The FIAT 500 Series 3 arrived in Australia late in 2014 along with a heap of style, technology and interior comfort improvements. The Fiat 500s reviewed here is certainly unique in its style, with DNA back to the very early days of the model.
Aimed squarely at trendy buyers and inner city dwellers the Fiat 500s is all about personality with a seemingly endless of personalisation options from exciting new colours (such as Blue Jelly Bean, Mint Milkshake and Vanilla Ice Cream), interior options, roof options and roof decals etc. This is ideal for those who like to individualise their ride.
Key amongst the improvements is the new seven-inch TFT digital instrument display, standard on the S which is pretty cool technology and blends with the 500’s aesthetics of the cabin. It certainly is a major improvement with better driver view of the inputs.
The historical dash layout can be a little confusing at first with the unusual speedometer, rev-counter and trip computer. One cool feature is that the centre of the display – which contains a digital image of the car – can also be configured to show various trip computer readouts, such as distance travelled, instant fuel consumption, range and more.
The Fiat 500 S has a cheeky performance, which is surprising and although I really don’t like manuals the transmission was easy to use. The 500s provides 74kW/131Nm from the 1.4-litre engine linked with a six-speed manual or Dualogic transmission. Although it has a tiny fuel tank (to be expected) it is really economical and we got very close to the ADR figures on test of 6.8 l/100k.
The Fiat 500s is great for young singles that want something more than the bland, something that can be individualised, yet cheap to buy and economical on fuel. It still has some dash ergonomic issues, lacks effective storage internally, and is pretty useless for carrying more than two people, but is a buzz to drive and fun. At the price is has personality by the bucket full and can be an attention grabber on the road.
I found myself smiling when driving and that translated into feeling good. I guess you could call it the ‘happy car’ without trying to be. I have to say I really enjoyed the week in the Fiat 500s
What’s Good:
• Surprising interior space for driver
• Cheeky performance
• Value for money
What’s Not:
• Rear seat room
•Dash ergonomics
• Limited storage
Model Fiat 500s
Model Price $22,643 RDAP
Engine 1.3L DOHC 4 Cyl
Drivetrain FWD 6 speed Man
Power 74 Kw @ 6,000 rpm
Torque 131 Nm @ 4,250 rpm
Safety 5 Star ANCAP
CO2 Emissions 140 g/km
GVR 4 1/2 Star
Economy 6.1 L/100km (ADR comb)
0-100 Kph 10.5 sec
Top Speed TBA
Servicing TBC
Warranty 3 yr/ 150,000 km with full roadside assist
Overall AnyAuto Rating: 75/100
Behind the Wheel 7
Comfort 8
Equipment 7
Performance 7
Ride 7
Handling 7
Practicality 7
Fit for Purpose 8
Street Appeal 8
Value for Money 9
