Photo: Fiat
Even though we’re well into the 2018 model year and 2019 is just around the corner, Fiat USA has yet to introduce the 2018 model year 500. And that’s a little bit curious considering Fiat previewed the newcomer more than three months ago.
One of the reasons the Italian automaker is taking its time about it is on-hand supply, which is the highest in the industry at 161 days. Care to guess how Fiat will make the 500 more attractive to North American customers? You already know from the headline, and whichever way you look at it, the price hike is ridiculous.
But first, an explanation. The 2017 Fiat 500 starts at $14,995, to which you add $995 for the destination charge. The 2018 model year is $1,250 more expensive, and so is the destination at $1,245. In other words, the cheapest 500 available in the United States starts at a whopping $17,490, featuring a five-speed manual gearbox.
“That's a year-over-year change of 9.4%, much higher than what we're used to seeing,” reports Cars Direct, and it gets worse for the six-speed automatic option. Adding $995 to the price means the 500 levels up to $18,485, which doesn’t make sense at all when the Honda Fit LX with the CVT is $600 less and better equipped.
At the other end of the spectrum, the 500 Abarth is $21,740, representing an increase of $750 compared to the previous year. Having said these, is there any merit in hiking the price up by more than nine percent? Engine-wise, it could be.
Even the base trim comes from the get-go with a turbocharged engine rated at 135 horsepower, a third more compared to the 101-horsepower engine from the 2017 Fiat 500. According to Cars Direct, “a sport-tuned exhaust and twin intercoolers are also standard. Other updates include larger wheels, a sportier suspension, a standard rear camera, color-keyed bodywork, a rear spoiler,” and a handful more goodies.
But first, an explanation. The 2017 Fiat 500 starts at $14,995, to which you add $995 for the destination charge. The 2018 model year is $1,250 more expensive, and so is the destination at $1,245. In other words, the cheapest 500 available in the United States starts at a whopping $17,490, featuring a five-speed manual gearbox.
“That's a year-over-year change of 9.4%, much higher than what we're used to seeing,” reports Cars Direct, and it gets worse for the six-speed automatic option. Adding $995 to the price means the 500 levels up to $18,485, which doesn’t make sense at all when the Honda Fit LX with the CVT is $600 less and better equipped.
At the other end of the spectrum, the 500 Abarth is $21,740, representing an increase of $750 compared to the previous year. Having said these, is there any merit in hiking the price up by more than nine percent? Engine-wise, it could be.
Even the base trim comes from the get-go with a turbocharged engine rated at 135 horsepower, a third more compared to the 101-horsepower engine from the 2017 Fiat 500. According to Cars Direct, “a sport-tuned exhaust and twin intercoolers are also standard. Other updates include larger wheels, a sportier suspension, a standard rear camera, color-keyed bodywork, a rear spoiler,” and a handful more goodies.
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