I liked your comment about the Miata. I just sold a 1990 first gen Miata and bought a 2014 Fiat 500 turbo with only 21000 Km on the clock. So far I am impressed with it and enjoy the turbo pickup. I am 81 and felt it time to get a car that respected my aging bones and was drivable all year.
THIS is how all vids should be formatted; concentrating on the 'drive', the car's attributes, mostly the enthusiasm of the 'owner'. It's what thousands of Americans did NOT take time to experience - the FIAT 500. I echo all GTYar says, emphasizing IT'S FUN!!!!
I really appreciate the feedback! I was just telling another subscriber that since this channel is still very new we are trying to find our bearings as to what kind of content works, so this type of feedback is super helpful. I agree with what you said about how so many Americans just have not given this little gem a chance. It is SO much fun for the money, an extraordinary value in my opinion.
Thank you for the Sub Zhorky! We are still in the beginnings of this channel and trying to find our grove, so feedback like this is priceless. I actually really enjoy watching POV reviews myself so I figured ill give it a shot, see how it comes out.. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the ride! I love my 2015 Pop, Fiona. My driver side handle broke off, too. My only issues have been her condenser needing to be replaced, and the fact that I’ve had to replace her headlamp bulbs several times.
I too, decided I wanted a used POP after learning the FIAT line up. I was up for an automatic as well since it was a 6 spd. & with lower final drive. I also wanted a green one. Instead I wound up with a black, '12 Sport that sat unloved for 7 months at the beginning of last years Covid episode on a used car lot. Being a 5 spd. may have had something to do with this (an automatic '13 POP showed up months after mine on the same lot but it sold in no time). I don't feel so bad after hearing your prices for I felt I overpaid (a little) on the price of mine but I'm in a small mid-west city & they charge more here. Now that we have shortages of all kinds & car prices of all kinds have damn near doubled I feel fortunate to have bought at the right time. I like my FIAT. I find the build quality to be fine.
Really enjoyed watching this 👍 As a 500 owner in the UK it's interesting to get an American perspective, and a positive one at that! A lot of people who don't get these cars have probably not driven one! It's just a shame America didn't receive the two-cylinder Twin-Air turbo engine which elsewhere replaced the n/a version of the 1.4 FIRE engine in your car... My Twin-Air Sport has only 85hp, but it feels much faster than the performance stats would suggest and taking it for a spin on the twisty roads of the Yorkshire Dales near me is addictive!! 😁
Just goes to show that not all us Yanks prefer displacement over enjoyment. I prefer it, because you can use the power all the time, not just a limited few sections on a straight bit of tarmac.
Great review. I loved it. I took your advice and got myself a 2013 sport model with only 88,000 km! I love it, it's so much fun to drive. Thanks for your words that led me to find this elegant and fun vehicle!
I'm humbled! Thank you for the kind words, and I'm thrilled that my content was able to steer you towards a purchase! This is why I enjoy making these videos! Happy motoring!
Hello from Britain! Nice review! These are great fun cars. My wife is on her third! Most people who criticise them are missing the point. Yes, they are small and underpowered, but they are built to be economical commuter cars for European cities with small crowded roads. This job, they do with style. Hundreds of miles on the freeway? Not really their happy place. Oh, and, call that road small and twisty? Pah! Come and see some of ours…
Thank you for the amazing drive video review of your Fiat 500 POP! I definitely look forward to owning one! And you are so right, the Scotty guy doesn’t like the car. Loved your video!
I actually like the way you reviewed it. With the GoPro on your headband, the viewers really get a sense for how smooth or bumpy the ride is. I think it would be a great thing to incorporate into all car reviews.
Thank you for watching and I much appreciate the feedback. I agree with the POV angle being useful for the watcher to get an accurate feel for what the actual drive is like, Im going to try and incorporate more of this in future rolling reviews.
