Fiat 500 C (09 on) - Review

Review by Oli Laverack on
Last Updated: 13 January 2011
The retro looks of the Fiat 500C may hark back to the 1950s, but this latest incarnation is a thoroughly modern small car with efficient engines, good levels of crash protection and plenty of creature comforts. It should come as little surprise that it's a popular small car - buyers also love the fact that it's cheap to run and easy to drive around town. Most of the car is identical to the 500 hatchback, with the obvious exception of the electric fabric roof. It slides back quickly and can be folded back halfway (as a sunroof) or all the way back to get the maximum wind-in-the-hair experience.
4 out of 5

Other Fiat reviews

4 out of 5

Running costs

The rate of depreciation is similar to that of the hatchback, but as it commands a premium over the hatchback when new, it's a little more expensive. Expect it to be worth somewhere in the region of £5,500 to £6,500 after three years, depending on model and condition. Road tax is another area where the 500C is cost-effective: as it emits less than 120g/km of CO2, it falls into a low tax banding. Insurance is competitive, as are parts and servicing.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£877 - £1,334 *

Diesel

£890 - £957 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

Two years/18,000 miles.

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£0.00 - £120.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

4 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
    92
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
    140
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The 500C gets clean and modern engines, which, combined with its small size means it's high on mpg and low on CO2. The diesel is the best performer, emitting just 110g/km of CO2 and achieving 67mpg. The 1.4-litre isn't quite as clean, but still comes in under 120g/km.

Find the exact engine and CO2