The Fiat 500’s ugly big sister
Fiat has taken its 'adorable' 500 and created a lumbering, bloated mutant in the 500L. But in a good way.
Fiat has taken its "adorable" 500 city car and "larged it", says Martin Love in The Observer. The 500 became a "mighty bestseller" due to its "unmatched combination of retro chic, metrosexual attention to dinky detailing and honest practicality". But the trendy urbanites who bought it have grown up and started families.
This is Fiat's response: the 500L, "a lumbering, bloated mutant hobbling off the production line like one of Cinderella's ugly sisters". But in a good way. For "in a world of anodyne anonymity, there is a place for the unlovely, the teeth-grindingly gruesome". And once you sit inside and drive it, you'll be convinced that Fiat knows what it's doing, says Love.
I adored the sexy little Fiat 500, and now I'm in love with her big sister, says Chris Evans in the Daily Mail. There's something about the charm and spaciousness of the interior that makes you want to spend time there, and when you drive it, it "seems to like life as much as I do".
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
And yet, fun as it is, it also provides "all the stuff a family needs to get the job done when it comes to any journey" including an excellent onboard entertainment system and integrated espresso coffee machine. In fact, this might well be "the best car I have ever reviewed". It "makes me happy just thinking about it".
Price: from £14,995.
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
-
What happens if you can’t pay your tax bill, and what is "Time to Pay"?
Millions are due to file their tax return this Friday as the self-assessment deadline closes. Though the nightmare is not over until you pay the taxman what you owe - or face a penalty. But what happens if you can't afford to pay HMRC your tax bill, and what is "Time to Pay"?
By Kalpana Fitzpatrick Published
-
What does Rachel Reeves’s plan for growth mean for UK investors?
Rachel Reeves says she is going “further and faster” to kickstart the UK economy, but investors are unlikely to be persuaded
By Katie Williams Published