IDRIVEACLASSIC reviews: Classic 1960s Fiat 500 

Reviewing these cars with such enthusiasm is very inspirational and gives motivation for keeping classic cars on the road. Thank you! It was surprising to hear how many of these 500's were made, we don't see these very often these days! This one must be one of the finest examples, must have been a pleasure to drive it.

Just got back from a holiday in southern Italy. Plenty of these still being used as daily drivers👍🏻

Watching this video was a big nostalgia trip back to t he 1960s, when my wife and I owned and loved a Fiat 500. Ours was of the vintage that had rear-hinged doors.

I lived in Italy for 1 1/2 years, I've also made many visits there for many years, and I can say, these cars are still quite a common sight there, albeit getting rarer ever so gradually. In Italy, the Fiat 500 is commonly known as the 'Bambino', in English, that means 'Little Boy'. Great video as always!!

The perfect car to 'drive with a beehive'! LOL. 😄 Another great post from Steph! 😎👍

Your most welcome, Its lovely to see someone with lovely fab fashion 😃 Compared with the boring fashion we see today ! Please keep up your wonderful videos 😍

Hi Steph, I really love your videos! You nailed it with this Fiat 500 one! The 500 is such an icon over here, we've all had one/grew up in one/were conceived in one/learned to drive in one :-) The 500 is all about fun, and if driven properly (as you do!), with a 'light touch', it's immensely rewarding...quite nippy (keep the revs up!) and so responsive! Well done. The 500 stole your heart? Well baby, you've stolen mine! Xxx love from Italy.

Another fab review. Had one in the eighties. A red 1971, reg 49 ZA. (Irish reg.) Sorry I ever sold it, but an Italian living in Ireland pestered me to sell it and I gave in! Great channel, Steph. Hub Nut has found its equal.

I have really been enjoying your reviews. You're doing a great job! You always project enthusiasm and a positive note. Keep up the good work. I recall driving one of these in the 60s. My 1959 Morris Minor felt big compared to the Fiat. It was also quicker. I live in the mountains of NE, Tennessee, USA. The steep inclines made owning any of the small English or European sedans/saloons quite challenging going up or down hill. I also drove a Renault Dauphine and owned a Karmen Ghia so l sampled some of what the world had to offer in small displacement, economical transportation.

Love it. Bang on with your comment "Fiat, where have you gone wrong?". I love the old small Fiat's....127, 128, Cinquecento, MK1 Punto, Uno....they were all amazingly fun to drive. I've owned an Uno, Cinquecento, MK1 Punto and MK3 Punto...all fantastic, but Fiat had started to lose their way with the MK3 Punto, it wasn't a patch on the original. That said, the new 500 is quite fun and funky and I want one 😂

Great video I love your enthusiasm in these lovely classics and well presented . Top Mark's. 😀

Great video. Probably the best review I’ve seen. The detail and your enthusiasm make it really informative and interesting. Have just taken the plunge and imported one from Italy! Thanks. Keep up the great work!

Awesome car. I have to say that the new 500 is a real 500. It's all in the styling and Fiat got the retro styling just right with the new 500. And I'm a bloke who loves his beige 500. And and, my other car's a Caterham 7.

Thank you from Melbourne, Australia. Fiat 500s were sold here in the 60s. Your reviews are great.

What a lovely little car! Thank you for another great video Steph! 😊

I also loves your 60s fashion & your love of classic cars, It makes a refreshing change compared to today's boring fashion, I really loves your videos, And what you do, Please keep them coming, Regards Leighton from South Wales UK 😃

Another Brilliant Post Steph.! I Love The Fiat 500. I Owned Two Fiat 126s. A 1983 126 Brown Special Edition, And A 1977 126 Saloon In Blue, With Black Vinyl Interior. The Baby Fiat's Always Hold A Special Place For Me. It's What Fun Driving Is All About.!

Hi Stepanie, I love how thrilled you were to drive this iconic Fiat, I love it too but I do have to say that here, in Portugal, the 500 wasn't such a sucess, you would see much more the Fiat 600 around here. As you may have read in the comment I posted on your Austin Maestro review, I own the sucessor of the 500, the 126 wich is a kind of underdog in Italy, as the Italians didn't take well that it came to replace the 500 in 1972, so Fiat was "forced" to extend the production of the 500 till 1975! I love my 126 and I wouldn't trade it for any other car, it will be mine as long as I can mantain it! Fiat always knew how to make a great little car!

