2019 Fiat 500 Abarth Road Test and Review

19fiat500abarthfrontsessions ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

One of the smallest cars you can buy in America is big on attitude. The 2019 Fiat 500 is more than just an economical, fuel-efficient, easy-to-park mode of transportation. It’s a driving experience, a taste of Europe where the roads are small and the cathedrals are big. Call it a mini-exotic for those times the Ferrari is, ahem, in the shop for service. The little fella is a flashy dresser with a 10-hue color palette rivaling anything you’d find in a bag of Skittles. Subtlety is not one of the 500’s virtues.

Since its introduction in 2007, more than a million 500s have been sold around the world. While U.S. sales have been a relative trickle in comparison, that just makes every "Cinquecento" you do see all the more special. Unchanged from the 2018 version, the 2019 Fiat 500 continues to be available in three-door hatchback and soft-top Cabrio body styles. The model lineup includes the nicely equipped base Pop, luxury Lounge, and sporty Abarth (pronounced ah-BART) models. Including the not unsubstantial $1,495 destination charge, the hatchback Pop starts at $17,990, Lounge at $21,490, and the Abarth at $22,240. Cabrio versions of each trim are a $1,495 upcharge.

Eclectic Electric 500e

Another version available only to denizens of California and Oregon is the FIAT 500e. This all-electric version of the Fiat funster tosses the internal-combustion propulsion of the conventional 500 hatchback in favor of a 111-hp permanent-magnet electric motor with 147 lb-ft of torque. A 24-kWh lithium-ion battery provides the energy, rechargeable in under four hours with a 240-volt outlet or in less than 24 hours using a house-current trickle charger.

With the heavy gas engine removed from the front and the electric drive battery installed under the rear seats, the 500e has better weight distribution than the internal-combustion 500, providing surprisingly balanced handling. Top speed in the 500e is 88 mph, but driven with more environmental sensitivity, driving range is rated at 84 miles, or as much as 100 miles in the city. The EPA miles-per-gallon equivalent is a combined 112 MPGe. The 500e is pricey at $34,955 but credits are generous and nobody is paying retail for these.  

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Turbocharging Is a Gas

Powering the front wheels of Pop and Lounge models is a 1.4-liter four-cylinder turbo making a respectable 135 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough juice to allow the 2,500-lb FIAT 500 to keep up with traffic. EPA estimates are 28 mpg city/33 mpg highway/30 mpg combined with the standard five-speed manual shifter and 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway/27 mpg combined with the $995 optional Aisin six-speed automatic.

Lurking under the red engine cover in Abarth models is that same 1.4-liter turbo tuned for added performance.  How much more? Equipped with the five-speed manual transmission, the Fiat 500 Abarth makes 160 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. Opt for the six-speed automatic and output drops 3 horsepower to 157 but torque shoots up 13 lb-ft to 183. The Abarth’s freer-flowing (and definitely more talkative) exhaust system and low-restriction air cleaner help the little sportster achieve 60 mph from rest in just under 7 seconds. EPA fuel economy estimates for both versions of the Abarth are identical to those of the base Fiat 500. Fiat says regular unleaded fuel is acceptable for all 500 trims but premium unleaded is recommended.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Dashing Style

The FIAT 500’s cabin is a giddy smorgasbord of colors and shapes, with both retro and modern cues vying for your attention. Dominating the dash, which is painted the same color as the car’s exterior, is a single large binnacle housing the somewhat optimistic 160-mph speedometer and other necessary gauges with other controls sprinkled playfully about the instrument panel.

The 500 is no stripper, with even the base Pop model offering standard air conditioning; power windows, door locks, and mirrors; premium cloth seats; remote keyless entry; and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with remote audio controls. Moving up to the Lounge model upgrades the seat coverings from cloth to leather and adds heated front seats, a chrome shift knob, automatic climate control, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Just about nothing is where you’d think it might be, but somehow in this Fiat, it’s all part of the fun. The Abarth version gets cloth sport seats and a sport steering wheel with a leather-wrapped shifter as well. There isn’t much storage up front other than in the smallish glovebox, cupholders, or door pockets, but then again there’s plenty of room for small packages and such on the rear seat.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Cabrio's Big Top

On the Cabrio model, only the very top of the roof opens up. It’s really an electrically operated panoramic fabric sunroof that operates with satisfying precision and when fully retracted opens to within a few inches of the trunklid.

