Mother and daughter bonding in the Fiat 500L.
Seven schools, two states, four days. Once again, we started our college tours in Southern California – it’s a winter break rite of passage in our family. Spending time in 80 degree weather when it’s 10 degrees at home makes sense to me.
Spending it in a Fiat 500L made it even more appealing. The sweet little four door was a cute companion on our mother daughter trip as we explored a host of college options.
We drove this cute car to Hermosa Beach, for R & R after touring colleges. Credit: Kim Orlando for AGirlsGuidetoCars
Two years ago I took my son and his friend on this same college tour and he wound up at the University of Miami. Sometimes it’s about discovering what you don’t want. It’s also about having your kid [almost] all to yourself for a week.
This year, my daughter and I explored schools from Los Angeles to Arizona. I knew that much time on the road would mean we would need to break up the trip – and have fun wheels. The Fiat looks like a toy car and it was easy to park on the streets or drive around college towns. It is very nimble and u-turns, needed when you get lost, are a snap.
Losing our way
We easily fit a week’s worth of luggage for two. Credit: Kim Orlando for AGirlsGuidetoCars
Unfortunately, we had to put those u-turns to the test because the navigation system was unreliable. I kept choosing my phone for more direct routes.
Easy steering
While the Fiat was agile, I did not love the steering wheel. It felt like a toy to me and I could not position it in a way that allowed me to see the speedometer as well as I would have liked.
The steering of the Fiat felt off to me as I had difficulty seeing the speedometer. Credit: Kim Orlando for AGirlsGuidetoCars
Channeling our inner beach bum
This little yellow lemon drop made me smile every time I got into it – and that was a lot. And there were no complaints from my daughter whenever we had to get back into the car.
A big smile when I’m driving my little yellow lemon drop Fiat. Credit: Kim Orlando for AGirlsGuidetoCars
But the 500L is missing cute Fiat design details in the interior that I am used to finding other models. There are usually little splashes of color, but this stripped down model was monochromatic.
Not for highway driving
The Fiat was NOT a contender on Los Angeles freeways. There is just no power for passing, pulling out and it’s loud, reminiscent of the Chevy Chevette MY BFF drove when we were in college. I didn’t feel unsafe, I just was uncomfortable even in LA, where many drivers opt for small cars.
Oddly, for such a small car, the fuel economy was not as good as you would expect. I get the trade off; small car, little power, great mileage. But I felt we only got so-so fuel economy, of 22 miles per gallon on city streets. Our Toyota Rav 4, which at least appears larger, gets about the same. With a car this size, I expected more.
Size matters
Since there were only two of us, we didn’t use the back seat, but it would be fine for hauling a couple of kids. We had plenty of room in the trunk, and the back seats fold if you need more room for oversize objects, like moving your daughter into her dorm.
Almost like the top down
The large sunroof had a feature new to me – a screen that was like having a screen door on your house. It let fresh air in and kept the beating sun and bugs out.
The sunroof of the Fiat 500L had a screen to protect us from the sun and keep the bugs out. Credit: Kim Orlando for AGirlsGuidetoCars
WHAT I LOVED
- Super cute car distinctly FIAT from the outside
- Turn radius! I could make a U-turn ANYwhere
- Color – like a drop of sunshine; made me smile every time I saw it
- Beats speakers
- Large trunk with seats that fold for more room
- Screen for sunroof
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Very little power
- Takes regular gas
- Rated 25 miles per gallon; 22 in the city, 30 on the highway
- Base price: $21,545; price for the model we drove, with customer preferred package and automatic transmission, $29,795
- Powertrain warranty: 4 Year / 50,000 Miles
- Has not been rated by the government for frontal crash, side crash or rollover risk
Fiat provided the car for review; opinions expressed are my own.
Latest posts by Kim Orlando (see all)
- USED: Flexing Its Status As A Top Crossover: The 2015 Ford Flex - June 28, 2022
- Hybrid Appeal: Wife & Hubby Love the 2016 Chevy Malibu - August 9, 2016
- Which car? Which college? Choosing the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander - April 2, 2016
I appreciate you talking about the fact that you had plenty of room in the back for all your cargo. My wife and I are planning on purchasing a new car soon and we love to travel to the nearby national parks. While we look for the right vehicle for us we will remember the information in this article.