Design 2014 Fiat 500L
Fiat has moved on from its initial marketing flop with J.Lo. The brand now deploys a little Italian cheek literally with scorpions snipping bikini tops and singer Pitbull fist-bumping the tiny 500 into the American psyche. Sexy sells, and sales are up, but now comes the five-door 2014 500L, in which the 500’s cutesy, bug-eyed face looks like it’s been pasted onto a mop bucket.
In contrast to its smaller sibling’s choppier ride, the 500L’s is more grounded, the ride compliant and the steering accurate yet relaxed. All 500Ls are front-wheel drive and powered by a 160-hp, 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder shared with the Dodge Dart and 500 Abarth.
Mercifully, the throttle calibration is closer to the Abarth’s than the frustratingly lazy Dart’s, but the 500L is not overtly sporty. The acceleration feels lively at city speeds but trails off after that. A six-speed manual with a ropy action is standard. A six-speed dual-clutch auto is optional and better suited to the car’s laid-back attitude. A conventional automatic will be available soon.
Engine 2014 Fiat 500L
The Fiat’s fuel economy will please, ringing in at an estimated 25 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway with the manual and 24/33 with the dual-clutch automatic. Those figures aren’t far off from those of the 500 Turbo, which is rated for 28/34; the base 500 is good for up to 31/40. Tooling around the city of Baltimore where the Serbian-built 500L makes port and Fiat chose to launch it we saw an indicated 27 mpg after a mix of urban and highway driving.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled SOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 83 cu in, 1368 cc
Power: 160 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 184 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed manual, 6-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 102.8 in
Length: 167.3 in
Width: 69.8 in Height: 65.7 in
Curb weight: 3250-3300 lb
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