1

out of 12

MPG

#8

out of 12

Horsepower

View all rankings

Consumer Rating

8.7 out of 10

View all
consumer ratings

What's New for 2013

Launched just last year, the Fiat 500 line continues to grow. The standard 500 hatchback was quickly joined by a slide-open-top cabriolet, and then the up-power Abarth version showed up late last year. For 2013, a new mid-power 500 Turbo model fits between the cute hatchback and the aggressive Abarth.

Driving the 500

Driving Impressions Whereas the Mini Cooper is an undersized action hero – as in The Italian Job – the Fiat 500 is more likely to appear in a festival-favorite romantic comedy. The...

lightweight, 101-horsepower Fiat is definitely fun, just not in a sideways, airborne, car-chase kind of way. A big part of the appeal lies in how the 500 combines the advantages of a tiny car with comfortable accommodations and a relatively smooth highway ride. The steering, brake and shift controls all have a quality feel, and the optional 6-speed automatic surprised us with its responsiveness. Obviously, the 160-horsepower Abarth model runs and drives a lot more aggressively, and the newly added Turbo model, at 135 horsepower, splits the difference in terms of over-the-road intensity. In any form, the 2013 Fiat 500 is tiny and quirky until you drive it. Then, it's tiny, quirky and respectable.

Favorite Features

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.

2013 FIAT 500 Details

2013 FIAT 500 Dashboard, center console, gear shifter view photo

Interior

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.

Exterior

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.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The 2013 Fiat 500 and 500c Pop include a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 15-inch covered steel wheels, a 5-speed manual transmission, air conditioning, cruise control, power window/locks/mirrors, Bluetooth, and a 6-speaker audio system with a USB port for portable music players. The range-topping Abarth variant includes a Bose premium audio system, 16-inch alloy wheels, sport-tuned suspension, and a leather-wrapped dashboard. Standard safety features include seven airbags, hill-start assist to help prevent vehicle rollback on steep inclines and seemingly all the other advancements we're seeing on new cars in this price range and beyond.

Optional Equipment

A fully loaded 2013 Fiat 500 Lounge includes a 6-speed automatic transmission, leather seats, heated front seats, rear parking sensors, Bose audio system and automatic climate control. The 500 Sport model is differentiated by a sport-tuned suspension, 16-inch wheels and a variety of aesthetic touches including red brake calipers and a subtle rear spoiler. The new Turbo model adds larger front brakes and more serious suspension tuning to go with its specific 16-inch wheels and identifying trim. The mighty Abarth offers larger 17-inch wheels, 2-tone leather-trimmed seats and your choice of either white or red body side stripes.

Under the Hood

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

Pricing Notes

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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2013 FIAT 500 Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.7

Out of 10

Based on 62 Ratings for the 2012 - 2013 models.

Review this car

Value

8.9/10

Quality

8.8/10
Reliability

9.0/10

Performance

8.7/10
Comfort

8.5/10

Styling

8.9/10

Best Car I've Owned

By Letchik (AL) on Sunday, June 16, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Great gas mileage, fun to drive, lots of features"

Cons: "No rear power outlets"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I've owned the car for a month and have a thousand miles on it. This car is packed with features, fun to drive, and surprisingly roomy! It will seat 4 comfortably, and I've averaged 34 mpg in city driving. Really an amazing value for the price. Highly recommend!"

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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Size, Cost, and Design

By Zeus (FL) on Thursday, June 13, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 22,500

10 7.0

overall rating 7 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 7/10
Value: 7/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 7/10
Performance: 6/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 6/10

Pros: "Parking and filling up for gas is the best!"

Cons: "Long distance is not enjoyable"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 6

"I bought this car because of the design, size and fuel economy. I checked out this car at my local dealership and they happened to have a used one with some features I wanted. All of the Fiat's have a standard bluetooth, mp3, etc. etc. I picked the Sport model because it had a few upgrades that I preferred the pleather, bose sound system and rubber floor mats. I really enjoy driving this car, filling up the tank, and the design and parking is fantastic! Pick up on this car is not great but for a four cylinder with sport mode on it's fine. I'd rather have more pickup but that's just how I am and prefer to drive. It seats 4 but if you want two people in the back, you need to move those front seats up and if you're my size 5' 10" then it's a little cramped. Otherwise great car for the price and features! This car is made cheaply meaning, it has plastic everything. For them to keep the price low they used more plastic. The radio and mp3 features are fine, nothing too fancy, but lacks some extra settings you would like such as a shuffle button, and for voice commands, you don't know what they all are."

