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Last year I went to a car show. The Fiat 500 was on display and I absolutely loved it. I thought it looked really cute and fun. Now fast forward 1 year.
I have chosen a Fiat twice over the past few weeks as a rental.
I still think it is cute, and kind of "smily" like a VW Beetle, but boy is this car completely impractical.
Here are my beefs:
1. Backseat is pointless. For toddlers only
2. The keyfob needs help. THe key retracts, but it pops open again with the slightest pressure. The key fob doesn't have any "white" images or lettering, so it is impossible to figure out in the dark
3. The window controls are in the center console
4. I still haven't found the door locks. I have driven it for a total of 5 days at this point
5. The steering wheel controls are confusing. And some are hidden. I accidentally found the bluetooth volume controls
6. iPod/USB/Auxillary is in the glovebox
7. No armrest/center console storage
8. Terrible cup holders. They only work of your cup is a perfect cylinder. If not, then 2 cups cannot be used.
9. No storage: glovebox, door, an open slot (cell phone width) by the cup holder and the is a mesh slot on the passenger side of the center console
10. Complicated controls for the stereo/bluetooth system. Either the info screen is flakey or doesn't work. I tried to pair a phone today. It said "Pair the phone with the following code: 1234. Use the code on the screen to pair your device." The screen still had the title, "blue and me" with no secret code
11. The instructions in the manual do not tell you how to pair things properly
12. Nonstandard icons
I think of the fit as a perfect vacation var for a couple. In day to use, it would be torture because of the weird logic and missing convenience features.
What a difference.. in Jan 2013 it was reported that Fiat sales are up:
Full-year Fiat 500 sales were well up -- 121% to 43,772 -- but still undershot CEO Sergio Marchionne's original forecast of 50,000. He has said that number was optimistic..The 500 is the only Fiat model sold in the U.S., though it comes in several variations, including a convertible.
Ditto on that in san diego
I even had one try to drag race me the other day
Yeah, some dude with a fauxhawk driving an Abarth pulled up alongside me at a light just last night. Lulz were had... by me...
I didn't think that it was possible to pull a half-block on a "performance version" of a car between stoplights My S2k is fast and all, but it's more a canyon carver than a drag racer.
I looked at at them when I was trying to find a cheap commuter car. They probably don't sell well because you can buy a Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa or Honda fit for the same price that is actually big enough to live with comfortably, gets better gas mileage and performance AND have better reliability.
People shopping that particular market nich aren't exactly "style over substance" type people... which is exactly what the Fiat 500 is.
I looked at at them when I was trying to find a cheap commuter car. They probably don't sell well because you can buy a Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa or Honda fit for the same price that is actually big enough to live with comfortably, gets better gas mileage and performance AND have better reliability.
People shopping that particular market nich aren't exactly "style over substance" type people... which is exactly what the Fiat 500 is.
The people who are shopping a Yaris or Fit aren't, but the Fiat 500 is aimed at drawing in people who are, or who would... sort of like people who bought the New Beetle in the first few years it was out. They could have bought a Civic hatch or something of the sort that had better mileage, was more reliable, and just an all around better car... but the Beetle was new and cute.
More than anything else, I think it's intended as a recognizable foray back into the US market. The Punto is a more practical car overall, but it also looks like it's ten years old, and sort of awkward in the first place, with its googly-eyed headlights and moustache-bumper.
I see more than enough around here. Hipster wankers.
Nothing says hipster like saying wanker rather than jag-off.
Last edited by Irishtom29; 03-08-2013 at 07:49 PM..
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My S2k is fast and all, but it's more a canyon carver than a drag racer.
Why the Fiat 500 isn't selling...
