Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year, against this model's usual year.
2014AVOIDSerious complaints 16.8× usual, mostly power train and engine
165 serious complaints of 183, the most about power train (123) and engine (30); 16.8× this model's usual share of all serious complaints about 2014 vehicles. 3 recalls.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2014 FIAT 500L. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the transmission began slipping out of gear. The transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the power train, Oct 2024
“Vehicle was in motion on a city street and check engine light came on. Ran obdii code later same day and received code p0299 "low turbo boost". Took car to fiat dealership; they kept for 4 days advising inter cooler and sensor were replaced due to poor machining at the factory.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Jul 2017
183 owner complaints · 3 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 27–28 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2014 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. NHTSA doesn't publish sales, so only big differences count. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 1.4L 4-cyl turbo, 165 hp · Drive: FWD
2014 500L trims
| EASY | LOUNGE | POP | TREKKING |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Fiat reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Fiat aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 25 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 0 | — | Yes |
| 2019 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 25 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 0 | — | Yes |
| 2018 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo, 160 hp | FWD | 25 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 0 | — | Yes |
| 2017 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo, 160 hp | FWD | 25 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 1 | Vehicle speed control (1) | Yes |
| 2016 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo manual available | FWD | 25–28 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 2 | Power train (2) | No |
| 2015 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo manual available | FWD | 25–28 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 23 | Power train (5) | No |
| 2014 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo, 165 hp manual available | FWD | 27–28 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 183 | Power train (123) | No |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Apple lists CarPlay for: 500L 2017–2022 (Apple).
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Fiat 500L 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | Fiat 500L 5 HB 2WD | Not Rated | No | No | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Fiat 500L 5 HB 2WD | Not Rated | No | No | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | Fiat 500L 5 HB 2WD | Not Rated | No | No | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | Fiat 500L 5 HB 2WD | Not Rated | No | No | 0 | 2 |
| 2015 | Fiat 500L 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 23 |
| 2014 | Fiat 500L 5 HB 2WD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 183 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 500 L | Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2019 | 500 L | Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2018 | 500 L | Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2017 | 500 L | Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2016 | 500 L | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
25–28 |
| 2015 | 500 L | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
25–28 |
| 2014 | 500 L | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
27–28 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.