Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
Introduced around this time of the year at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the Fiat 500L is not exactly practical, nor good to drive, nor reliable. We’ve all heard the horror stories and the recalls over the six-speed dual-clutch automatic, but be that as it may, the 500L soldiers on as a chic and stylish multi-purpose vehicle.
Kicking on its fifth year of production, the 500L is in dire need of a mid-cycle update. This year will see the Italian automaker refresh its MPV for the 2018 MY, and as you can see from the latest spy pics of the thing, development is progressing rather nicely.
Heavily camouflaged it may be, but the pre-production 500L in the adjacent gallery features a number of components that will see the light of day on the actual car. The funky front grille and crossover-inspired lower front bumper, the air intakes on the sides, the 3D-effect taillights, these all appear to be good to go. Upon a closer look, it seems that this prototype is of the 500L Trekking variety.
The interior, on the other hand, it too camouflaged to make out what Fiat has changed in there. Based on what the 500 boasts from the facelift treatment, the 500L is due to receive a different instrument cluster and a more versatile Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system. Other than those, expect a case of “same old, same old.”
Depending on market-specific needs and consumer demand, the 2018 model year of the Fiat 500L will be available with a range of familiar powerplants. The starter of the lot will come in the form of the 0.9 TwinAir two-cylinder, which is capable of running on CNG. Then there’s the 1.4-liter Fire four-pot, followed by the turbo version of the same engine and a 1.4-liter Turbo MultiAir with 162 PS (160 bhp).
In the diesel-powered department, the range will most likely consist of a 1.3- and a 1.6-liter MultiJet, with the latter packing as many as 120 PS (118 bhp) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque from 1,750 rpm. As far as transmissions are concerned, five- and six-speed manual boxes are the norm, with the options list consisting of five- and six-speed automatics.
Safety is also expected to go up for the facelift, especially when you bear in mind the current model doesn’t have front crash prevention equipment. What’s more, the 500L failed the IIHS’ small overlap front crash test, scoring a dismal “poor” rating.
Heavily camouflaged it may be, but the pre-production 500L in the adjacent gallery features a number of components that will see the light of day on the actual car. The funky front grille and crossover-inspired lower front bumper, the air intakes on the sides, the 3D-effect taillights, these all appear to be good to go. Upon a closer look, it seems that this prototype is of the 500L Trekking variety.
The interior, on the other hand, it too camouflaged to make out what Fiat has changed in there. Based on what the 500 boasts from the facelift treatment, the 500L is due to receive a different instrument cluster and a more versatile Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system. Other than those, expect a case of “same old, same old.”
Depending on market-specific needs and consumer demand, the 2018 model year of the Fiat 500L will be available with a range of familiar powerplants. The starter of the lot will come in the form of the 0.9 TwinAir two-cylinder, which is capable of running on CNG. Then there’s the 1.4-liter Fire four-pot, followed by the turbo version of the same engine and a 1.4-liter Turbo MultiAir with 162 PS (160 bhp).
In the diesel-powered department, the range will most likely consist of a 1.3- and a 1.6-liter MultiJet, with the latter packing as many as 120 PS (118 bhp) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque from 1,750 rpm. As far as transmissions are concerned, five- and six-speed manual boxes are the norm, with the options list consisting of five- and six-speed automatics.
Safety is also expected to go up for the facelift, especially when you bear in mind the current model doesn’t have front crash prevention equipment. What’s more, the 500L failed the IIHS’ small overlap front crash test, scoring a dismal “poor” rating.
Google News