The MINI Countryman showed the potential for spinning a larger family car off a popular retro supermini, so it was little surprise when the Fiat 500L followed, applying the styling from the throwback 500 onto a mini MPV.
The result wasn’t quite as handsome as MINI had managed, but that’s not to say it wasn’t a good car. Fiat came up with a spacious and practical interior despite the 500L taking up no more space on the road than a Fiat Punto (and then launching an even more practical extended variant), gave it a range of frugal engines, and then sold it at a competitive price.
Fiat has since pulled the 500L off sale (soon to be replaced by the new, all-electric Fiat 600), but it’s good value as a used family car, and may be worth a look if you’re also considering cars like the Citroen C3 Picasso and C4 Picasso, the Ford C-Max, Suzuki S-Cross, or the Skoda Yeti.
The Fiat 500L owes its quirky styling to the Fiat 500 city car launched in 2007, which itself took heavy inspiration from the classic Fiat 500 launched in 1957. Basically, there’s a retro element running right through it, just as you can trace a similarly convoluted path from the MINI Countryman back to the original Mini of 1959.
Underneath though, the 500L launched in 2012 was modern for its era, with a range of petrol and diesel engines, manual and automatic gearboxes, a practical and adaptable cabin despite its relatively small size, and a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. The exterior styling might have looked a little awkward, but the family resemblance was clear - and gave the 500L a distinctive look to tempt buyers away from less interesting small cars.
Fiat got all the basics right. The cabin is comfortable, has excellent visibility, and the controls are all easy to use. It’s built fairly well too and some trim levels offered interesting colours and patterns inside to liven things up. The basic touchscreen is a little small but the larger 7-inch version is well worth seeking out, while there was an ‘MPL’ or Wagon version, which looked even more ungainly but did offer seven seats.
It drives well too, with tidy handling and a ride that does a good job of soaking up bumps. The steering is a little light, which won’t delight keen drivers but does make the 500L easy to manoeuvre at low speeds and around town. All the engines do an admirable job of getting you down the road, though the 1.4 T-Jet and 1.6 Multijet feel most comfortable out of town. Fiat offered its two-cylinder TwinAir engine for a time, but while it makes an interesting noise, real-world economy leaves a lot to be desired, despite tempting figures in the brochure.
Above all, the 500L was good value - and still is, as a used buy. It’s certainly worth considering if you’re shopping for other small, upright family cars such as the Citroen C3 Picasso, Ford C-Max, or Suzuki S-Cross, and it’s more distinctive than any of them. Don’t ignore the Skoda Yeti either - it’s been off sale now since 2017, but compact family cars don’t come much better.
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Engine-wise the 1.4-litre T-Jet petrol and 1.6 Multijet diesel are our picks. They offer more performance than their equivalents lower down the range without any great economy penalty, and while they’re still easy to drive around town, they’re better out of it than the less powerful versions. Of the pair, the petrol probably has the edge - and will be better suited to local journeys than the diesel, given diesels take longer to warm up and deliver their maximum efficiency.
Lounge spec is probably the pick of the trim lines, with a few notable equipment upgrades, such as air conditioning and a larger touchscreen, which will be very welcome to most buyers. Cross trim is the most appealing to look at, while the seven-seat layout of the MPL Wagon may be useful if you occasionally carry an extra kid or two - or simply need some extra luggage space.
The Fiat 500L’s trim levels were fairly straightforward, with a well-equipped entry level model called the Pop Star, a more stylish mid-range Lounge, and the range-topping Cross, with an off-road look to its styling. The Pop Star and Lounge were both available in regular 500L and longer 500L Wagon or ‘MPL’ form, while the Cross was available on the shorter model only. It’s worth noting too that both Cross and Wagon variants have a detrimental effect on both performance and economy relative to the figures above, while the Wagon dropped the entry-level non-turbo 1.4 petrol.
The Fiat 500L’s dimensions are:
The Fiat 500L’s boot size is:
All models registered after April 2017 have the same £180 yearly VED or ‘road tax’ bill, regardless of engine, transmission or trim level. Prior to this date, the diesels and TwinAir petrol will be cheapest to tax, thanks to low CO2 ratings, though these may still vary from model to model.
All Fiat 500Ls should be fairly affordable to insure, thanks to low insurance group ratings across the board. A basic 1.3-litre diesel starts in only group 7, but even top-spec 1.6-litre Multijet diesels don’t go beyond group 20.
Read our full Fiat 500L review