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The 500L is cute but holy cow, 0-60 in 10 seconds??? I know not everyone needs a tire blisterer but I'd at least like to be able to merge into traffic the same day I hit the gas pedal.
According to zeroto60times.com, it's 7.9 seconds. Having driven one, I can say that estimate is pretty close. The 1.4L turbo engine comes from the Fiat 500 Abarth, so it's got some grunt. However, even if it was 10 seconds, that's plenty in real-world driving.
I love the Fiat 500L (and I work for Ford!) and I love even more the fact that people are actively considering buying these cars and not behemoth SUVs they have no use for, especially in an urban environment. If I needed a people-mover, it would be between the C-Max (because it gets great gas mileage...and because I work for Ford) and the 500L and I am not sure which one would win out. The 500L has an inordinate (by today's standards) ratio of windows to sheet metal, which makes for great visibility. There are enough toys inside to keep anyone happy and the amount of space in the back (especially if you fold and tumble the seats) can rival some minivans'. Plus, there's just something funky and cool about it. It's too new to pass judgment on things like resale value and reliability, but if you aren't planning on keeping it beyond the warranty's expiration (not sure if it's three years or five), at least the second part isn't something you should be worried about. Also, leasing might be an option if you aren't planning on driving it too much (which, I suspect, might be the case in an urban environment). There should be plenty of information about the 500L online - start here. There are FIAT dealers in Alexandria, Gaithersburg and Vienna around DC, just to name a few. Go test drive it and play around with all the interior features - you'll like it.
Other cars to consider in this price range:
- Nissan Juke (funky, but not for everyone - also, pretty cramped inside)
- Subaru Impreza (I'm a fan of the brand, plus they are massively reliable and have AWD which can't hurt in a four seasons environment)
- Ford C-Max like mentioned before (for the gas mileage and $$$ incentives)
I would personally stay away from the Veloster. It looks funky, but fitting a kid's seat in the back of a coupe is going to be a hassle, that extra one suicide door notwithstanding.
In all honesty, though, given your posts here, it sounds like you've got your heart set on the 500L. Go with that and you'll never find yourself second-guessing your decision. Transmission issues-wise - get a stick (but, really, you're buying a new car for a reason - they will fix it).
The veloster really looks unique and nice, I am just iffy about Hyundai after hearing all the horror stories about it but heard it got better now
The horror stories are really unfortunate as they paint many manufacturers in a negative light years after they have ironed out all the kinks. Hyundais are fine cars - no reason to discount them based on the brand's prior reputation.
The Veloster would be a better fit for you as it is called a 'three door'. Right side has a small door to get access to the rear seat. Plus is a bit bigger than the Fiat and a whole lot better looking.
The Fiat has four doors. We're talking about the little 500L MPV, not the tiny 500.
car is a hunk of Junk, and dangerously small even for urban driving ! how would you like to get hit by an F150 or an old woman driving a Caddy DTS ?
Which means that if you're ever in with a shout of surviving a crash, you should buy a Chevy Suburban, right? Have you ever heard of modern cars' safety features? Have you also heard of larger cars' propensity to tip over in a crash?
Also, what substance do you have to back up your "hunk of junk" claim?
Quote:
Even the network of dealers doesn't seem as developed when you could buy a nice Fiat 124 coupe or convertible in the 1970s. Besides it's butt ugly
You're aware that FIAT and Chrysler now share what is essentially the same network of dealers, right?
According to zeroto60times.com, it's 7.9 seconds. Having driven one, I can say that estimate is pretty close. The 1.4L turbo engine comes from the Fiat 500 Abarth, so it's got some grunt. However, even if it was 10 seconds, that's plenty in real-world driving.
Dunno, the 10 second time was from a road test I read.
Dunno, the 10 second time was from a road test I read.
Where did you read this? I am speaking from personal experience. It was substantially faster than 10 seconds. Here's a road test from Motor Trend, by the way - 7.5.
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) and the 500L and I am not sure which one would win out. The 500L has an inordinate (by today's standards) ratio of windows to sheet metal, which makes for great visibility. There are enough toys inside to keep anyone happy and the amount of space in the back (especially if you fold and tumble the seats) can rival some minivans'. Plus, there's just something funky and cool about it
. Go with that and you'll never find yourself second-guessing your decision
(but, really, you're buying a new car for a reason - they will fix it).
