Fiat
500 2016 Facelift
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New lights, grille, refreshed interior
These
are the first official pictures of the newly facelifted Fiat 500, the first
major visual overhaul for the smash-hit city car since its modern-era launch
eight years ago.
Though
you might need to squint to notice them, Fiat claims to have lavished as many
as 1800 detail changes throughout the car to keep it fighting fit against its
younger city car rivals. Apart from a gentle styling evolution, the
Cinquecento’s also undergone an interior overhaul, various equipment upgrades
and a detox session to curb its thirst and emissions.
As
before, it’s available as a hatchback or almost-convertible 500C with a
rollback fabric roof.
Let’s
play spot the difference. The car’s basic silhouette and overall dimensions
haven’t changed a jot, with the main alterations limited to a fresh set of
bumpers and headlight graphics.
At
the front, underneath a new doe-eyed look for the upper headlights there’s now
a larger pair of oval auxiliary lights, a little like those of the larger 500L
model. Incorporated a ring of LED daytime running lights, they’re intended to
mimic the ‘0’ shapes in the 500 logo. Above, there’s an odd miniature power
bulge on the bonnet and below a rejigged grille, with extra splashes of chrome
and an intricate pinboard-style treatment for top Lounge trim models.
The
tail-lights have changed, too. Although they occupy the same space as before,
they’ve become rectangular cut-outs, like square Spaghetti-O’s.
The
interior’s also had a revamp. As our prototype spyshots predicted, the
‘U-connect’ infotainment system from elsewhere in the Fiat/Alfa/Jeep range now
makes an appearance mid-dash, somewhat dwarfed by a curiously large surround
which doubles as a home for the relocated air vents. Top Lounge models sport a
larger touchscreen interface with smartphone connectivity – the kind of
functionality that’s essential for the 500 to retain its target audience of
youthful urbanites.
The
distinctive circular instrument cluster behind the wheel now includes a digital
TFT display in its centre with trip info and media displays, though it’s an
option rather than standard fit.
Other
changes are minor. Slightly different seats, new cupholders and a new position
for the 12V socket are the bits you can see; extra soundproofing panels on the
passenger side to make motorway journeys a bit more tolerable are bits you
can’t.
From
launch, it’s a petrol-only affair with the familiar 0.9-litre two-cylinder
TwinAir turbo with 85bhp or 103bhp, along with the 69bhp 1.2-litre
four-cylinder. Impressively, the 85bhp TwinAir emits a tax-dodging 90g/km of
CO2, and Fiat will shortly release an ‘eco’ version of the 1.2-litre petrol
which will dip under the 100g/km mark – though it’s still mulling whether or
not to bring that version to the UK.
Although
it’s yet to be confirmed for the UK, the 94bhp 1.3 Multijet diesel (now
Euro6-compliant) is scheduled to join the range shortly after launch with
sub-90g/km CO2 emissions.
There
are three trim levels: Pop, Popstar and Lounge.
All
get USB connectivity, colour screen and steering wheel controls but the base
Pop has to go without air-con. The top Lounge gets a large glass sunroof along
with that touchscreen interface.
And
for those who really must stand out, there’s a new ‘Second Skin’ decal pack
option including the dubious camo option pictured in the gallery, which Fiat
describes as ‘fashionably military.’
The
range goes on sale in September 2015, starting from £10,890. Full prices will
be revealed a little closer to the launch date.
