It is onerous to seek out a very unhealthy automobile these days. Over the course of a number of a long time of refinement, billions of {dollars} spent on analysis and improvement, and ever-increasing requirements of consumers have resulted in a sea of nice, if homogenous vehicles. The Fiat 500L is a kind of uncommon trendy autos that folk are prone to placed on their “unhealthy automobile” checklist, however I feel the 500L is unfairly maligned. A popularity for questionable reliability is its greatest shortcoming, however past that its daring styling, whimsical demeanor, and spacious inside make it a very distinctive automobile in my eyes. Sure some boring individuals suppose the 500L is ugly, however I imagine it is higher to face out than to mix in with the plenty, so I truly recognize the 500L’s gawky proportions. It will not mix in with the ocean of lifeless RAV4s, CR-Vs, and Mannequin Ys that the remainder of you NPCs drive. Moreover, is not magnificence greater than pores and skin deep?
The Fiat 500L was a mini MPV bought in america from 2014 by 2020 with out nice success. Below its pores and skin, it shares its turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-4 engine with the Fiat 500 Abarth, however its elevated curb weight and top meant the 500L misplaced the Abarth’s participating driving dynamics. It might not have the rambunctious nature of the five hundred Abarth, but it surely fills that void by providing a remarkably spacious, versatile, and funky inside house with ample room for comfortably hauling American-sized passengers, or oodles of cargo.
Correct European MPVs are uncommon within the U.S.
The 500L is a pariah in america, however in Europe and lots of different areas this sort of overinflated compact automobile is assessed as a mini multi-purpose car, or mini MPV. The Ford C-Max was the one compact European MPV that was actually bought in america, however the 500L is 5.5 inches shorter than the Ford whereas providing barely extra passenger quantity and rather more cargo quantity. Different mini MPVs embody fashions that we by no means bought within the U.S. like Fiat’s unique ugly duckling, the equally bulbous Multipla, in addition to the Citroën C4 Picasso, Renault Scenic, Volkswagen Touran, and Opel Zafira to call a number of.
Within the U.S. the 500L was vaguely in comparison with the Kia Soul, Scion xB, Nissan Dice, and Chrysler PT Cruiser, however did not face any direct competitors. The 500L’s second-row seats may slide fore and aft, with reclining backrests that folded ahead as effectively. For severe hauling, all the second row can flip ahead revealing a van-like tall and huge cargo house. In actual fact, with all seats folded the 500L has a large 68 cubic ft of cargo house. The extra standard Fiat 500X crossover pales as compared with a most cargo capability of a measly 39.8 cubic ft; even the 2025 Subaru Forester, which is 16-inches longer than the 500L, manages only one cubic foot extra cargo quantity. How’s that for house effectivity?
Addressing the outside
Most likely the largest and most constant gripe that folk have with the 500L is its exterior styling. It used a cab-forward design, which allowed for the spacious inside regardless of its comparatively small exterior footprint, but it surely additionally resulted in some awkward angles that weren’t helped by the try and graft the Fiat 500’s stylish styling onto the bigger, taller 500L. Particulars that regarded charming on the diminutive 500 turned awkward on the 500L, like its taller entrance finish that contains a bit an excessive amount of visible bulk, the unusually formed roofline, and the bulbous headlights.
I feel its distinctive styling is definitely a profit, although. I stand at 6-foot-8-inches tall and my 40-inch inseam is proof of my very own uncommon proportions, so I can relate to the marginally too-tall, unusually proportioned 500L. It took me a very long time to embrace my gangly self, however as soon as I did, I realized how enjoyable it’s to proudly stand out from a crowd. The 500L’s gangly however uniquely Euro seems to be make a daring assertion that its proprietor is just not afraid to be an outlier.
If the 500L had been to suit right into a music style, it could be hyperpop. It is bought the premise of a conventional fashionable fashion, a subcompact crossover, but it surely diverges from the plenty with its area of interest attraction. Some pop music followers aren’t hyperpop followers; hyperpop is categorically extra polarizing than conventional pop music, and I really like that about it. The 500L is extra area of interest and polarizing than even Fiat’s personal 500X compact crossover that bought alongside the 500L, and it pays off with a extra versatile inside house.
You sit contained in the automobile while you drive, anyway
The 500L’s inside continues the automobile’s eclectic styling, although arguably with much less polarizing outcomes. Some trim ranges have daring color-matched dashboards and contrasting shade seat materials, whereas different trims supply a extra sedate, conventional inside with black and grey supplies. The cab-forward design and ample glass house made the inside really feel good and ethereal, and the break up A-pillars and further window between the again of the rear door and the trunk lid made for nice visibility.
If I used to be searching for an reasonably priced compact car with a lot of inside house, I might seek for a low-mileage guide 500L (sure, you may get a guide!) from someplace like CarMax and pay for an prolonged guarantee, simply in case it decides to go all Fiat on me. I recognize when firms produce daring designs, and as I point out in a lot of my blogs, I take into account myself a warrior of caprice. Whimsy is underrated within the grownup world, so I totally worth when firms have enjoyable and a humorousness when designing merchandise that might in any other case be uninteresting. The 500L gives a uncommon mixture of enjoyable, whimsy, and practicality, and I am going to arise for it, even when I am the one one standing.