Talking Cars: What's new with Fiat?

Car Q&A

Q: There has been a lot of talk at my office about the new Fiat 500C. I remember the old Fiats from many years ago and my memories were not all good. What about the new Fiats?

A: I have driven a lot of these new Fiats, including the Abarth (the turbo hot rod version). Either the Coupe or Cabriolet, automatic or manual transmission, the Fiat is a fun, quiet car to drive. The one feature that should be in all manual transmission vehicles is the hill hold feature. When stopped on a hill and you step on the clutch and brake, the hill hold keeps the car from rolling back when you take your foot off the brake. I did like the automatic version as an everyday driver, especially in traffic. The car is very quiet in every aspect. Paint fit and finish were flawless. Entry level pricing starts at $15,500 plus $700 delivery.

- Junior Damato, Talking Cars columnist

GateHouse News Service