Photo: Fiat
Introduced at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show with great pomp and circumstance, the 500L is a poor excuse for a multi-purpose vehicle. In addition to the questionable styling and insufficient range of capabilities as a family car, the 500L also happens to be one of the worst cars you can buy right now from the standpoint of reliability.
In the United States, for example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalled the 500L time and again. The automatic transmission, powertrain control module, irregularities in the driver’s knee airbag system, and an improperly folded passenger frontal airbag are just a handful of the issues, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Complaints submitted to safecar.gov number in the hundreds, and that’s saying something about how bad of a car the 500L actually is.
Despite all this well-deserved criticism, Fiat gave the 500L a second chance with the 2018 model year. The mid-cycle refresh brags with 40 percent new parts and 1,800 design changes, but only time will tell if these are enough to convince the public into buying the 500L over a sport utility vehicle, minivan, or other MPVs.
The 2018 model year is also marked by the production of the 500,000th example of the 500L, which left the assembly line in Kragujevac, Serbia a few days ago. As per Fiat, “the new record confirms the success enjoyed by the model since its launch in 2012,” but that choice of words doesn't paint the full picture.
Take the calendar 2017 as a prime example of how the cookie crumbles. With 63,100 sales in Europe, the 500L had lost a staggering 23 percent of sales volume compared to the prior year. The Ford B-Max, which has been discontinued in favor of the EcoSport crossover, gained 7 percent (43,339) during the period. The Hyundai ix20, Opel Meriva, Kia Venga, Citroen C3 Picasso, and Nissan Note are free falling, which is a testament to how irrelevant the MPV has become.
To whom it may concern, the landmark 500L is finished in bi-color Sicilia Orange with a gloss-black roof. The Cross model in question is equipped with the 1.6-liter MultiJet turbo diesel four-cylinder engine, packing 120 PS.
Despite all this well-deserved criticism, Fiat gave the 500L a second chance with the 2018 model year. The mid-cycle refresh brags with 40 percent new parts and 1,800 design changes, but only time will tell if these are enough to convince the public into buying the 500L over a sport utility vehicle, minivan, or other MPVs.
The 2018 model year is also marked by the production of the 500,000th example of the 500L, which left the assembly line in Kragujevac, Serbia a few days ago. As per Fiat, “the new record confirms the success enjoyed by the model since its launch in 2012,” but that choice of words doesn't paint the full picture.
Take the calendar 2017 as a prime example of how the cookie crumbles. With 63,100 sales in Europe, the 500L had lost a staggering 23 percent of sales volume compared to the prior year. The Ford B-Max, which has been discontinued in favor of the EcoSport crossover, gained 7 percent (43,339) during the period. The Hyundai ix20, Opel Meriva, Kia Venga, Citroen C3 Picasso, and Nissan Note are free falling, which is a testament to how irrelevant the MPV has become.
To whom it may concern, the landmark 500L is finished in bi-color Sicilia Orange with a gloss-black roof. The Cross model in question is equipped with the 1.6-liter MultiJet turbo diesel four-cylinder engine, packing 120 PS.
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