Fiat 500L

Overview: Is the Fiat 500L a good compact MPV?

The Fiat 500L is a good choice for consumers looking for a small vehicle that blends practicality, versatility, and fuel efficiency. Despite its compact size, it offers an interior spacious enough for up to five occupants and their cargo. The Fiat 500L even offers flexible seating arrangements for cargo and passenger configurations. The Pope’s Fiat 500L was a 2015 model.

On the other hand, the Fiat 500L has questionable build quality, reliability, performance, and ride comfort. Ride comfort isn’t entirely pleasing while driving dynamics are less engaging than those of some rivals. Moreover, some reviewers considered its infotainment system unusable.

Note: Equipment, features, and trims can vary by model year. Always confirm these details when looking for a used Fiat 500L for sale.

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Related: Are Fiats Good Cars? How To Make The Right Purchasing Decision

Key Features

The Fiat 500L offers:

• A 160-hp 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo four-cylinder engine
• A six-speed automatic transmission is the only available gearbox
• The Uconnect 4 system with a 7-inch touchscreen display
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
• Beats Premium Audio System as an option on higher trims
• Heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control

Trims

The 2020 Fiat 500L compact MPV is available in three trim levels: Pop, Trekking and Lounge.

Comfort, Technology & Cargo

The Fiat 500L interior offers a unique blend of comfort and discomfort. It is spacious and quiet and offers dual-zone automatic climate control on higher trim levels. However, ride quality is firm, and occupants may experience discomfort on rough roads.

Meanwhile, the Fiat 500L living zone inside offers a Uconnect 4 infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, rearview camera, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. A seven-speaker Beats Premium Audio System is available on the Fiat 500L Trekking.

Cargo room is plenty inside the Fiat 500L. It offers 22.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, which increases to 68 cubic feet when folded. The compact MPV’s 60/40 split-folding rear seats allow for flexible cargo arrangements, while a wide-opening rear hatch enables easy loading.

How It Drives

Fiat's 500L is motivated by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. The driver may find this amount of power adequate for daily trips but not enough for engaging drives. The driver may also complain about the slow response of the six-speed automatic transmission at times. The Fiat 500L is easy to maneuver in urban areas but may exhibit some body roll in corners.

Safety

The Fiat 500L safety ratings are favorable except for one aspect. The compact MPV received mostly Good ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Fiat 500L earned good scores for moderate overlap in front, side, and roof strength and for its head restraints and seats. It received a poor score on the small overlap front crash test.

Reviews

Consumer reviews of the Fiat 500L at Edmunds gave the 2020 model a high rating of 4.3/5 stars. Around 71% and 8% of the reviews gave the 2016 Fiat 500L a five- and four-star rating, respectively. They cited the Fiat 500L’s enjoyable driving nature, functionality, economy, comfortable ride, and spaciousness.

Learn more: 8 Cars Like Mini Coopers: Similar Rides Worth Checking Out

Fiat 500L FAQs

What does the L stand for in Fiat 500L?

The L in the Fiat 500L stands for “large.”

How many miles does the Fiat 500L last?

A Fiat model could last between 200,000 and 250,000 miles with proper care and maintenance.

Are Fiats expensive to repair?

Fiat models are generally cheap to maintain but expensive to repair.

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