Chrysler announces Fiat 500 pricing and dealerships

Consumer Reports News: November 17, 2010 02:54 PM

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Chrysler has announced the Fiat 500 will be priced starting at $15,500 for the base Pop trim-level when the small hatchback goes on sale late 2010. In fully-loaded Lounge trim, the car will sell for $19,500. That undercuts its main competitor, the Mini Cooper, by several thousand dollars.

The company also announced 130 Chrysler dealers who will add Fiat franchises to sell the car, including 17 in California. Chrysler has a total of about 2,200 dealerships in the United States. Chrysler made the announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show, along with the debut of the U.S. production model.

Chrysler was taken over by Fiat following its bankruptcy last year. (Learn more about the 2009 auto crisis.)

The return of the 500 (known worldwide by its Italian name, Cinquecento), marks the first time since 1982 that the Italian brand has been sold in America.

We had an opportunity to drive the Italian version of the 500 at our test track last year, and published some early driving impressons.

The Cinquecento is designed to compete with other fashion-statement premium small cars, such as the Mini Cooper and the Volkswagen New Beetle. We're looking forward to buying our own 500 when they go on sale so we conduct a full test and see how it stacks up against its competition.

—Eric Evarts