The Fiat 500 Sport is a fun to drive small boutique car

Fiat updated the second-generation 500 for the 2021 model year and introduced it to the South African market in August 2021. While a keen eye might find subtle visual changes, the overall design remains the same. Over the years, the boutique city car has kept its charm, and with the new trim levels and keen pricing, it will likely attract more customers.

Fiat offers the 500 hatchback in four variants having flavoursome names: Cult, Connect, Sport, and Dolcevita. While the entry-level Cult model is the least expensive, we put our money on the 500 Sport for its beefy configurations. The Sport and Dolcevtia are accessible in hatchback and cabriolet body styles.

Powering the small city car is a 2-cylinder 0.9-litre (875cc) turbocharged petrol unit good for 62.5 kW at 5,500rpm and 145 Nm of torque at 1,900 revs. The engine can pair with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a Manual Transmission Automatic (MTA). The Sport comes equipped with a slick-shifting five-speed manual gearbox.

Fiat claims the 500 can cover 100 km by sipping impressively just 4.0L petrol. However, real-world testing has found the boutique car thirstier than this. The reviewers at Cars.co.za and IOL found the fuel economy between 7L and 8L/100 km in the test drives. Although, they did most of the driving in urban areas. (This is, after all, a great city car!)

As mentioned earlier, the general styling remained the same, but with updated front fascia featuring a dotted lower grille area and a modified LED daytime running light (DRL) styling. Furthermore, the Fiat 500 Sport is accessible in an array of new and vibrant shades.

The interior gets a bigger 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with enhanced connectivity thanks to the availability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additionally, we can have a completely digital instrument cluster on high-end models.

The Sport variant boasts exclusive 16-inch alloy wheels, variant-specific bumper trimmings, side skirts, and a rear spoiler. The interior is finished in dark colour with a red ‘500’ emblem on the dashboard and sports seats, offering generous support to keep you securely placed in while hard cornering.

Speaking of the interior facilities, the Fiat 500 Sport comes with loads of standard features, including the 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in addition to cruise control, hill holder function, a multi-function steering wheel, automatic climate control, seven airbags, and ESC stability control.

Seeing its size, we surely can’t expect a lot of boot space. The luggage capacity is a meagre 185-litre, and there isn’t too much leg space in the back.

Starting at R219,900 for the Cult, the Sport hatchback goes for R269,900. The cabriolet model demands R319,900. While it is not the most practical car in the South African market, it certainly is an exceptionally fun-to-drive machine. Fiat offers a 5-year/100,000 km warranty, but unfortunately, no service plan is available right now.

A service plan through MotorHappy

If the Fiat 500 is calling you, remember you can purchase a Service Plan through MotorHappy. With a Service Plan through MotorHappy you can enjoy your new car knowing that service plans are taken care of by approved dealers. Click here to get an instant quote.

Please note the imagery supplied in this blog was taken off www.topgear.com