GMI Drives: The 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo
New Turbo Model Brings The Best Of Both Worlds In One Cool Package
www.gminsidenews.com
December 4, 2012
By: Carl Malek
When Fiat first unveiled the 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo (500T in Fiat speak) at the 2012 Concorso Italiano in Italy, It represented the notion that not only was Fiat committed to further expanding the 500 model family, but that at long last Fiat had finally brought balance to its 500 model lineup which consisted of the cute but underwhelming base 500 and the performance inspired Abarth 500. With its new turbocharged engine and Abarth-esque styling, the 2013 Fiat 500T certainly has the tools to fill this crucial role but can it serve as a successful mix of both worlds or does it fall short? lets hop in and find out
Exterior
When Fiat designers were creating the exterior styling for the 2013 Fiat 500T, their goal was to make the model standout from its lesser siblings while serving as a viable stepping stone into the performance minded Abarth. On that front their efforts have largely succeeded thanks to numerous exterior tweaks that add a dash of aggression to the 500T's styling. A bolder Abarth inspired front fascia treatment is the first item that alert observers will notice (along with my testers nice looking "Verde Azzuro" paint) when looking at the 500T in person. Besides the obvious styling benefits it provides, it also gives the nose 2.7 extra inches of length which allows the dual inter-coolers in the engine to obtain maximum airflow while gloss black accents on the headlamp and parking lamp assemblies also do their part to add more style to the car. The Abarth inspired details continue to the rear of the car where a new rear mounted spoiler works in unison with a brand new lower diffuser to further improve the vehicles aerodynamics while the fore-mentioned gloss black accents also make their way to the tail lamps with average looking 16 inch aluminum rims (borrowed from the 500 Sport) rounding out the suite of changes. Overall a very solid visual presentation which should not only help the 500T look more exciting than the base 500 but also more compelling than the rather bland exterior styling found on the base MINI Cooper hatchback.
Interior
In addition to the numerous exterior tweaks that were made to the 500T, Fiat engineers also reworked the interior of the new model to help it stand out from its lesser siblings. My tester was equipped with the standard cloth sport seats (heated leather seats are available as an option) which offered good support (despite being a tad too narrow) and did a good job of keeping me in place during spirited driving though lumbar support could have been better. Finding a good driving position in my tester was easy with plenty of head and side room though the car's small size did take a bit out of overall legroom thanks to the location of the wheel wells. Rear seat room is typical small car tight, but fold them down and the generous cargo area will have no problem swallowing a weeks worth of groceries and other small cargo items.
The stylish interior design (especially the exterior color matching panel) makes the Fiat an interesting place to spend time in though some flaws do make themselves apparent. The large all in one gauge cluster houses the speedometer and the tachometer in one single unit with the digital display in the middle. While finding information with this setup was easy, the tiny font used in the numbers did make looking at a glance very difficult and made rev matching a chore. Also some of the materials did feel cheap with hard plastics adorning the dashboard and doors as well as chintzy bits for the hood release lever and seat fold down switches. On the flip side though many buttons and controls were well marked and easy to use with the lone exception being the stability control on/off button which was inexplicably located by itself below the left air vent.
Performance
When Fiat first unleashed the base 500 hatchback on our shores back in 2010, a favorite target of car critics was the vehicles naturally aspirated 1.4 liter Multiair four cylinder engine which produced a rather modest 101 horsepower and didn't win any awards for its performance credentials. In the case of the 500T, Fiat engineers solved that problem by cramming a detuned version of the Abarth's 1.4 liter into the engine bay. Good for a healthy 135 horsepower and a stout 150 lb ft of torque, the new engine makes a noticeable difference in the tiny Fiats driving behavior, and helps make the 500T a blast to drive in a wide variety of driving situations especially in city driving where the engines stronger lower end punch helped make acceleration more confident especially in lane change maneuvers.
