Fiat have announced the first facelift for its wildly popular 500 model in over eight years. The changes which initially appear subtle have been numerous and spread across the entire vehicle in order to give it a completely fresh update.
The upgrades will be rolled out in September 2015 as Fiat begin their assault on yet another quarter. The new 500 should give them the power to do that with a host of changes wrung that will make it an even fiercer competitor for some of the most iconic hatchbacks in the world.
Would you believe that the current 500 has been completely unchanged for eight years? Eight whole years. Thats a pretty good lifespan, though the age old adage certainly applies; why fix it if it aint broke? From 2008 to 2015 the 500 has become an absolute powerhouse in the industry. Its dainty, tidy and stylish looks have won it many friends and the 500 is becoming a serious challenger to seasoned campaigners such as the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa with a particular popularity among first-time drivers. The 500 might not be its most glamorous, but its fast-becoming one of Fiats best selling models.
The interior has been given a significant upgrade with a brand-new 5 infotainment screen known as U Connect plus if you fully spec-out your 500 you get Sat-Nav, DAB, Bluetooth and plenty of options when it comes to integrating your phone. Wed say that the six-speaker system suggests Fiat know their audience pretty well. Theres also going to be a host of new upholstery and trim levels and of course the more you pay, the more high-quality the interior will be. Even so, there is a lot to choose from with something for everybody.
Apparently Fiat have made over 1,800 changes but youd be forgiven for not seeing any of them. This is essentially the very same animal as before in terms of design thats unlikely to change for some time. What has changed about the exterior is very much missable, there are new headlamps and LED running lights replace the outgoing halogens. We spoke about the hip, first-time buyers/leasers that are getting behind the wheel of the 500 in their droves and that could explain Fiats introduction of the Second Skin feature which will give drivers the chance to adorn their 500 in some really wacky bodywork. This includes tartan, and hopefully polkadot. What a time to be alive.
Fiat have given their engines an upgrade as well and that means better, cleaner emissions. The upgrades will alsoThe 1.2-litre and 0.9 litre will get the introduction of Start/Stop technology and that very same 0.9-litre will give you sub-90g/km of CO2 and mpg of 74.3. The 1.2-litre petrol will also get an ECO upgrade which will certainly help boost its popularity.
Fiat will certainly be excited about the upgrades and were actually as well its always satisfying to see a vehicle go from strength-to-strength. Take a look at our current Fiat Lease Deals here.