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Very happy with the Abarth

By bertfw (FL) on Wednesday, June 12, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 10,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 8/10

Pros: "Fun to drive, incredible sound, draws attention"

Cons: "adequate mileage, could be more comfy"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I first saw the Abarth on Britain's television series Top Gear in 2009. I really liked the styling of the car and when I learned that Fiat would once again be coming to the USA I was hoping that the Abarth would make it to our shores. I've had my Abarth for nearly one year now. First the good. This car is a blast to drive! It's rated at just 160hp and 170 tq, but the sound it makes is inspirational and once the turbo spins up it feels wonderful. It handles quite well to, although given how high you sit you wouldn't expect it. I've driven an Abarth around the infield track at Daytona Speedway a few times and you'd be surprised at what this little car can do. I get compliments about this car all the time, even though Fiat has been selling in the USA for a couple of years. Very few people know what the Abarth is, so if you want a car that is a bit special this will do the job. Often I'll park somewhere and watch as people check the car out, it's definitely an attention-getter. Now for the not-so-great. First off, the mileage in an Abarth is not going to be what you can get in a regular 500. The main problem is the lack of a 6th gear for highway driving. If you stick around town I have no doubt that, with care, you can break the low 30s - but take a few trips on the interstate each month and you'll be in the high 20s. And if you often fall prey to the siren song of the exhaust, you'll be in the mid 20s. I've managed 28MPG overall in the year since I got the Abarth. My other main issue with the Abarth is the position of the steering wheel. If my legs were a bit shorter and my arms a bit longer, I'm sure I'd be perfectly happy, but as it is this car could really use a telescoping steering column. I will say that the Abarth seats are far more comfortable than the seats were in my Fiat 500 Lounge, especially for trips in the triple-digit mile range. In summary I'm very happy with the car and it has delivered exactly what I expected from what I had researched about the Abarth. If you want something a bit different that draws a lot of positive attention and is a lot of fun to drive, this is a great car. It can easily work as a daily driver. If you plan on taking a lot of long trips however, you might want to look elsewhere."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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So disappointed with mpg and interior quality

By rdtx (TX) on Wednesday, May 29, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 8,200

10 4.0

overall rating 4 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 4/10
Value: 6/10
Reliability: Not Rated
Quality: 3/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 1/10
Comfort: 1/10

Pros: "fun to drive in town"

Cons: "poor interior design and quality; backache seats"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"2012 Pop: Seats are soooo uncomfortable; Steering wheel does not telescope so after my 45 mile commute, my shoulders hurt from reaching or I have to sit with my knees in my chest (and I'm a 5/6" woman); the dash panel cover reflects light day and night making it almost impossible to read. However, it is fun, fun, fun to drive. I drive flat Texas highways and I only average 32.5 mpg. I'm excited when I get 34 mpg out of a tank. And as a commuter, I have to fill up the little 10 gal tank multiple times a week. This is definitely an "in town" and not a commuter car. Prior to this Fiat I drove an Audi A6 and a Ford pickup. Both doors and the dash began to rattle after only 1500 miles and most of the "soft" interior is literally cardboard. I can not address body or mechanical quality yet since I have just had my first oil change. I have to admit that I regret this purchase overall."

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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2013 500 Abarth Cabrio

By droy (CA) on Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 600

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Performance, Ride, Fun, Value, Build Quality"

Cons: "Steering Wheel needs telescope feature"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This car needs is a telescoping steering wheel and passenger seat adjustment should offer same settings as the driver seat. It takes a bit to get used to sitting "on" the seat vs. sitting "in" the seat, but overall a really fun car for my daily commute of 60 miles in Southern California traffic. Very solid, and quiet on the freeway. Love the exhaust note around town. Yes cup holders are small so I bought an Abarth cup for 8 bucks it fits great. Skip the auto climate control, it works OK but for 800 bucks you get the same effect using the standard heat & a/c controls. The Beats stereo system is great and the Blue & Me works well. I also skipped the Tom Tom because I have a Garmin and I prefer to keep it on the left of the instrument cluster vs. the factory settings of on the right side."

7 people out of 7 found this review helpful

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Fantastic Value

By Music Dude (FL) on Saturday, April 06, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 12,700

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Quality of construction, fuel economy, reliability"

Cons: "Rear seat room"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I bought my 2013 Fiat 500 Sport 5 speed to replace a 2009 Mini Cooper S Clubman. After owning the Mini just wasn't confident that it would hold up long term without having to take out a second mortgage to pay the mechanic. At under 30K miles, I had to have the following done: timing chain and tensioner and front brake pads along with regular routine maintenance. When I traded the car in at 32K, the car was indicating that it needed rear brake pads in another 10K miles. So, going from a 27,000 car to a 19,500 car would be painful, right? Not at all. I have features in tis car that the Mini did not have- 7 speaker Beats Audio with satellite radio and climate control. OK I gave up the power of the turbo in the Mini for the 101hp Fiat, but I am now averaging 39 MPG on my daily 120 mile round trip commute. Highway manners/handling are excellent, and the sport seats are very comfortable, even on long trips. The brakes are excellent, and the steering is very responsive. Fit and finish is excellent and the paint quality is far better than one would expect of a car in this price range. I have had no unexpected service visits, and the built in computer indicates when routing maintenance is requires. My oil change light came on around 8000 miles. While it does have rear seats, think of them as emergency seating only. With only 101hp on tap, expect to downshift from 5th to 4th for speedy passing. I'd buy this car again in a heartbeat."

14 people out of 14 found this review helpful

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