2012 Flat 500 Sport - Foreign Exchange Student (Part 1)

The Italian kid tries to make a go of it over here.

The fiat 500, or Cinquecento, is not only the first Italian car to finish our long-term, 40,000-mile evaluation, it’s also the first new Fiat available in the U.S. since the company packed up shop here in 1984. Introduced as a 2012 model following the company's tie-up with Chrysler, the 500 is a frothy little cappuccino of a hatchback. And if the arduous 17 months it took to complete our test is any indication, the sheer vastness of what is the world's second-largest car market is the greatest challenge this car faces.

2012 Flat 500 Sport - The Italian kid tries to make a go of it over here.

In August 2011, when the 500 entered our fleet, it was available as a three-door only and came in Pop, Sport, Lounge, and designer Gucci trims. We went with Sport, of course, in which the 500's inherent cute ness is tempered by some athleticism. A healthy base price of $18,000, exactly two grand more than the Pop's, included unique fascia, 16-inch aluminum wheels, and a firmer suspension. Cruise control, stability control, halogen headlights and fog lights, a Bose audio system with USB and hands-free connectivity, and a multitude of airbags also came standard. We passed on the lethargic six-speed automatic transmission and stayed with the standard five-speed manual, saving $1,250 and preserving some of our dignity in the process.

In August 2011, when the 500 entered our fleet, it was available as a three-door only and came in Pop, Sport, Lounge, and designer Gucci trims.

Also included in our car's $19,100 as- tested price was $500 Rosso Brilliante paint, the $400 Safety and Convenience package (alarm, automatic climate control, and a temporary spare), and the $200 Safety and Sound package, which netted satellite radio. So it came to us well equipped, with fold-down rear seatbacks and a usable hatch that could hold a decent amount of stuff (up to 30 cubic feet). But we 500n realized we wanted more.

The 500's 1.4-liter SOHC four-cylinder develops just 101 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 98 pound-feet of torque at a lofty 4000. Although saddled with only 2427 pounds-124 less than the last Mini Cooper we tested-the initial results were a 9.9-second amble to 6o mph and 17.5 seconds at 78 mph in the quarter-mile. (An automatic 500C convertible we tested was more than a second slower in both measures.) Those figures improved to 9.7 and 17.1 seconds, respectively, at the conclusion of our test, but the car still felt painfully slow when accelerating to highway speeds. And forget about attempting to pass on rural two-lanes.

Despite the 1.4's small capacity and our Fiat's EPA city/highway ratings of 30/38 mpg, the lack of a sixth gear and the frequency with which our 500's accelerator nailed the floorboard limited it to 33 mpg overall. That's about average for most of the B-segment cars we've tested, as is the 340- mile range from the 10.5-gallon tank.

The 500's 1.4-liter SOHC four-cylinder develops just 101 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 98 pound-feet of torque at a lofty 4000.

Not that many of us were eager to take the little guy on extended voyages. The majority of its outings were confined to the Detroit area, save for occasional jaunts to northern Michigan, Chicago, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Sheer lack of space was an obvious factor: At 139.6 inches, the 500 is a half- foot shorter than a Mini Cooper. Pack light and be on good terms with your car poolers.

Another issue keeping the Fiat close to home was its stubby 90.6-inch wheelbase, which made it far more adept at zigzagging in rush-hour traffic than bucking through loon-mile days on the interstate. And the 500 received good marks for its ability to make do with parking lots' leftover scraps.

Decent lateral grip (0.85 g) and linear steering lent the car a fun, Tossable feel at low speeds, with adhesion improving slightly over the course of our test as the skinny Pirelli Cinturato P7 all-seasons wore in. Respectable stopping performance from 70 mph also improved, dropping from 175 feet initially to 171 at the 40,000-mile mark.

Respectable stopping performance from 70 mph also improved, dropping from 175 feet initially to 171 at the 40,000-mile mark.

But the 500 never fully cooperated when we tried to drive it hard. The superlight clutch pedal offered all the resistance of overcooked linguine, and one logbook comment deemed the shifter to be "possibly the worst in any modern car." Commenters left colorful, unprintable notes about the tepid throttle response as well as excessive wind and tire noise, large blind spots, and a ride that often crashed over bumps. High winds turned our morning commutes into wrestling matches with the steering wheel.