Fiat 500 Gets Turbo Engines Standard

The Fiat 500 line is going all turbo all the time for 2018. Plus new performance brakes and suspension are standard on 500 Pop and Lounge. The 500L gets a facelift, and the 500L and 500X get infotainment system updates.

All Fiat 500s are getting the brand's 1.4L MultiAir turbocharged engine as standard. That means a big jump in power for base model cars. That's 34 hp more than last year, with the 1.4L offering 135 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. The old non-turbo 1.4 with its lacklustre 101 hp is dropped. New 500 buyers will get a standard five-speed manual or the option of a six-speed automatic.

Pop and Lounge trim cars get 16-inch alloy wheels as standard, along with what Fiat calls a performance braking system and sport suspension. On the outside, they get body colour front and rear fascias along with new side skirts, spoiler, and fog lights. The changes apply to coupe and Cabrio models.

Inside, air conditioning is now standard on base Pop trim, along with a new 7.0-inch information cluster and an Alpine audio system.

The larger five-seat 500L gets a revised exterior with new fascias front and rear along with bodyside moulding and wheels. The refreshed interior adds a new display cluster, improved center console, extra USB port and LED lighting. Uconnect 4 is standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto running on a 7.0-inch screen.

The 500X adds the UConnect 4 system to all trims, with a 7.0-inch display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2018 Fiat 500 is available to order now, with the cars expected to arrive at dealers in the second quarter of this year.