Buying a small, economical car no longer means that you have to settle for a boring design and substandard performance. The 2013 Fiat 500 definitely challenges the notion that driving a subcompact cannot be fun. Going for a distinctively ‘Italian’ look, the 2013 Fiat 500 is small, affordable and easy to maintain. The car promised a lot and it surely delivers on all counts. Here is an overview of the features and specifications of the 2013 Fiat 500.
Trim Levels
The car retains its two-door design, but you can buy it as a hatchback or a convertible based on your preference. There are no less than five trim levels for you to select from if you go for the hatchback. Choose from Lounge, Pop, Turbo, Sport and Abarth. Catchy names, one has to say, and each trim level delivers a consistent, high-quality performance. As far as the convertible is concerned, the 2013 Fiat 500C offers 3 trim levels: Abarth, Lounge and Pop.
Powertrains
There are three different types of engines used in the 2013 Fiat 500. The Sport, Lounge and Pop models are powered by a 1.4-litre 4-cylidner engine that delivers up to 101hp and 98lbs of torque, which is quite substantial for a small car. You can opt for the standard five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission. The fuel economy for the manual transmission is 34mpg (city and highway combined) and 30mpg for the automatic transmission.
The Turbo model offers a fuel economy of 31mpg and has a power output of 135hp with 150lbs of torque. This model only carries the standard manual transmission. On the other hand, the Abarth powertrain is the most powerful, offering 160hp and 170lbs of torque with a fuel economy similar to the Turbo model.
Safety Features
The 2013 Fiat 500 comes with a set of standard safety features, including front and side curtain airbags, stability and traction control, driver knee airbag and antilock disc brakes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2013 Fiat 500 a ‘Good’ rating, which is the highest, based on its roof strength, side impact protection and frontal offset.
Interior
Despite being one of the smallest cars on the market today, the 2013 Fiat 500 offers plenty of space. The front seats are high-mounted, so there is sufficient legroom even for tall drivers and passengers. The rear seats don’t offer such comfort, but it isn’t cramped up either. The luggage space in the car is 9.5 cubic feet, which is considerably more than the other subcompacts of a similar design have to offer. You can fold the rear seats to increase the space available.
The control layout is not out of the ordinary, which is actually a good thing as it becomes easier to operate for you. You can use the ‘Blue & Me’ feature to operate your iPod through voice command. If that doesn’t work out for you, you can use the auxiliary jack to plug in any device you want to use.
Considering its price and range of features, the 2013 Fiat 500 is an impressive vehicle. If you are in the market for a small and affordable car that delivers decent power, the 2013 Fiat 500 is perhaps the best option available to you.