All of this new found power is routed to the front wheels through a 5 speed manual gearbox which is the only transmission choice available. Shifts were smooth and accurate with good clutch modulation but the shifters awkward position (a distant nod to vintage Alfa products) required a bit of getting used to and the transmissions lack of a sixth gear was a bit disappointing since a majority of its competitors (such as the Sonic RS) have six speed units which certainly gives them an edge over the 500T in a straight line race.
Handling was very good with acceptable amounts of body roll and quick and accurate steering. This is mostly due to Fiat engineers stiffening the springs of the 500T while also upgrading other components in the car's steering system. While the end result is not as razor sharp as the Abarth 500's handling manners, the overall improvement is still quite noticeable versus the non turbo 500 and should do an excellent job pleasing enthusiasts. It also does a good job absorbing bumps though the firmness of the springs can make sharp ruts a jarring experience. Pushing the car's sport mode button helped improve response and reduced body roll. Wind noise in the 500T was very minimal with acceptable amounts of road noise present. The 2013 500T certainly has plenty of performance potential and it would be interesting to see what happens when a sixth gear is added to the transmission.
Final Thoughts
Looking to put a 2013 Fiat 500T in your garage? prices for the 2013 Fiat 500T begin at $19,200 with fully equipped models topping out at $23,880. My tester with its optional $950 sunroof and the mandatory $700 dollar destination fee added up to a wallet friendly $21,150 which is reasonable for a car in its class.
For comparison the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS is the closest competitor to the 500T with manual models starting out at $20,995 while fully optioned models top out at $21,920 (two grand less than the fully optioned Fiat). While the 500T does have a slightly higher 150 lb ft of torque versus the RS's 148lb ft, The Fiat's 1.4 liter does lose 3 horses to the Sonic's 138 horsepower engine (which is also 1.4 liters), as well as one cog to the Sonic in the transmission department. Regardless though, the 2013 Fiat 500T should please enthusiasts looking for Abarth style and fun in a cheaper package while boosting Fiat's sales at the same time.
Hits: Turbo motor, Sportier styling, Comfortable seats, Spirited handling, Wallet friendly sticker price,
Misses: Awkward Shifter position, Transmission one gear short of competitors, Cheap Materials, No In Dash navigation system
New Turbo Model Brings The Best Of Both Worlds In One Cool Package
www.gminsidenews.com
December 4, 2012
By: Carl Malek
When Fiat first unveiled the 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo (500T in Fiat speak) at the 2012 Concorso Italiano in Italy, It represented the notion that not only was Fiat committed to further expanding the 500 model family, but that at long last Fiat had finally brought balance to its 500 model lineup which consisted of the cute but underwhelming base 500 and the performance inspired Abarth 500. With its new turbocharged engine and Abarth-esque styling, the 2013 Fiat 500T certainly has the tools to fill this crucial role but can it serve as a successful mix of both worlds or does it fall short? lets hop in and find out
Exterior
When Fiat designers were creating the exterior styling for the 2013 Fiat 500T, their goal was to make the model standout from its lesser siblings while serving as a viable stepping stone into the performance minded Abarth. On that front their efforts have largely succeeded thanks to numerous exterior tweaks that add a dash of aggression to the 500T's styling. A bolder Abarth inspired front fascia treatment is the first item that alert observers will notice (along with my testers nice looking "Verde Azzuro" paint) when looking at the 500T in person. Besides the obvious styling benefits it provides, it also gives the nose 2.7 extra inches of length which allows the dual inter-coolers in the engine to obtain maximum airflow while gloss black accents on the headlamp and parking lamp assemblies also do their part to add more style to the car. The Abarth inspired details continue to the rear of the car where a new rear mounted spoiler works in unison with a brand new lower diffuser to further improve the vehicles aerodynamics while the fore-mentioned gloss black accents also make their way to the tail lamps with average looking 16 inch aluminum rims (borrowed from the 500 Sport) rounding out the suite of changes. Overall a very solid visual presentation which should not only help the 500T look more exciting than the base 500 but also more compelling than the rather bland exterior styling found on the base MINI Cooper hatchback.
