News / Reviews - Read Daily News and First Impressions for the latest model launches and concept car previews. Road Tests put you in the driving seat with in-depth analysis of the new cars that count while She Drives offers a woman's view from behind the wheel. We've lots more too - Photo Galleries, Features, Running Reports, User Reviews, Motormouth and a Newsletter to keep you up to speed.

Fiat 500 in the rain at the UK press launch

We were invited by Fiat to the UK press launch of the new 500 in London. After hob-knobbing with a few celebs (cast and former cast members of Holby City, The Bill and ‘Allo ‘Allo as well as comedy-writer Barry Crier and Italian Rugby ace Marco Bortolami), we picked up the new ‘bambino’ in Greenwich and took it on a scenic circular test route that included Leeds Castle in Kent.

The new 500 harks back to Fiat’s 1957 model bearing the same name, just as the new MINI and the VW Beetle take design cues from their iconic ancestors.

The retro themes carry through into the interior which is beautifully detailed and elevates the 500’s status from budget compact car to funky fashionable runabout.

On the go the baby Fiat is blessed with the same excellent road manners of the Panda with which it shares its platform. The forthcoming Ford Ka is also to share a version of this chassis and will be built alongside the Fiat in Poland.

Noise levels are well suppressed and we soon forgot we were driving the Multijet diesel variant. The 1.3-litre unit delivers plenty of punch, while emitting an urban-friendly 111g/km of CO2 which equates to Road Tax of just £35 a year.

The Lounge model we tested retails at £10,700, but the entry-level 1.2–litre petrol model in Pop trim comes in at just £7900, so joining the ‘in’ crowd doesn’t mean breaking the bank.

A 1.4-litre petrol engine and a third trim level, ‘Sport’, complete the line up. You can choose any engine and trim combination and spec your car up with a vast range of personalisation options including ‘go-faster’ stripes, spoilers, additional chrome detailing and various alloy wheel designs.

The cute and cheeky styling of the Fiat 500 really is its major selling point. It looks great, inside and out. Yes, rear legroom is a little tight but not much worse than a MINI ‘s and the boot space is also modest at just 185 litres.

No it’s not the most practical car for the money but it’s definitely the coolest.

If you want to see the car on the move, check out our video.