I bought my fiat 500 pop in early may of this year, it had 87k miles on the dashboard, I have put about 30k miles on it since, I have had no real issues. I have since deleted the rear seats with the madness 500 kit and upgraded the front brakes to the abarth front brakes, everything else is stock. I use it to instacart and I get phenomenal mpg. I’m looking into getting a lighter pulley kit when I do the serpentine belt but it still has yet to show signs of wear. The vehicle had an immaculate service history and I’ve done a synthetic oil change every 6-8k miles. 125k mi and still going strong!
Your well on your way to having many years of dependable motoring with your 500! ALSO, I think 500 Madness is phenomenal. Amazing service and what a selection of neat performance parts / kits. I wanted to do the rear seat delete so badly, just never got around to it. Having that space is WAY more useful then those Child seats hahha.. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Thanks for posting a great video! I’ve had my 2012 Fiat 500 Sport from new. There has been a few problems over the past 11 years but overall it’s been a fun little car to drive. I just clocked 115,000 miles on her and she does not use a drop of oil. If anyone can find a used clean 500 out there go for it! You won’t regret it.
I forgot to mention the higher seat position. It’s a very comfortable car to get in and out of. I have read some complain about the seat high but as an older guy, I hate the feeling of having to climb out of a car.
I used to drive a Fiat 500 ‘Twin Air’ with 0.9L engine and I agree with all your comments regarding this car. It always puts a smile on your face when you drive it. I’ve just bought a new Abarth 595 Turismo (163bhp) and it’s like the twin air on steroids. Great little car and puts the enjoyment back into driving.
Picked up a 2018 for about 9k with 22k miles right before car prices went nuts… love the damn thing! It’s the turbo with a stick shift. And it’s nice to know it’s worth more than I paid 👍
Thanks so much for the wonderful review! Is this a car that can be driven on a monthly road trip from say Las Vegas to LA and possibly a bit further than LA?
100hp isn't underpowered, I've only driven the 135hp abarth, but 100 plus is plenty of power for this size of car. I don't know what the 1.2 models are like which are really underpowered at only 60hp, but I have owned cars with 65-70hp, so know what low powered cars are like which can be fun, but would be better with more power
Bought a 2012 Sport this past November. Great little car. If you don't know, 500 Madness is a great place for aftermarket parts. 2 locations- Cali and Texas. I needed a new shift knob and boot. Great service. Not endorsed. Now looking at their axle-back exhaust, because I hate the stock one.
Yes, 500 Madness is a great resource, I've bought a couple hard to find items from them and their customer service is excellent. Thanks for mentioning them Eric.
I bought man son a pre owned Mini cooper S good car when it was running good, but when it broke down just like my Harley repair cost not fun.. 3 yrs ago i got him a pre own pop with 74K on it. got him a Gopedal from madness 500 n K&n qiuck shot air filter Big change in throttle response
Just picked one up 2012 35k miles as a personal toy, always drove ford trucks, now I got this little thing and I feel like a child at an amusement park , can't stop going for rides. Feels like you're racing even ithough you're only going 45 mph
Yes! That is what the 500 does best, its fun even at lower speeds. you just want to drive it all the time, regardless of the destination. Congrats on the acquisition!
I own a metallic black 2013 FIAT 500 Pop with less than 17,000 miles on it after 8 years. Took it on a trip from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Great performance and handling. Impressive gas mileage as well. These cars have defective arm rests and apparently issues with door handles but overall it is a fun, reliable car for the price of $17,000. Glad I bought it! I wouldn't recommend driving it in the ocean though.
My door handle broke off, but that was an easy fix. I’m just tired of replacing headlamp bulbs. Other than that and my condenser dying, I love my 2015 Pop!
I really enjoyed your video and have watched it several times. Just one thing; you advised viewers to avoid automatic transmissions on these cars. I have asked a number of owners with automatics who have not had any problems with them. I have the manual which I prefer but other owners ( some with 150,000 miles) don’t have issues with their automatics.
Thank you for watching! as far as the transmissions on these cars go, I just find the Manual to be far more engaging and fun over the automatic. The reliability might be slightly better on the manuals in my opinion, but as you have just expressed, there are no major issues with the automatics based on what actual owners are experiencing.
