Tell me about your Fiat, focus or fiesta

It looks like new car time is fast approaching, and the wife's three favorites so far are the 500, Focus, and Fiesta. Is everyone happy with theirs so far and do I need to look out for anything?

Do not buy an automatic Fiesta or Focus. If she wants slushbox, go anywhere else. Otherwise, all three are solid choices. I've driven all of them and I really like the Focus. The SE trim is the "sweet spot" IMO if you aren't going full-hippie (EV) or full-boogie (ST). I'd take even the base Focus over the Fiesta (though I've yet to drive the Fiesta ST). The base 500 isn't too bad, but it's slow. The Turbo has far more personality.

I was able to spend some time in a friend's Fiesta ST this weekend. It's quite a nice car though I wish the plastics were nicer. Great on pavement, a little schizophrenic on dirt. For normal driving it felt just like my 2, which is a good thing. The Fiesta has much better rear seat room than the Fiat it that matters. The Focus is significantly bigger than both of the others. Subjectively, the Fiat is the coolest.

I love driving the Fiat for what it is worth. The armrest on the front seats seems extremely weak.

I purchased a '13 Mazda2 sport manual a little while back, and love it for what it is.

Seats are comfy, HVAC is great, and I'm always getting around 35 mpg out of it.

Also, its pretty fun to flog out here on the mountain roads...and can nip at the heels of much more expensive machinery like a Terrier.

Its not quite as nicely appointed or comfy as a Fiesta, but YMMV.

I was talking to a guy yesterday with a 500. It had the abarth decals, but didn't say abarth on it. He said he had owned quite a few sports cars and powerful trucks over the years.. but the Fiat was the most fun car he had ever owned... light weight and 100hp

I have driven all of the above. Fiat 500 Abarth is my least favorite. It's just too small. If gas mileage is a factor I would go with the Fiesta. If useable space/passenger room is more important I would go Focus. Hard to go wrong with either one.

I have a 500 Turbo and the wife has a 500L (six speed). Although I love driving the turbo (just enough grunt to be fun, but not enough to get in trouble), there's a part of me that wishes I'd bought another 500L. Granted, that's usually when sitting in stop and go traffic (the 500L clutch seems easier and has a better engagement point) or cruising along the freeway. 80 mph speed limits in Texas are a little much for the turbo for any distance as the RPM's are at 3200 and it gets a little buzzy whereas the 500L is quiet and barely turning 2200 RPM's. In between those times, and the Turbo is too much fun.

I'd recommend either, but if you've got a family, I'd lean towards the 500L. Almost convinced a co-worker to get a 500L over a Fiesta ST, but it wasn't quite boy racer enough for him. But the under $20K starting price is hard to beat.

-Rob

Wally wrote: It looks like new car time is fast approaching, and the wife's three favorites so far are the 500, Focus, and Fiesta. Is everyone happy with theirs so far and do I need to look out for anything?

She needs to drive them for as long as the dealer will let her. Should help her decide which one she likes the best.

clutchsmoke wrote: I have driven all of the above. Fiat 500 Abarth is my least favorite. It's just too small. If gas mileage is a factor I would go with the Fiesta. If useable space/passenger room is more important I would go Focus. Hard to go wrong with either one.

the guy I talked to was 6'3" and about 220 to 240 pounds. He bought the convertable version for the headroom. Told me he either had to get that or the coupe' without the sunroof

I am on my second Fiesta now. Both with the powershift transmission. The '11 had 43K miles on it when it got crashed. My '13 has only 5K on it. Absolutely no problems with either. The PS is not as bad as some people make it out. Both of mine shift fine. Keep in mind they are a DSG. Fun car to drive.

In reply to iceracer:

Oh, I forgot the great gas mileage.
Easy to get 40+.

It looks like the winner is going to be a 500. We went there first and she fell in love with the little thing. Looks like a week from now it will be replacing my Cavalier. We just have to wait for them to find her color.

