Note: This interior review was created when the 2012 Fiat 500 was new.
Interior: | 6.4 |
While the 2012 Fiat 500’s interior is criticized for cheap materials, hard-to-use voice controls, cramped seating and skimpy cargo space, reviewers can’t deny that the cabin is quirky and cute. They say its colorful, retro design makes it a standout in the class.
Like the Mini Hardtop, the 2012 Fiat 500 seats four and has two rear seats that are too tight for adults and are best-suited for groceries, cargo and kids. Reviewer opinions of the front seats are mixed. Some reviewers say the front seats are comfortable and that their upright position makes the Fiat 500 feel bigger than it really is, but other reviewers complain that the driver and front passenger seats, particularly in the Sport model, don’t have enough support. They also mention that there isn’t enough leg space, there isn’t enough headroom in the convertible and that it can be difficult to find a comfortable driving position because the steering wheel doesn’t telescope.
Many reviewers like the 2012 Fiat 500’s retro, colorful interior, but several dislike the cabin’s cheap plastics, though that isn’t surprising for a hatchback in this price range. Other reviewers have a lot of complaints about the entertainment system. Blue & Me is the standard voice-activated system that makes phone calls and music selections, but reviewers say the voice controls are hard to use. Another reviewer annoyance is that while the stereo plays music on an iPod via a USB port, you can’t sort through files by artist or song. You can only skip from one audio file to the next. Yet another test driver grievance is the optional, portable TomTom navigation system. One test driver mentions that it’s not as easy to use as the Garmin units Chrysler uses in some of its vehicles.
Standard in the Fiat 500 are a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, Bluetooth, a USB port and an auxiliary input jack. Optional features include satellite radio and a Bose stereo that many test drivers aren’t impressed with because the sound quality isn’t great.
Don’t plan on packing a lot of shopping bags into the Fiat 500’s trunk. If two people sit in the back row, there are 9.5 cubic feet available in the base 500 and 500 Abarth. With the rear seats folded, that cargo space increases to 30.1 cubic feet. The 500c has much less cargo space when there are two rear passengers: 5.4 cubic feet.
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