Fiat 500 facelift: new equipment lines and more music

D er Fiat 500 is the antithesis of modern automotive engineering, in which development is progressing faster and faster and product cycles are getting shorter and shorter. The small Italian car has been on the market for twelve years and is still selling very well. Fiat sold almost 11,000 units in Germany between January and early April - almost as many as of their best-selling model in Germany, the Ducato. In April 2019, Fiat sold five percent more 500s than in the same month last year, and according to Fiat, 2018 was the best-selling year in the small car's career internationally. Because things are still going so well, Fiat is only making cautious refreshments for the 2020 model year.

New equipment lines with exclusive colors

The Star and Rockstar model variants are new. The Fiat 500 Star is located above the lounge equipment. In addition to the new metallic paintwork Stella White, which has shades of pink, it includes chrome applications, 16-inch light alloy wheels, a fixed glass roof and fog lights. Fiat combined the interior colors black and sand-white with effects in matelassé, details in eco-leather and embroidered 500 logos in Bordeaux. The dashboard no longer comes in the vehicle color as standard, but either shines in sand white with a pearl effect or has a matt burgundy. The central instrument is a TFT monitor with a seven-inch screen diagonal that provides information about speed, engine speed, trip meter and the Uconnect system.

The new Fiat 500 Rockstar is based on the Sport model variant. It combines its bumpers and side skirts with the equipment details that the Fiat 500 Star also has - and optionally with the Portofino matt green color reserved for it. If you don't like this, you can choose from nine other paint finishes, as with the Star. Inside, the rock star goes its own way: the back parts of the seats are reminiscent of pinstripe suits. The dashboard can also be chosen in two colors: matt dark green or graphite with a satin finish. The side parts of the seats show gray and blue details, the upper area is made of black eco-leather. If the cockpit is green, some other interior details are gray. The other combination is graphite and blue. The seven-inch TFT instrument is also installed in the Rockstar.

Fiat-Chrysler FCA

Both the Fiat 500 Star and the Rockstar are of course also available as convertibles.

Uconnect as standard with Apple Music subscription

Those who equip their Fiat 500 with the Uconnect infotainment system including a seven-inch touchscreen (standard in the lounge and Sport version), gets free and ad-free access to the Apple Music streaming service for six months. In addition to 50 million songs, it also contains a playlist that was created for the 120th birthday of the Fiat brand and will be completed by the official birthday party in July. The integration of smartphones is not only possible via Apple Carplay, but also via Android Auto.

The look of the Fiat 500 has not changed in the course of the facelift. The same applies to the engines: The 69 hp 1.2-liter four-cylinder is available either in a petrol or in a liquid gas version. The most powerful engine is the 0.9-liter two-cylinder turbo with 85 hp. All equipment lines are available for both the sedan and the convertible Fiat 500C. Prices start at 12,990 euros for the Fiat 500 Pop. The Lounge and Sport versions cost at least 15,490 euros, Star and Rockstar are available from 16,790 euros.