It’s that time of the year when automobile manufacturers, in an effort to draw that extra bit of attention to their brands, do something a little out of the ordinary. In this instance, in a bid to celebrate Fiat’s diesel technology, Fiat India recently launched an initiative called ‘Fiat Diesel Drives India’ to promote its multi-jet engines. And it’s a known fact that these engines do in fact power quite a number of cars on our roads – such as the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Dzire, as well as the Tata Indica Vista, and now the Indigo Manza. Therefore, in order to celebrate their diesel success, Fiat invited journalist from different parts of the country to get behind the wheel of their different vehicles, such as the Linea, Grande Punto, Palio, as well as the delightful 500 – covering an overall distance of more than 11,000 kilometres. Our section of the drive for us took us from Delhi, via Jaipur, to Udaipur.

From the outside



Nostalgia plays a large part in the appeal of the 500. And the looks are truly eye catching, as we experienced while driving to Jaipur – during which the car drew its fair share of attention. The 500 has a very short bonnet, and minimal front and rear overhangs that define its jelly-bean shape. The entire body shell measures 3,546mm in length, 1,627mm in width, and 1,488mm in height. Inspired by the post-war 500, the front end features a combination of circular upper headlamps and lower fog lamps that add a distinctive look to the front end. Besides this, there’s a prominent whisker in chrome that frames a crimson Fiat logo – the combination of which portrays the legacy of the brand. The steeply raked A pillar adds a deftness to the overall design, and results in impressive aerodynamics as well. At the same time, slightly flared front and rear wheel arches add a little bit of muscle to the design.

At the rear, a compact tailgate conceals a relatively modest boot, which, in this case, since it was a cross-country tour, housed only a spare tire in an upright position. Above the number plate, a chrome strip very artfully informs you that you’re behind a 500. Large taillights and a prominent chrome strip on the bumper, which looks great, further accentuate the rear end.

From the inside



The interiors of the 500 are as exciting as the exterior, if not even more so. Thanks to a large greenhouse area, the interior is light, airy, and actually quite spacious. The white retro steering wheel immediately draws you towards it – except that it’s not retro at all, since it actually has multifunction controls on both rims to control the radio and Bluetooth connectivity. There’s a lot of white across the cabin, which is off-set by metallic trim in the exterior colour that stretches across the dash – in our case it was bright red, which meant it added that extra punch to the cabin. There’s also a short, stubby gearlever in black mounted at the base of the centre console, which falls easily to hand. The overall fit and finish, and the quality of the plastics, are exceptional for a small car, which justifies the inflated price tag of the 500 to some extent.

On the road



Belying its unassuming stance, the 500 drives like a dream – floor it and it won’t disappoint you. Since it’s a small car, the familiar 1.3 litre multi-jet diesel unit is more than sufficient – not only to simply propel the car along the road, but also for a little fun. Even driving on the highway was a pleasurable experience, as the vehicle accelerates with great purpose, and overtaking manoeuvres are a breeze. Surprisingly, the ride is equally good, and the 500 tackles broken stretches of road and unfriendly pot holes with exceptional ease.

The cabin is a very nice place to be, and has numerous interesting features to keep you occupied over the course of a long journey. The digital readout in the instrument cluster, which consist of a digital fuel and temperature gauge as well as a multi function display forms the inner most ring of a series of concentric circles that also house the tachometer and speedometer. The surprising thing is that it’s very easy to get used to, and it seems to become second nature after just a few minutes. The seats, on the other hand, felt a little lacking in support over the course of a long journey.

What caught my attention was a round button on the centre console with a steering wheel on it – this allows the driver to choose between two steering settings, one for the highway and the other for the city. It’s actually a very useful feature – one that I’m surprised more manufacturers haven’t incorporated on their cars. In city mode, the steering is exceptionally light, which makes manoeuvring around tight spaces a breeze, while in highway mode the steering weight increases, and it becomes considerably more responsive.

Verdict



The Fiat 500 is not only a very charming car, but also a very competent one as well. Frankly, it doesn’t take very long to see just why it’s won so many awards internationally since this modern interpretation of the Cinquecento was launched in 2007. The real shame for us is the exorbitant price tag in India, since it’s imported as a CBU. Unfortunately, this means it’s never going to become a familiar sight on our roads. The flip side of that, of course, is that if you do happen to buy one, you can be rest assured that you’ll be very likeable in this car. And, in lieu of your diminished bank balance, you can take solace in the fact that you’re doing your bit for society – because people smile every time they see this car. And you can’t really put a price tag on that, can you?