Description

Available in Pop, Sport and Lounge trims, the small 500 is nimble and fashionable. That's a formula that BMW's Mini has proved to be viable ? interior roominess be damned. The four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive Fiat comes with manual and automatic transmissions; I test-drove a manual Sport and an automatic Lounge.Styled after the original rear-engine 1957 Cinquecento ? "500" in Italian ? the front-engine 500 has the same beady headlights and parking lamps; it's a familiar sight overseas, where it's been on sale since 2007. Though not as affable as the Mini, the 500's bubble-car profile and pencil-moustache expression promise distinction over here. That's a considerable feat, considering the car's small size will make it hard to see ? period. Measuring just under 140 inches long, the Fiat is 7 inches shorter than a Cooper, although it's more than a foot longer than Scion's forthcoming iQ and nearly 3 feet longer than a Smart ForTwo. The 500's small footprint, well-assisted power steering and 30.6-foot turning circle (smaller than the Mini's and just 1.8 feet wider than the ForTwo's) should help cement its urban credentials.