The Pop and Lounge are mechanically identical low-end models, with the lounge having more bling. The Sport is a slight upgrade due to its 16 inch wider wheels which make the car more comfortable. The Sport Turbo (and 2018-2019 Pop and Lounge trims) has a stronger manual transmission and 135 HP. The Abarth boosts the turbo's power to 160 in Sport mode and adds a rear torsion bar, performance suspension, performance seats and optional 17 inch wheels. It's definitely not for the faint-of-heart or for anyone with back problems. Yes, the door handles are crap. 😁
I think i should have purchased a sport turbo. it would be so nice having that extra 35 HP HAH! I'm always wishing i had a bit more power. Thanks for watching and for all this great info Francois!
@@gtyar4395 I often drive my 2015 Abarth in non-sport mode. I've also rented the regular 500 a few times years ago. The extra 35 HP does make a difference especially when merging onto a highway. The rear torsion bar on the Abarth also dramatically reduces the car's nasty understeer. I'm surprised it was never added to all 500s.
This annoys me. I know the abarth had a sport button, but I didn't know no turbo models did,. My 120hp TSI Scirocco doesn't even have that. I guess fiat wanted to to their cars more fun than VW ha
It’s a good review, albeit, without the New England accent that I came to enjoy when I lived in Wellesley, MA! Here in Costa Rica, a recent one with low “miles” costs upwards of US$10,000! I’ve found two: A Sport 1.4 at $12,500 with 45,000 Km and a POP 1.2 at $11,000. We’ll see! In the mean time: “buckle up, put down the phone and enjoy the ride!”
Thats one heck of a change in scenery! and Thank you for compliment! Whats your favorite thing about living in Costa Rica? Those prices don't sound too unreasonable for a gently used Fiat.
@@gtyar4395 Thanks for your reply! I was born in Costa Rica. I would say that the best thing of living in Costa Rica is the freedom to travel from coast to coast and also enjoying a variety of climates, however, a old school of SUV is a must for trekking the country!
Love my little 2013 Fiat 500 sport fun car too drive great brakes , cold a/c can handle the Texas heat and very eco friendly . Its Good enough for me .Don't care what Scotty says can't afford a Toyota .
I agree about the brakes, they grab as soon as one touches the pedal. The way it should be. Same with the clutch, grabs as soon as you start releasing it. Although, the clutch doesn't have the greatest feel, but nothing that can't be worked around.
Hey, Scotty Kilmer did say that if you can get a Fiat 500 for 4K or so, it is a fun car to play around with...just don't use it for work everyday. Well, I had a 2012 Abarth, and every other weekend I made an 800 mile drive with it for two years and it was a hoot and NEVER caused me a single issue. Had a 500L after that and then a 500X. Same deal...no issues with any of them. Too bad just the 500X is being sold in the states now. In my opinion, the most boring of the models! Good car...but not as much fun. But, it seems a lot of Americans want boring styling and BIG cars. Well, gas is starting to go up again, so we will see how they like their SUVs and pickups soon enough! LOL! I have a Ford Flex now and love it because I need the room, but just picked up a pristine 500L Pop in red like yours for 6K and it is my fun weekend driver. I am nearly 70 now and just sold my two motorcycles and will now rely on the Pop for weekend fun. Sorry to see you are losing your Fiat, but maybe like me, you will be back when you miss it a ton! I will say, I totally agree with you. Don't get the automatic. Stirring the gears is all the fun. And yes, the Abarth is a little monster! You would love that car!
I’ve recently moved closer to work, so I now only commute about 35-50 miles, one way to work. But, for the first 5 years, I was commuting 95 miles one way. It’s been a wonderful car for the commute. 😊
Carvana and CarMax are out of control with their pricing on these.. i would try not to buy from them.. They honestly mark up all their cars about 15% to 20%, and its no haggle pricing... on the other hand, if you have a car to sell to Carmax, they are actually easy and fair to deal with.
