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2014 Fiat 500L
Thanks to Golling Fiat in Birmingham, we were fortunate enough to test drive a Lounge Fiat 500L. You’ve seen Fiat 500s, even the Abarth, tooling down the roads for months now. “So what is the 500L,” you might ask, “why is it special?” Well, it shares the 500 in its name, it is like the 500 in style, and it uses the Abarth’s turbo-charged engine, but beyond those similarities the 500L is its own distinct vehicle, with the Lounge being the top of the line.
The 500L is not a SUV, it is a four door hatchback. It was clearly designed for someone who wanted the clean European design of the 500, but needed/wanted more interior room. This model had an awesomely large sunroof with a 20.7 sq. ft. (1.92 m2) Dual-Pane Glass System. It felt like I was in a glass bubble floating thru space rather than driving through the city; this car is FUN! The details live up to Italian style and perfection; from the 500 embossed on the headlamps, to the shape of the logo on the steering wheel, to the door handles and the headrests all having the same shape, everything added elegance to the interior and consistency to the automobile. By the time we rolled out of the dealership driveway I was saying, “I love this car!” Clean and crisp. Fresh, new, did I mention, FUN!
As a woman, I enjoyed the fact that I was able to get in and out of this vehicle with ease, yet there was lots of leg and head room for even a large man. There was also plenty of storage behind the rear seat for those shopping excursions. It isn’t a SUV, but can haul like one. The 500L has all the accessories of a luxury SUV, including the heated seats we need for Michigan winters, but drives like a car rather than a truck, making it very comfortable.
The vehicle is built in in Kragujevac, Serbia, at possibly the most advanced factory in all of Fiat-Chrysler, a facility that was renovated and retooled at a cost of $1.5 billion. It has good acceleration due to sharing the 103 horsepower, 1.4L MultiAir Turbocharged Engine with the Fiat 500 Abarth and has a twin clutch (it’s a Fiat thing), a “Six-Speed Euro Twin Automatic Cluch Transmission with AutoStick Feature.” We were happy to see it had a USB Port with iPod/iPhone Connectivity that worked on iOS version 6 and will work with upcoming iOS versions. There was seamless integration with the iPod/iPhone control electronics featuring the U-connect Bluetooth hands-free Communication System and a 6.5 inch VP3 touchscreen with navigation.
Everyone who sat in the car really enjoyed the open feel that resulted from the sunroof and surrounding glass, along with the ample head and knee room (Speaking of heads, heads up! Alfa Romeo is coming to the USA soon!). There was excellent visibility to the back and sides, a back up camera with a back up beeper system, and the 500L was quiet, both inside and out. This model was the top of the line, fully loaded, and was approximately $27,000. It carries a 50,000 mile or four year warranty with roadside assistance.
Once again, we’d like to thank Golling Fiat for letting us test drive and review this great new addition to the American road. There are only five Fiat dealers in Michigan and Golling has the two locations listed below. The 500Ls are rare right now, with dealers getting in only a handful at a time, so if you want one you need to act quickly. I will close by saying, I want one!
Click on our photo stack icon above this review to see photos Detroit Metro Mashup took of this amazing state of the art car. Then go to Golling to check one out!
Lounge Fiat 500L
Golling Fiat
34500 Woodward Avenue
Birmingham, MI 48009
Golling Fiat
2405 South Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
The Fiat website for the United States is:
http://www.fiatusa.com/en/
The 500L is not a SUV, it is a four door hatchback. It was clearly designed for someone who wanted the clean European design of the 500, but needed/wanted more interior room. This model had an awesomely large sunroof with a 20.7 sq. ft. (1.92 m2) Dual-Pane Glass System. It felt like I was in a glass bubble floating thru space rather than driving through the city; this car is FUN! The details live up to Italian style and perfection; from the 500 embossed on the headlamps, to the shape of the logo on the steering wheel, to the door handles and the headrests all having the same shape, everything added elegance to the interior and consistency to the automobile. By the time we rolled out of the dealership driveway I was saying, “I love this car!” Clean and crisp. Fresh, new, did I mention, FUN!
As a woman, I enjoyed the fact that I was able to get in and out of this vehicle with ease, yet there was lots of leg and head room for even a large man. There was also plenty of storage behind the rear seat for those shopping excursions. It isn’t a SUV, but can haul like one. The 500L has all the accessories of a luxury SUV, including the heated seats we need for Michigan winters, but drives like a car rather than a truck, making it very comfortable.
The vehicle is built in in Kragujevac, Serbia, at possibly the most advanced factory in all of Fiat-Chrysler, a facility that was renovated and retooled at a cost of $1.5 billion. It has good acceleration due to sharing the 103 horsepower, 1.4L MultiAir Turbocharged Engine with the Fiat 500 Abarth and has a twin clutch (it’s a Fiat thing), a “Six-Speed Euro Twin Automatic Cluch Transmission with AutoStick Feature.” We were happy to see it had a USB Port with iPod/iPhone Connectivity that worked on iOS version 6 and will work with upcoming iOS versions. There was seamless integration with the iPod/iPhone control electronics featuring the U-connect Bluetooth hands-free Communication System and a 6.5 inch VP3 touchscreen with navigation.
Everyone who sat in the car really enjoyed the open feel that resulted from the sunroof and surrounding glass, along with the ample head and knee room (Speaking of heads, heads up! Alfa Romeo is coming to the USA soon!). There was excellent visibility to the back and sides, a back up camera with a back up beeper system, and the 500L was quiet, both inside and out. This model was the top of the line, fully loaded, and was approximately $27,000. It carries a 50,000 mile or four year warranty with roadside assistance.
Once again, we’d like to thank Golling Fiat for letting us test drive and review this great new addition to the American road. There are only five Fiat dealers in Michigan and Golling has the two locations listed below. The 500Ls are rare right now, with dealers getting in only a handful at a time, so if you want one you need to act quickly. I will close by saying, I want one!
Click on our photo stack icon above this review to see photos Detroit Metro Mashup took of this amazing state of the art car. Then go to Golling to check one out!
Lounge Fiat 500L
Golling Fiat
34500 Woodward Avenue
Birmingham, MI 48009
Golling Fiat
2405 South Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
The Fiat website for the United States is:
http://www.fiatusa.com/en/
