2012 Fiat 500 Sport Review

The Cinquecento is a legend — and FIAT brought it back in Europe a few years ago to the delight of an array of drivers of all ages. We loved the old FIAT 500 for its utility in the city and parking advantages, and now the USA can try it in turn. We had a bunch of fun in our giallo-colored sports coupe and turned as many heads as if we had been in one of its rosso cousins in the Ferrari family. You could take this little car across country but its mission is best suited as a city dweller.

The FIAT 500 Sport runs on the same peppy yet practical 1.4-liter MultiAir inline-4 as the base model 500, with the addition of driver-focused features like a sport-tuned suspension, modified springs, shock tuning and enhanced steering calibration for a firmer ride and more responsive handling. The EPA gives you a 30 MPG rating in the city, which might not be achieved if you engage the sport button as you try to keep pace with the Ferraris. However, you'll get a lot of practicality and ease of driving, and you'll also find it quite comfortable on the freeway. There is a decent amount of headroom in the front, but don't plan on using this new-age Cinquecento as a limousine for the high school basketball team — though it might put a smile on their younger siblings. We give the car a high rating and feel that it is well-built.

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2012 FIAT 500
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Watch a video of the 2012 FIAT 500