We say Cheap, fun and safe with strong, frugal engines - the 500 reinvigorated the city car sector.Performance The engine line-up for the Fiat 500 comprises of three petrol units and one diesel. The petrol options include a 0.9-litre TwinAir turbo with 85bhp, a 1.2-litre four-cylinder unit with 69bhp and a 1.4-litre four-cylinder unit with 100bhp. The diesel enginEmissions There are some very efficient engines in the Fiat 500 range, particularly the 0.9-litre TwinAir which with automatic transmission does 70mpg and emits as little as 92g/km in CO2. All the other engines are respectable but emit above 100g/km. The most polluDriving The Fiat 500 isn’t the sportiest city car on the market but it still grips the road well even at higher speed. It’s great at handling the urban city streets and stays composed on the country roads, although it’s generally not spectacular behind the wheel.Feel The car is nimble and is willing to be hustled along and the steering is light to. The ride unfortunately though is most of the time jittery and firm.Space Front passengers should find the cabin spacious but there is little room offered for those on the rear seats. The boot is also small with 185 litres of space, although loading capacity can increase to 550 litres with the rear seats down.Equipment There are loads of specifications and special edition models of the Fiat 500 with various levels of kit. On the most basic ‘Pop’ specification you get a CD/MP3 stereo, power steering and electric mirrors.Price Pricing for the mainstream Fiat 500 hatchback ranges from £9,900 to £16,745.Quality The Fiat 500 looks nice both on the outside and within the cabin, all the panels feel sturdily built as well. The majority of plastics and fabrics included also manage to fit in with the car’s retro image.Safety One of the safest small cars currently around, the Fiat 500 scored the maximum five-star rating for adult safety in the Euro NCAP crash test. Standard safety kit includes seven airbags and child seat fixing points, while electronic stability is optional oPros Stylish retro looks, exhaustive equipment list, very safe, and easy to drive particularly in town.Cons It’s not as sharp or as agile compared to numerous rival small cars, the ride is jittery and rough which can get particularly annoying on long journeys. Some trim models don’t come cheap either.Alternatives Mini, Ford Ka, Hyundai i20