Wally wrote: Looks like a week from now it will be replacing my Cavalier.

"And again there was much rejoicing! (yaaaay yaaay yaaaaaaay)"

I too am contemplating a 500 or a Mazda2. I've driven every 500 from Pop to Sport to Turbo to Abarth. Just drove the 2 this weekend. Unfortunately I can't make the money work for any of the Fiats, but can do the 2. It was fun in an 83 Rabbit kind of way. I'm torn. I love the idea of the Fiat, but can't argue with the money for the 2 ($2000 cash back). The 2 has a shorter warranty and less content than the 500s too.

We had both a focus and a fiesta, the fiesta was a little more fun to throw around but the focus was nicer bigger got better mpgs ( I don't know if that was the difference between me an the wife or the cars) . The transmissions do take some getting used to if u get the power shift. The sync was nice. The focus was also cheaper at the time bc they had a ton of rebates cash back on them

She was happy with the base pop, in the light green. She had to go with the automatic as since the stroke she doesn't feel she is up to shifting everyday. She took it out for about 40 minutes and was happy with how it drove and it's the most excited she has been about anything in a long time. Of course she wanted the one color they didn't have on the lot but there is one in Connecticut that they are getting in a few days. Now she is looking at wheels. The steelies are going to get the snow tires on them and we will get something cooler for the rest of the year. I'm trying to steer her towards the Minilite looking ones.

Can the focus tow anything?

Congrats on the purchase!! Hope she enjoys it as much as we've enjoyed ours.

One suggestion on the wheels, however. Get another set of steelies, paint them the body color and throw moonies and whitewalls on them. Kinda a modern retro look:

And Coker sells whitewalls for them: www.cokertire.com/fiat-500

-Rob

Wally wrote: It looks like the winner is going to be a 500. We went there first and she fell in love with the little thing. Looks like a week from now it will be replacing my Cavalier. We just have to wait for them to find her color.

Getting rid of the Cavalier??
How will you now lure in "the chicks" without that magnet?
I see. You are now entering your more sensible years and getting off that "babe-a-go-round" you've been riding all these years. All the best to Mrs Wally.

Did you drive it too?

I drove it. I didn't mind how it drove but I am stepping up from a 200k cav and a 360k Malibu so anything was going to be an improvement. I could have wished for a bit more power but she's driving it 99% of the time and she really doesn't need any more tickets.

As far as trading in the Cavalier I didn't have much of a choice as rust has eaten most of the underside. I was hoping to get a few more months out of it but there seems to be having a fuel system issue in addition to everything else going wrong and if I try to undo any of the fittings they are probably going to crumble. As much as I hate to send off a car that still doesn't burn any oil there is not much left of the rest of the car.

Wally wrote: She was happy with the base pop, in the light green. She had to go with the automatic as since the stroke she doesn't feel she is up to shifting everyday. Took it out for about 40 minutes and was happy with how it drove and it's the most excited she has been about anything in a long time. Of course she wanted the one color they didn't have on the lot but there is one in Connecticut that they are getting in a few days. Now she is looking at wheels. The steelies are going to get the snow tires on them and we will get something cooler for the rest of the year. I'm trying to steer her towards the Minilite looking ones.

Perfect. Enjoy the new car!

Congrats on the new car!

We just crossed over 16k miles in our '12 500 Pop. During a trip to a horse show this weekend, we averaged 43.5 MPG with the rear seats folded and the hatch packed to the brim. I even got to fling it around a few curves. The steering in 'SPORT' mode is excellent.

I have no regrets.

Drove the auto Fiesta. Meh.
Drove the auto Focus. Meh. Drove the manual Focus. Wheeeeee! I hear great things about both ST models.

I have an 08 manual Focus with 70k on it and it still runs like new. I've just change the oil, tires, and it needs a new door handle.

EDIT: Looks like you go the 500, though.