SAN DIEGO -- With an EPA rating of 38 mpg on the highway, the 2012 Fiat 500 will rank near the top of the non-hybrid small car mpg standings, though it falls short of the 40 mpg milestone.
The 500 will get its best gas mileage equipped with a five-speed manual transmission: 38 mpg highway, 30 mpg city and 33 mpg combined.
Such mileage figures put the 500 in a league with vehicles like the Toyota Yaris, Mini, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit in an increasingly crowded small-car field. Fiat expects the majority of 500s will be sold with a six-speed automatic transmission, rated at 34 mpg highway, 27 in the city and 30 combined.
Production began on manual transmission versions in early January at a factory in Toluca, Mexico. Production of the automatic version commenced Jan. 24. Some of the 130 designated Fiat dealers are beginning to receive versions of the car for marketing purposes and to show to customers. The car will start arriving in larger volumes in March.
About 40-50 of the 130 dealerships will be open by the end of March, said Laura Soave, head of Fiat North America in an interview at the media launch here. The remainder are completing work on their facilities and should be open by year-end, she said.
The 500, known to Italians as the Cinquecento, comes in three models: the entry level Pop at $15,995; a Sport version at $17,995, and the Lounge, starting at $19,995, including destination. Fiat officials expect the Sport model to be the biggest seller.
The automatic gearbox was one of several major additions Fiat made to its European-designed car to make it more saleable to American consumers.
The North American car is quieter and rides more softly than its European counterpart. The added quietness is due to extra sound insulation in the body structure and powertrain, including a large plastic engine cover the European model doesn't have.
The ride quality gets a boost from a new, beefed up rear axle, which is 300 percent stiffer than the European model, allowing the springs more travel, according to Fabio Di Muro, chief engineer for the car.
The biggest difference between the North American model and its European counterpart is the 1.4-liter FIRE engine is equipped with Fiat's Multiair system. Fiat claims the system, which regulates the intake valves for best fuel economy and horsepower under most conditions, improves fuel economy and power by 10 percent over the same engine without Multiair.
The U.S. engine, built at Chrysler's Dundee, Mich. factory, cranks out 101 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 98 lb. ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm.
The 500 comes with a four-year, 50,000-mile warranty.
