Fiat 500L MPV (2013-2021) - Interior & comfort
Seats are comfortable, but the Fiat 500L is a bit noisy
The Fiat 500L has been designed to be a comfortable family car, so the suspension deals well with most bumps in the road. Cross models get stiffer springs that make them fidget more over bumpy roads. All 500Ls also come with a power-steering system that can be made lighter with the flick of the switch, making the car easier to manoeuvre at low speeds.
Not so good is the amount of noise that makes its way inside at speed – road, wind and engine roar are high on the motorway, with the Cross model suffering even more due to its chunky tyres.
Fiat 500L dashboard
As with the smaller Fiat 500, the Fiat 500L has a stylish retro interior, but the plastic quality falls way short of rivals such as the superbly built Volkswagen Golf SV.
All 500L models come with a height and reach-adjustable steering wheel, as well as a height-adjustable driver’s seat, which means most people should be able to get comfortable behind the wheel with ease. The 500L’s raised ride height also gives you a better view of the road ahead than you get in the standard Fiat 500.
Equipment
The Fiat 500L range consists of five trim levels called Pop, Connect, Cross and Sport, plus a Hey Google special edition. Base-spec Pop now comes with a few modern niceties like cruise control, Bluetooth and air conditioning, but manually adjustable door mirrors (in scratchy black plastic) and wind-down rear windows remind you where this model sits in the range.
The Connect model has a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear parking sensors, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, front fog lights, rear grab handles, a 12-volt socket and 16-inch alloy wheels. The Cross model has extras like dual zone climate control, auto lights and wipers, and autonomous emergency braking (AEB), plus tougher exterior styling.
True to its name, the Sport model has a sportier appearance, plus sat nav, ambient lighting, tinted rear windows, folding mirrors and a reversing camera.
Options
A key 500L option is automatic emergency braking. The system comes bundled together in the ‘Magic Eye Pack’ with a child-view mirror and an automatically dimming rear-view mirror that stops you from being dazzled by the lights of the car behind. We’d also recommend specifying the alarm
