Does size really matter? When you talk about small cars that are made to give us excellent gas mileage and be some of the most efficient models on the market the size of the car shouldn’t matter much, but the build and dynamics of the car do matter a great deal. The Fiat 500 lineup is one way that we see an impressive lineup of new vehicles that offer us the playfulness and features we want to have in a small car. You don’t have to settle for a small car that doesn’t make a huge difference, the Fiat 500 is one that has everything you want and nothing that you don’t.
Not only do you have a great small car with the active driving that you want, but this car has a power convertible top. That’s something that most cars of this size won’t have and you’ll have to roll it down on your own, if a convertible is even offered. The 500 Cabrio opens up the cabin to the outside by rolling the top back and giving you a view outside. This top can actually be rolled back at speeds of up to sixty mph to give you the enjoyment anytime on the road.
If you happen to be looking for more performance than what’s offered on a base model, the Abarth is where you want to go. This is the version that gives you additional horsepower and more equipment for an affordable price. With this version you have all the performance you want and don’t have to pay ridiculous prices that other Italian cars ask for.
Speaking of price, the Fiat 500 lineup starts out at the Pop trim with a price of nearly $17,000. That’s not bad at all considering the style and performance you receive for this car. Moving up to the Lounge model brings you in at just a little more than $20,300 and the convertible (cabrio) version will add another $1,500 to this price. The Abarth will remain at nearly $21,000, which is a decrease in price over last year. The 500e, which is only sold in California and Oregon will cost you $32,800 but the incentives you receive on this model can bring the price down by the thousands.
Only one engine is offered across the 500 lineup, but its setup two different ways to give you more power on higher models. The Pop and Lounge trims use the 101 horsepower, 98 lb.-ft. of torque version of the 1.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine to gain excellent activity and driving enjoyment. This version uses either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission to handle the shifting. This gives you 31 city/40 hwy mpg in the manual and 27 city/34 hwy mpg in the automatic. The Abarth increases the power to 160 horses and 170 lb.-ft. of twist and returns 28 city/34 hwy mpg with the manual and 24 city/32 hwy mpg in the automatic.
The 500e does use a different setup with the use of a permanent magnet electric motor as the only source of propulsion. This gives the car 111 horsepower and 147 lb.-ft. of torque and allows for a full 87 miles of driving on a full charge. This is a 122 city/108 hwy MPGe to make for an extremely efficient ride for you to enjoy. This motor is attached to a single-speed automatic transmission to give you a smooth ride.
The standard equipment you will have on this car include a leather wrapped steering wheel, 15-inch aluminum wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, locks and mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity, a six-speaker audio system, a five-inch touchscreen display, and a USB port. The Abarth adds a 276-watt Alpine audio system, 16-inch hyper-black wheels, a sport tuned suspension and a leather covered dashboard.
Looking to the options of the Fiat 500 you will be able to add the automatic transmission, leather seats, heated front seats, rear parking sensors, a navigation system, a Beats by Dr. Dre audio system and automatic climate controls. The Pop Sport Appearance package adds a sportier look to the front and rear, 16-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, side ground effects and black trimmed lights. Upgrades for the Abarth include 17-inchwheels, two-toned leather seats and either white or red body stripes.
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