I was lucky to visit Rome in 1972 and back then Fiat 500s were absolutely everywhere, driving and parking in all angles to the traffic, off and on the pavement. Fantastic, Italy in a nutshell. My cousin had one - well, actually his wife:) and amazingly, I could fit in it, despite being 6ft. 4" and quite hefty. The sunroof helps, though. You sum up the driving experience excellently. As usual, a great video, Steph.

I shared this video with my sister because she loves these cars I also love them thankyou Steph you make fabulous videos

What a chic little automobile. Sounds like you had so much fun. Really interesting review! And like you said, definitely not designed for extended periods on the motorway!

James May did a review of one of these and he just raved about it - he even termed the horsepower as widow making but it looks such fun to drive. Nice presentation. The remodelled modern version looks very arthouse - I was in one once and commented that it looked like a concept car that you'd have seen in a modern art museum in the late 80s - very nice.

I'm late to the party again, lol. Twenty years ago I worked on an excavation in Pompeii and stayed at a campground outside the old city walls. We had a cook, a gentleman named Franco, and every day he would come to work in a Fiat 500 very similar to this one. It was a red-orange and sounded like it was powered by a sewing machine, and it was so small but so nicely maintained. We don't have a lot of small cars like this in America, so seeing this car, plus his wife and daughter on occasion in it with him made me smile. Such a well packaged little car that was, as Steph said, a delight to look at.

My mum bought a Fiat 500, in 1967 it cost 417 pounds brand new. For a small car it was always game for a long journey. One year we went from Cheshire to Cornwall (and back), and it never missed a beat or used any oil, 65 mph on the motorway. Also you could park it anywhere.

Another good one Steph. Thanks. And I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever actually laid eyes on one of these. Pity. Neat little package for sure

What a cute car one of my favourites.

Cracking little cars these. Utterly timeless! Great walk around by the way. Really starting to enjoy your videos already and I’ve only just subscribed. Your more interesting to watch than some of the boring men reviews on cars. Keep up the great work and enthusiasm. 👍👍

Such a cute little car! 😍😍 Seat,which was the Spanish subsidiary of Fiat,before being bought by the VW Audi Group,also made Seat 500s in España! Love your vids!

Super review Steph can we have more of the view out of the windscreen as your driving please.. 🙂🙂

Always look forward to your videos each week, thank's . A friend of mine has one of these cars, it's the 595 Abarth model that he has, 72 model I think.

Your comment regarding hard shoulder...I feel very vulnerable in a classic on a motorway these days. No margin for safety without a hard shoulder. Nice to see the passion for the cars

Excellent video. I've just fallen in love with this car. I'm not sure when yet but I will get one for sure.

Driving an Austin mini in British racing green I really enjoyed this counterpart. What a great little car! Enjoyed every minute of this video :D

I love the way you're talking about this car and I hope to drive it on my own one day :)

A beautiful little 500. Smashing review Steph, thank you again. I liked your comment about 'Smart' motorways, no hard-shoulder, don't think they're very 'Smart' at all!

A well presented video, well done! The car brings joy to lots of people out on the road and it seems to be photogenic with lots of admirers where ever it is parked.

There is something about a small Fiat and Fiat deserve a lot more respect then they often get. I ran them as a second car from 1986 until 2003. My main car was a BMW and the Fiat's were always so much fun. I now drive an Alfa and don't need two cars anymore as I live nearer to civilisation.

Another great review Steph. Ive always liked the original 500s. You didn't mention the Abarth version though, these were a pepped up little mover in the day. 😉

My mum had a fiat 500 , used to take me to school , light blue and the rear hinged doors . Great little car,

Great video , lovely little 500 ! Of all the small cars you mentioned ,no mention of the mighty Imp ? I would love to see you review a Hillman Imp / Sunbeam Stiletto / Singer Chamois 👍

I sold my 1970 Fiat 500 L in 1989, and regretted it every single day since. I desperately want another. My savings are building up nicely now.

Another amazing video. The fiat 500 is my ultimate classic car. Love it!

