Hertz rents Fiat 500s

I rented a car today from Hertz for a short business trip, and when I returned it I noticed they had a Fiat 500 sitting in the lot. The woman at the agency counter said they just got it in this afternoon...I'll have to request that car next time.

The Fiat 500 is probably classified as a midsize by the rental industry.

This could be a sign that sales are slow for Fiat and they are trying to boost sales to meet production by selling to fleet

Or they are giving them away cheap to Hertz to get the word out.

I might have to rent one for a day

they're not part of the regular fleet at hertz, they're part of the "fun collection" or whatever they call it that includes the mustang GT, camaro, corvette, etc.

Fwiw I saw nearly 30 of them at the dealer in Indy. I was a bit surprised given how few I see on the streets. Maybe they aren't selling?

Then again, at $18k, I didn't bother to go ask for a test-drive either. Seems like it should have been a $12-$15k car to me, with the Abarth coming in right around $18-$19k.

Sales of the 500 are in fact not anywhere near what Fiat projected, so I'm thinking red is right that they are trying to boost sales. Their goal was 6,000 per month, but they've sold under 12,000 total since it's intro.

Enterprise has them in their rental fleet as well. I got one a month or so ago. I saw it on the lot when walking out and asked for it. They're automatics, but it was still an interesting test drive from Boston to Philly.

My wife's new Sonata was back at the dealer recently, and the Enterprise location where she picked up her free loaner had a Fiat 500. I tried to talk her into renting it, but she saw a tiny cheap car and rented a Malibu instead.

I was excited when I first heard about and saw the 500, but after looking at them at the auto show last year and seeing some on the road, they really don't do much for me. Are they great fun to drive? Do they have a "happy" engine? What is good and bad about them? What kind of gas mileage do they get? Can you get air conditioning and cruise control in them? They seem somewhat over-priced to me. So far I put them in the "I'm glad their here but I wouldn't buy one" catagory.

1988RedT2 wrote: My wife's new Sonata was back at the dealer recently, and the Enterprise location where she picked up her free loaner had a Fiat 500. I tried to talk her into renting it, but she saw a tiny cheap car and rented a Malibu instead.

I thought for certain the "cute" angle would have worked,

Tiny and Cheap are synonomous in this country.. that is a real shame

petegossett wrote: Fwiw I saw nearly 30 of them at the dealer in Indy. I was a bit surprised given how few I see on the streets. Maybe they aren't selling? Then again, at $18k, I didn't bother to go ask for a test-drive either. Seems like it should have been a $12-$15k car to me, with the Abarth coming in right around $18-$19k.

This. Seems to me the only people that will buy them are the people that absolutley have to have one, not because it is practical, or competitively priced compared to other subcompacts.

In reply to failboat:

They are cheap compared to MINIs. Sure they are less car, but they are a lot cheaper.

mad_machine wrote: Tiny and Cheap are synonomous in this country.. that is a real shame

This is true - but I don't see anything in FIAT 500 economy, reliability, style, power or handling that demands extra money for that particular car. It IS a cheap car - it just isn't inexpensive.

They're the same price here, and it's too high.

I prefer small cars, but at that price, I wouldn't even consider one. Americans don't like small cars to begin with. It's not hard to predict what's going to happen.

The Fiesta and Mini are both selling very well at a similar to higher price point. I think the 500 looks great, right up until you get inside, then you discover a $10k interior in a $15-18k car. When the Fiesta offers so much more it's going to be a hard sell. I think they need to really re-think their pricing stratagy for a smaller car. Don't forget that the 500 is the same car underneath as the Ford Ka, the Fiesta is a larger vehicle.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: The Fiesta and Mini are both selling very well at a similar to higher price point. I think the 500 looks great, right up until you get inside, then you discover a $10k interior in a $15-18k car. When the Fiesta offers so much more it's going to be a hard sell. I think they need to really re-think their pricing stratagy for a smaller car. Don't forget that the 500 is the same car underneath as the Ford Ka, the Fiesta is a larger vehicle.

Good points. Add to that unknown reliability and brand name (to most Americans), and it's not hard to understand why they aren't selling well. I'd personally buy a Fiesta, Focus, Cruze, or Mini before I'd consider a 500, at least based on what I know at this point.

bravenrace wrote:

Good points. Add to that unknown reliability and brand name (to most Americans), and it's not hard to understand why they aren't selling well. I'd personally buy a Fiesta, Focus, Cruze, or Mini before I'd consider a 500, at least based on what I know at this point.

And those who do remember the brand generally have a negative impression of it.

bravenrace wrote: ....They seem somewhat over-priced to me. So far I put them in the "I'm glad their here but I wouldn't buy one" catagory.

I see that as the issue also. I see few around here, but when I looked for one for sale at dealers, they all want over $20,000 grand for them (I am sure they are padded up with absurdities). Not enough car for that money.

Hopefully the Arbath makes it over. Kind of a niche market, and I dread what the price will be, but it could jump start them a bit.

I've seen a surprising number street-parked around NYC. Makes sense...

I like em. I think they are reasonably priced. The wife has been looking at them and she likes them. She actually wants one, but it's not in the cards right now.