Interior
In addition to the numerous exterior tweaks that were made to the 500T, Fiat engineers also reworked the interior of the new model to help it stand out from its lesser siblings. My tester was equipped with the standard cloth sport seats (heated leather seats are available as an option) which offered good support (despite being a tad too narrow) and did a good job of keeping me in place during spirited driving though lumbar support could have been better. Finding a good driving position in my tester was easy with plenty of head and side room though the car's small size did take a bit out of overall legroom thanks to the location of the wheel wells. Rear seat room is typical small car tight, but fold them down and the generous cargo area will have no problem swallowing a weeks worth of groceries and other small cargo items.
The stylish interior design (especially the exterior color matching panel) makes the Fiat an interesting place to spend time in though some flaws do make themselves apparent. The large all in one gauge cluster houses the speedometer and the tachometer in one single unit with the digital display in the middle. While finding information with this setup was easy, the tiny font used in the numbers did make looking at a glance very difficult and made rev matching a chore. Also some of the materials did feel cheap with hard plastics adorning the dashboard and doors as well as chintzy bits for the hood release lever and seat fold down switches. On the flip side though many buttons and controls were well marked and easy to use with the lone exception being the stability control on/off button which was inexplicably located by itself below the left air vent.
Performance
When Fiat first unleashed the base 500 hatchback on our shores back in 2010, a favorite target of car critics was the vehicles naturally aspirated 1.4 liter Multiair four cylinder engine which produced a rather modest 101 horsepower and didn't win any awards for its performance credentials. In the case of the 500T, Fiat engineers solved that problem by cramming a detuned version of the Abarth's 1.4 liter into the engine bay. Good for a healthy 135 horsepower and a stout 150 lb ft of torque, the new engine makes a noticeable difference in the tiny Fiats driving behavior, and helps make the 500T a blast to drive in a wide variety of driving situations especially in city driving where the engines stronger lower end punch helped make acceleration more confident especially in lane change maneuvers.
All of this new found power is routed to the front wheels through a 5 speed manual gearbox which is the only transmission choice available. Shifts were smooth and accurate with good clutch modulation but the shifters awkward position (a distant nod to vintage Alfa products) required a bit of getting used to and the transmissions lack of a sixth gear was a bit disappointing since a majority of its competitors (such as the Sonic RS) have six speed units which certainly gives them an edge over the 500T in a straight line race.
Handling was very good with acceptable amounts of body roll and quick and accurate steering. This is mostly due to Fiat engineers stiffening the springs of the 500T while also upgrading other components in the car's steering system. While the end result is not as razor sharp as the Abarth 500's handling manners, the overall improvement is still quite noticeable versus the non turbo 500 and should do an excellent job pleasing enthusiasts. It also does a good job absorbing bumps though the firmness of the springs can make sharp ruts a jarring experience. Pushing the car's sport mode button helped improve response and reduced body roll. Wind noise in the 500T was very minimal with acceptable amounts of road noise present. The 2013 500T certainly has plenty of performance potential and it would be interesting to see what happens when a sixth gear is added to the transmission.
Final Thoughts
Looking to put a 2013 Fiat 500T in your garage? prices for the 2013 Fiat 500T begin at $19,200 with fully equipped models topping out at $23,880. My tester with its optional $950 sunroof and the mandatory $700 dollar destination fee added up to a wallet friendly $21,150 which is reasonable for a car in its class.
For comparison the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS is the closest competitor to the 500T with manual models starting out at $20,995 while fully optioned models top out at $21,920 (two grand less than the fully optioned Fiat). While the 500T does have a slightly higher 150 lb ft of torque versus the RS's 148lb ft, The Fiat's 1.4 liter does lose 3 horses to the Sonic's 138 horsepower engine (which is also 1.4 liters), as well as one cog to the Sonic in the transmission department. Regardless though, the 2013 Fiat 500T should please enthusiasts looking for Abarth style and fun in a cheaper package while boosting Fiat's sales at the same time.
Hits: Turbo motor, Sportier styling, Comfortable seats, Spirited handling, Wallet friendly sticker price,
Misses: Awkward Shifter position, Transmission one gear short of competitors, Cheap Materials, No In Dash navigation system