I learnt to drive in a FIAT 500 and would have done my driving test in it if it hadn't broken down on the day of the test. I had to take my fathers 4.1 litre Ford Falcon Estate instead. Crikey... We lived in a hilly area so fast gear changes were essential so quickly learnt to do double declutch of the gearbox. The motor had had some poor repairs so I picked up a used motor and put that in. I could now do 70mph on the motorway. When I did a repair to the head later I found out why. The engine had been fitted with a big bore kit and was 700cc. Loved that car. We needed the Falcon to fit all the family, towing and moving stuff but it was the FIAT 500 that did all the daily errands. It could do over 50mpg whereas the Falcon was lucky to do 20mpg

It does, somehow suit you Steph. 🙂 I've driven it's successor, the 126 . It in itself is a characterful car..

Great review of a car I've not seen in decades. Here in Ontario, Canada, they rotted before the mechicals had a chance to break. Such a fun car, though.

I just bought one this year …..it’s been on my bucket list . ( I think it’s a Covid purchase 🤷‍♂️) . I noticed that the sun roof has a trim around it . Is it a rubber trim or plastic . Mine is missing that . Love your videos 💜🇨🇦🚗

Hi there Steph. Love your channel brill videos absolutely love the vintage car reviews soooooo pleased you are doing a classic mini I loved mine it was a Morris mini minor 1967 in almond green I called her Elsie. My car now is a Honda Jazz 03 plate so she is a mature lady low mileage but completely original apart from new tyres and a new windscreen washer pump she hasn’t failed an mot yet. Would love to see you test drive an Austin 1100 a Maxi 2cv or a Renault 4!? I love old anything bit of a vintage hoarder 😁 ps. More metro videos please I had a rover metro Rio grande from new in 1995 I loved it. All the best Craig x

your doing a better job than hub nut. well done. i left school in 1980 and went to work for a British Leyland dealership and i remember all these cars very well. our first family car was a Triumph 1300. passed my drivers test in a little red mini. i have been playing with car since 1972

It looks brand new Steph. What a wonderful car. I know what you mean about being more careful with a classic. I was like that with the Panda - change down in plenty of time and make sure I leave enough room for braking!

This car is so cute! Great review!!

Has to be said that if you want a more usable version you need a FIAT 126 - what is amazing is the trick FIAT pulled off with the new one - it looks soooo like this one you need to see them side by side to see the original is a micro/kei type car and the new one is massive - although it has little interior room lol

well your working your way through my list of fave classic cars, metro (check), vw beetle (check) i love these cars too and they are definitely on my list as well.

Hi Steph, as you already know, I watch all your videos. Kindly do a video on Fiat 125 P 1974. I am sure you will love it!

You're getting to drive some nice cars Steph. Lincoln Steam Rally this weekend and TWO invacars there. Not managed to catch the owners, but emailed Ian and he's told me the clean one might be the last one made. I took a photo, but then did a short video last night.

Great video lovely little car x

Another "when I was young, my neighbor" stories. My neighbor did have one of these, which, in the US, was quite unusual. It was his 'fun' car and was rarely driven. He put wood contact paper on the sides like a 60's or 70's station wagon - awful. Most cars can be drive, without grinding, without a clutch. I had to drive a huge panel truck about 100 miles, including in New York City, without the clutch and had hardly any grinding. Would not recommend for everyday, but it's "doable". I just sold my small, 3 cylinder hatch and do miss how easy it was to drive around town. Great visibility and easy to park. Super performance can't always trump that. Love the beehive hair. Reminds me of the movie "Hairspray".

It's beautiful ...my Italian dog ( volpino) wanted one of these , but he said he'd suffer a Morris traveler ( woody) with a tartan blanket etc ...he's in heaven now hahaha

Lovely video, :-) I bought a 500 A’s was a more ‘basic’ classic than a mini with crashbox, aircooled etc. Perfect little car.

Your Super cool,,as a guy in his mid 50's I enjoyed lots of V8's mainly Rover even a Pontiac GTO,,it was great seeing you at Morris show Kelmarsh as your enthusiasm glows,,the patinered series MM pick up 1954 you filmed there was my friends,,luvin the Fiat theme, yesterday I was in Kingsbury London and there sat a Fiat 500 derivative an orange Zastava and it looked super,,,I was visiting but my very first car was a Mk 3 Cortina GXL and they were nice,,,as always Thanx for a great vid,,,

Steph I can see rear seat belts but non in the front I thought pre 65 was no seat belts in front Great review as always

Lovely 😊 I had an early one with the suicide doors. The later ones like this had stronger axle shafts. The early thinner ones used to snap. But the early ones had a removable back roof section to the bottom of the back screen to allow for a complete roll back roof. Well, the one I had did.

I like that review👍🏽

Another fab classic and another fab video .

