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Fiat 500C

The Fiat 500C Convertible is unashamedly retro, but that’s no bad thing. Rather than following the herd and trying to squeeze a folding hardtop into the little car Fiat have instead kept the door pillars in the same style as the cult classic 1950’s Nuova, and fitted a soft top in between. The original managed to combine a movie star chic with mass market practicality. The new car looks to repeat this and with its super efficient engines appeals to the bank account as well as the heart.

Fiat 500C Details

Production Dates2010-current
Length 3546 mm / 140 in
Height 1488 mm / 59 in
Wheelbase 2300 mm / 91 in
Turning Circle 9.3 m / 366 in
Luggage Capacity 185 litres / 6.53 cu ft
Fuel Tank Capacity 35 litres / 9.2 US gal
Warranty 3 years or 60,000 miles
Service Intervals 18,000 miles

Fiat 500 C 0.9 TwinAir

The eager Fiat 500C TwinAir combines great green credentials with everyday usability. It is a wonderfully characterful engine with an unusual sound. It makes the little Fiat great fun to drive while being particularly economical. It does struggle to match the official economy figures however, partly because the TwinAir engine begs you to put your foot down. For pure driving enjoyment however it rivals the 500C Abarth.

Specifications

Fuel type Unleaded Petrol
Driven Wheels null-wheel-drive
Engine type 2 Cylinder
Engine Capacity 875 cc
Power 85@5500 bhp
Torque 107@1900 lb.ft
Transmission type 5-spd manual / Dualogic
Kerb Weight 970 kg / 2138 lb
UK Retail Price from £14,710
UK Insurance Group 13

Performance

Max speed (manual) 108 mph / 174 kph
Max speed (auto) 108 mph / 174 kph
0-60mph (manual) - seconds
0-60mph (auto) - seconds
0-100kmph (manual) 11 seconds
0-100kmph (auto) 11 seconds

Economy and Emissions

EU Combined Fuel Economy (manual) 70.6 mpg / 4 L/100km
EU Combined Fuel Economy (auto) 72.4 mpg / 3.9 L/100km
CO2 Emissions (manual) 92 g/km
CO2 Emissions (auto) 90 g/km

Fiat 500 C 1.2

The entry level Fiat 500C 1.2 litre lacks the extra power of the 1.4 or the character of the TwinAir but it is has great real-world economy and a low purchase cost. Perfectly suited to town driving where it is smooth and quiet. The standard equipment level is surprisingly good and it doesn't have a budget car feel at all.

Specifications

Fuel type Unleaded Petrol
Driven Wheels null-wheel-drive
Engine type Straight 4
Engine Capacity 1242 cc
Power 69@5500 bhp
Torque 75@3000 lb.ft
Transmission type 5-spd manual / Dualogic
Kerb Weight 905 kg / 1995 lb
UK Retail Price from £13,160
UK Insurance Group 4/9

Performance

Max speed (manual) 99 mph / 159 kph
Max speed (auto) 99 mph / 159 kph
0-100kmph (manual) 12.9 seconds
0-100kmph (auto) 12.9 seconds

Economy and Emissions

EU Combined Fuel Economy (manual) 58.9 mpg / 4.8 L/100km
EU Combined Fuel Economy (auto) 60.1 mpg / 4.7 L/100km
CO2 Emissions (manual) 113 g/km
CO2 Emissions (auto) 110 g/km

Fiat 500 C 1.3 Multijet

With the 1.3 litre diesel engine this Fiat 500 Convertible is made with economy in mind. It has enough power to feel flexible around town without needing too many gear changes while it will happily cruise along at higher speeds. The uprated engine now has more power and even better fuel economy than when it was first launched. The downside of the diesel engine is the noise which is all the more noticeable with the roof open.

Specifications

Fuel type Unleaded Petrol
Driven Wheels null-wheel-drive
Engine type Straight 4
Engine Capacity 1248 cc
Power 95@4000 bhp
Torque 148@1500 lb.ft
Transmission type 5-spd manual
UK Retail Price from £15,560
UK Insurance Group 5/17

Performance

Max speed (manual) 112 mph / 180 kph
0-60mph (manual) - seconds
0-100kmph (manual) 10.7 seconds

Economy and Emissions

EU Combined Fuel Economy (manual) 76.3 mpg / 3.7 L/100km
CO2 Emissions (manual) 97 g/km

Fiat 500 C 1.4

The 1.4 Fiat 500C was the most powerful and mature of the engines in the range and yet didn't drink too much fuel either. It is better suited for high mileage driving when compared to the TwinAir but not nearly as much fun around town or along windy country lanes. This model was discontinued, perhaps due to the success of the newer TwinAir.

Specifications

Fuel type Unleaded Petrol
Engine type Straight 4
Driven Wheels null-wheel-drive
Engine Capacity 1368 cc
Power 100@6000 bhp
Torque 96@4250 lb.ft
Transmission type 6-spd manual / Dualogic
UK Retail Price from £15,705
UK Insurance Group 6/15

Performance

Max speed (manual) 113 mph / 182 kph
Max speed (auto) 113 mph / 182 kph
0-100kmph (manual) 10.5 seconds
0-100kmph (auto) 10.5 seconds

Economy and Emissions

EU Combined Fuel Economy (manual) 48.5 mpg / 5.8 L/100km
EU Combined Fuel Economy (auto) 50.4 mpg / 5.6 L/100km
CO2 Emissions (manual) 135 g/km
CO2 Emissions (auto) 130 g/km
Driven Wheels null-wheel-drive Driven Wheels null-wheel-drive Driven Wheels null-wheel-drive Driven Wheels null-wheel-drive

Information last updated

3 Owner Reviews

Do you drive a Fiat 500C? Would you recommend it to others? Join the conversation and let us know what you think of the car. This Fiat currently has 3 owner reviews.

  1. Avatar for Loks Loks says:

    On the surface the 500c 1.4 pop looks rather chic, but is very noisy. The paintwork seems to chip very easily and on average does between 33 – 37 mpg in the city, so not very economical at all. I have had mine since Sept 2009 (59plate)

  2. Avatar for colin dutton colin dutton says:

    My wife’s got a 500C Twin Air, she loves the styling and the drivability of the car. What we don’t like is the abysmal fuel consumption, averaging 34 – 38mpg according to use. The car offers a fine driving experience and the motoring journalists love it but it is clear that they lazily regurgitate official MPG figures instead of checking the real world consumption for themselves.

    A charming car but a con trick. There’s no defect with the car, the official consumption figures are obtained in highly artificial conditions that the owner cannot duplicate. I bought the car on the strength of reviews by people like you hyping impossible figures instead of testing it for yourselves and I’m paying for that mistake week in week out at the petrol pump.

  3. Avatar for Haroon Haroon says:

    The multijet engine has the best in class power/weight ratio diesel technology offers today. Secondly, until this machinery was introduced Diesel engines were looked down upon as non-environment friendly and expensive to maintain. The engine makes use of spring loaded valves that open/close at a definite fuel pressure. It makes use of multiple points to inject a pre-determined quantity of fuel, rather than the conventional single-central point of injection.

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