To open the roof all the way, simply press the top button (you’ll do that twice, as it stops midway) and the fabric top accordions neatly in channels along the door tops. Reverse the procedure to close the top. It’s all very slick and surprisingly free of wind noise at speed.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Small Car, Small Screen

Standard in all FIAT 500 models is this Uconnect 3 multimedia system with a 5-inch color touchscreen, an AM/FM stereo with Alpine speakers, voice control, hands-free calling, and Bluetooth media streaming. Lounge models add standard SiriusXM. Controls are user-friendly with touchscreen tiles, hard buttons, analog volume and tuning knobs, and steering-wheel switches at the ready.

It doesn’t take much sound to fill up the 500’s little cabin, but for $695, buyers can opt for a Beats system that adds a pair of subwoofers in the doors, two chest-level tweeters, a pair of full-range speakers in the rear seat area, a trunk-mounted subwoofer, and an eight-channel amp with a digital sound processor.  A GPS navigation system with 3D graphics and turn-by-turn directions is a $595 option across the board.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Two Plus Two

The FIAT 500 has four sets of seatbelts, but technically this car's configuration is more like a "2+2," which translates to two seats for adults and two for pets and packages. With the front passenger seat slid forward a few notches, a small person could perhaps sit sidesaddle back there for short hops.

At least on Cabrio models, with the roof retracted, there’s plenty of headroom. On both hatchback and Cabrio models, the rear seatback is split 50/50 and folds individually to increase room for luggage and larger cargo.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Trunk Tales

So what did you expect for trunk space in a car that’s over a half foot shorter than a Mini Cooper? This is the trunk in the Fiat 500 Cabrio which at 5.4 cubic feet is at least roomier than the 4.6 cubic feet you get in a Mazda MX-5 Miata.

For larger shopping expeditions, consider a Fiat 500 hatchback model, which offers a larger rear liftgate and 9.5 cubic feet of cargo space. That's more in line with other subcompact cars. Don’t go looking for the spare tire back there, though; the 500 relies on a tire repair kit to (hopefully) get you back on the road.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Funky Funster

With a mask, bodystocking, and cape, the Fiat 500 could be a mini superhero. The fun begins the moment fire up that little Schnauzer of a four-cylinder. With the shortest wheelbase this side of a Smart ForTwo, the 500 finds little holes in traffic and pulls on the leash enthusiastically. It’s extremely maneuverable and parks in spots other cars can’t. The electrically boosted rack-and-pinion steering is quick and not without tactility. The Abarth enjoys available 17-inch wheels and tires, oversized brakes, and performance-tuned anti-roll bars and dampers. At speed, the 500 feels stable and as planted as anything this short could be. What’s amazing is how solid and structurally sound the Cabrio version feels considering its lack of mild steel in the roof.

The Abarth's louder exhaust is great fun in short doses, but it can become tiresome on longer trips at highway speeds. The automatic transmission's lower-ratio first gear gets the engine into the fatter part of the power curve sooner than the manual's, and its extra overdrive ratio makes it quieter on the highway. On the other hand, while you won't arrive at your destination any faster with the manual, you sure will have more fun getting there.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Italian on a Budget

The least expensive Italian car you can buy in the United States is small on subtlety and big on driving fun. The 2019 FIAT 500 zips in and out of traffic and, oh yeah, also comes standard with six airbags, stability control, reactive head restraints, a backup camera, and, on most models, a rear park assist system.

Best of all, a pastel-studded color palette ensures that the rest of the driving public will see you coming... and going.

Photo by Ron Sessions