Had a red one in the 70s. Got it for £20.00. Had to get it home using the handbrake lol ( break pipes were in a bag on the back bench. Fun car

I enjoyed this review. I thought it was very positive and the reviewer came across as knowledgeable but very warm and friendly - fab. I felt I'd learnt a lot about the car. My daughter has a cheap 2K (high mileage older model) modern 500 with the simple bulletproof 8v 1.2 engine. Great styling of course, but It also seems a fine car. She'd love a classic one in future I'm sure. You don't want to know what I drive or what the best car I've owned is cos you hate it!

What a beautiful little car, thanks

I like it. Its not something I would drive, but its always nice to see. Crazy how small it is.

Great vid do love these little italian super mini's. Convenient hatch in the roof should the driver happen to be sporting a beehive ;-)

OMG lovely little car! I wanted a Fiat 126 for my first car but got a Hillman Imp in the end. If I'd known what I do now, I wish I'd kept it. Same with half of my other cars, and I imagine I'm not the first or last person to say it!

Wow - that's an absolute minter! 👍🏻 Not too much boot room, but I expect people just slung stuff onto the back seat!

The fiat 500 was not designed to be fashionable or cute. It was designed as affordable transport for the working class. The small size made it more convenient to travel on the many narrow roads in Italy, especially in the little towns. I can remember that the Fiat 600 was more popular.

Would you believe that the Fiat 500D was assembled in New Zealand (by Torino Motors) and was sold as the "Fiat Bambina" (Italian for "baby girl"). This name is still in use there to describe this car.

Enjoyed your review,.If you like the 500 try and find a Fiat 850 sport, they are the bees knees of small car fun . Cheers

Stunning specimen. I NEED to get to England.

Great review Steph. Smashing little car but I don’t know if I could live with the non synchro box. I think I would struggle with that. Were they no synchro even in the 70’s?

I love the little 500 they are so cute and they make a lovely noise the little 500cc. My Grandad has a new fiat Tipo and I was prepared to say oh what rubbish. But it is comfy very refined and brilliant on fuel. I say when I get my license I would love to drive a classic fiat 500

That car is in exquisite condition. My mum had one and ripped around France in it.

One of my work colleagues bought her new daily driver to work today........a 1971 Hillman Imp......fancy a go

Very good

What a lovely 500 - obviously cherished by the owner. I'll be interested to see your comparison with the Mini as I currently have a Cooper! (With sunroof of course)

could you rev up a lot these car ! I love it !

Luv you 💜🚗

Lovely little car. The German opponent of the Fiat 500 would be the NSU Prinz!

Was the snail car a reference to the 2cv 🤔 nicknamed the ironically tin snail, understandably as the original 1948 2cv model A had a 9hp 375cc 2 cylinder engine, I believe they'd top out around 40mph... Most A-series derivatives from 68 onwards had a choice of 435cc (economy version) or the 602cc flat twin, easily capable of 70mph! As proved by my Ami8 this weekend! A trip to Snetterton for the annual Citroën 2cv 24hour race! Yes they really race 2cvs!

Steph can it Cruise at 50 miles an hour?

How can you not love a "car gal" who loves every car she drives? YES, it is a neat little car.

Hello! What do you think about soviet cars? Have you driven with them?

The perfect town car. Cheap to run and maintain, only downside is a decent example isn't what you'd call cheap to buy and right hand drive examples carry a price premium in the UK. However, if you're handy with a welder and you don't need the car right now this minute, they make a great restoration project.

The original (and best?) FIAT 500. Always loved the original 500. Iconic is a word very well applied to this car. I'm rather hoping at some point you may get to drive FIAT's other little great, the 126

See if you can find a FIAT 500 estate car to drive. My parents second car was one of these and my father upgraded to the larger car when I was born. Their first car was a Heinkel bubble car.....

My sister's been to Italy one or two times in recent years. They're still plentiful there.

I'd adore to go for a drive with you in this 500.

What a beauty 😀

This is so cute 😭I want one thi

Beautiful car

I already know what's hidden in the "boot." I already know little FIATs are a lot of fun to drive too.

I think these were better than the original Mini

The original Fiat 500 was a genuine car for the people. Cheap to buy and run. The new one on the other hand is just an horrendous fashion trinket.

My Grandma had one drove it from Bloemfontein to Welkom 153 Km one way hehehehe

very good. but try and include more technical knowledge in your description.