I bought my 2014 Abarth from a Ford / Chrysler dealer in New Jersey. There were several others available but mine had a complete service history so I went for it and couldn’t be happier! I LOVE it!
That "burble" sound is Overrun. An you're right, the intake an exhaust size generally won't let these little 1.4's sound off unless under a high load, or a timing.
I think more people are starting to "get" the small, underpowered but BALANCED cars that the Fiat 500 an others provide. I'd rather drive a slow car quick than a fast car slow any day. You can get much more enjoyment out of the car this way. You get to rip around in the upper RPMs an with a short wheelbase, the handling is go-kart, lightning quick. With a proper manual trans, you are also well more engaged in the drive an have a hell of a lot more accomplishment rather than than just mashing the GOPEDAL to the floor. You feel more...alive. I love a Fiat 500, whether it's the Pop or the Abarth, they are all a ton of fun, everyday. I liken them to a tuned original VW Beetle. Not a lot of power, but a whole lot more FUN for that power.
Muttbone, Thank you so much for sharing what you love about the 500. I completely agree with everything you said here. On everyday roads, the 500 always puts a smile on my face because you can actually push the car and get that feedback and satisfaction of driving the car! Your comment sums up the 500 experience perfectly! thank you again!
It was having a 74 beetle back in college that made me miss that well balanced fun to drive go cart feeling, so I bought a 2019 turbo beetle before the prices went crazy lately and enjoyed that but it wasn't quite the same feel, sold that for a profit enough to get a free 2015 500 sport and that's the driving i was missing but even better. I live near the coast with lots of nice twisty backroads and cruise around just to enjoy the drive all the time. Don't need to go fast to enjoy it, just a pleasure to drive.
It looks like fun. With a small car, you can feel like driving fast without actually going fast. Reliability is probably not comparable to Toyota, but if money is no object, I’d consider it as a second car, for short trips around the city.
Its not really underpowered because back in the 80 90 fiat made cars like fiat panda 45hp the first version 2 cylinder come in 1982 30hp fiat 127 903cc 45hp all those car weight around 800kg the fiat 500 has 100hp and weight only 1000kg so car its very light im italian i know fiat cars they always made amazing small cars
I love the look and sitting inside this car, almost bought one today, deal killer is that it has no power at all. Im sad cause i love the look and feel of sitting in it, but its so underpowered i cant buy one.
Im buying a 2013 fiat 500 pop manual thru private party it has 75k miles for $2000 what should i look for buying a used 500 pop? Is it worth it? Its going to be my wife toy so she can learn to drive a stick shift and to save gas her lexus rx350 chugs gas like crazy lol
Sorry for the late reply Howard. That is an amazing deal! i would just look for the owner to give me as much of the maintenance history as possible. This Multiair system that Fiat created demands that the oil be changed on time, so I would just want to get the general sense of how the previous owner went about maintaining the vehicle, especially oil changes. AND of course when you meet the owner, you can get an sense of what type of driver he/she is. I don't expect a perfect car for 2 grand, but one that's at least been looked after properly and not too beat up inside and out.
Watched a second time; rethink the 'position' of your hands, incorporate a 10 & 4 position and or 8 & 2. The forearm over the AIRbag 'hub' would be severely broken should the AIRbag go off. Elsewise see my other comment. GOOD JOB
I like how you wrote out AIRbag just like the Fiat writes it =-). Yes, good advice with the hand position. I do have a habit of keeping my hand at the 12 o'clock position more then I should. I will definitely try to practice the 10 & 4 position more. I am a big fan of driving safety protocol (I drive trucks for a living so safety is a big part of my daily routine) BTW, thanks for watching, twice!
Oh my God if I was in the car, I would’ve just jumped out because I couldn’t take your talking about when you were going to start driving on this road!!! get to the friggin point.
I am currently working on videos that I call "just a drive" where I do no talking at all. Kind of like a meditative relaxing drive type video... I think your going to like those a lot. Thanks for watching! =-)
