Highlight: Besides the sporty Mazda Miata MX-5 twin sibling, the 124 Spider, this is Fiat’s other version of a convertible.
Test Vehicle’s MSRP: $20,365 (base model $17,485)
Seating Capacity: 2 (2 infants in the rear)
Standard Safety Features: airbags; ABS; daytime running headlamps; electronic stability control; a hillstart assist system; a park sensor; a tire pressure monitoring system; and a tire service kit
Standard Equipment (Pop): 15-inch tires; a manual transmission; a power operated cloth open air roof; a 5-inch touchscreen; cloth seats; chrome door handles; a remote keyless entry system; front seat armrests; remote keyless entry; a leather wrapped steering wheel; steering wheel mounted audio controls; and a tilt steering column
Options: an automatic dimming rearview mirror; an automatic temperature control a/c; a GPS system; Sirius satellite radio; black/grey seats; a (Dr. Dre) Beats audio system; and a 6-speed automatic transmission
Other Trim Level:
Lounge Convertible
Abarth Convertible
Standard Audio On Test Vehicle: a 4-speaker AM/FM audio system
Bluetooth Connectivity: Yes
USB Connectivity: Yes
Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty: 4 years or 50,000 miles
Powertrain Warranty: 4 years or 50,000 miles
Standard Engine/Horsepower: 1.4-liter, 4-cylinder/101-hp
Recommended Fuel: Premium
Standard Fuel Mileage: 27-city/33-hwy
What’s New: For an additional $1,495, all the Fiat 500 models can be turned into a Cabrio. And the trim levels has been paired down to three.
Fiat’s
500 Cabrio is available in three trim levels, with either a manual or an
automatic transmission. In the base model, the standard 4-cylinder, which spews out 101-horsepower, is more than
adequate for the vehicle, as long as you’re not making plans to pull out in
front of vehicles driving at a high rate speed. Conversely, for those seeking more punch behind the wheel, we recommend the brand’s Abarth edition, which pushes out a whopping
160-horsepower, with it hearty 1.4-liter turbo engine.
Fiat’s
500 Cabrio can be outfitted with a number of features, at an affordable price.
Our base Pop trim included such optional features as Dr. Dre’s fined-tuned
Beat’s audio system, a satellite radio system, a touchscreen navigation system,
an automatic temperature control system, and an automatic dimming rearview
mirror. These features alone added to the driving pleasure.
The
open air vehicle can also be outfitted with 15, 16 or 17 inch tires, depending
on the trim. Of course, the largest size tire is reserved only for the Abarth
trim.
In
addition to the above noted features, leather trim seats, heated front seats and
a tricked-out appearance package, which includes a sporty fascia, black trimmed
headlights, foglights, side sill ground effects and 16-inch wheels, are
available.
But: The fun-to-drive
open air vehicle lacked reclining front seats, a telescopic steering wheel and
usable front seat armrests. Moreover, it should be no surprise that the pint
size icon is also incapable of transporting adults or large children in the
rear seating area.
And
don’t look for the 500 Cabrio to offer the latest autonomous driving aids. A
forward collision braking system, a radar-activated cruise control system or a
back up camera aren’t available here. Those features will push the price out of
the range of affordability.
Lastly,
for the life of us, we can’t figure out why this miniature icon requires
premium fuel. Go figure.
Verdict:
While this is no road runner, especially if outfitted
with base 1.4-liter that spurts out 101-horsepower, this distinctive Italian icon is easy
to manage and navigate the city due to its diminutive size. And being that this
is an easy to use power operated cloth cabrio, it gives those yearning for
yesteryear an opportunity to enter into open air segment, without breaking the
bank. In fact, our nicely equipped Pop cabrio sprinkled in with a few must-have
options was just a tad shy of $20,000.
No comments:
Post a Comment