Used Fiat 500 cars for sale

Used Fiat 500 pros and cons

+ Cool, sixties-look styling

+ Economical engines

+ Loads of colour and trim choices

- Small in the back

- Awkward touchscreen

- A Mini is comfier and better to drive

Is a used Fiat 500 a good car?

The Fiat 500, in its current form rather than the classic 1950s original, is actually one of the oldest car designs you can buy, and we don’t even mean its retro styling. The current Fiat 500 (not the all-electric 500e, that’s a separate model entirely) has been on sale since 2007, yet has been constantly updated so the more recent versions still feel fresh. Better yet, if you’re buying an older one, with a bit of polish no-one could guess that it’s not a brand-new 500.

Inside, the retro styling continues with body-colour dashboard panels, and a single instrument binnacle in which you’ll find both a speedometer and a rev counter. Later versions get a touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard, but the earlier versions of Fiat’s infotainment software are fiddly in the extreme. 

The 500 is a reasonably practical thing, by small car standards, but you will have to live with a small boot and tight rear seat space. In fact, taller rear passengers have to duck when you shut the boot, or risk a concussion…

There’s a huge choice of engines, from the basic (and most common) 1.2-litre petrol, to a brilliant 900cc two-cylinder ‘MultiAir’ turbo, to a hyper-frugal 1.3 turbo diesel. The 1.2 — in spite of having a mere 69hp — is the best all-rounder, though. More recently, the 500 has been given a very economical mild-hybrid three-cylinder engine, which makes a great choice. 

Don’t forget the Fiat 500C, which gets a full-length retracting canvas roof, turning it into an almost-convertible, and giving you very affordable access to fresh-air motoring. It’s a tiny car, just 3.5 metres long, making it incredibly easy to park, but roomier inside than tiny cars such as the Smart ForTwo.

What to look for when buying a second hand Fiat 500

Fiat, as a brand, tends to do poorly in reliability surveys, which isn’t very encouraging, but the 500 itself seems to be one of the company’s best-made cars. Inside, you’ll find that while the cabin is generally well put-together it’s not unusual for bits to fall off, while the main contact points of seats, steering wheel, and gear shift can fade and tarnish pretty easily. 

Fiat 500s are often used as urban transport, so check the bodywork carefully for bumps and scrapes, and check to see if it’s had the clutch replaced (not least because 500s often get used by driving schools). Driveshafts and brake servos are also weak points, while electric power steering failures have been reported. The 1.2 engine is pretty solid, though we’d be more wary of the very complex MultiAir two-cylinder turbo.

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