Trims and features

With a small 1.4 liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, the Fiat 124 Spider is not the fastest car in the market. What it is though, is beautiful, a great handler, and most importantly cheap. It preserves the 1960s flair and tugs on those nostalgia strings. If you are a car enthusiast, then you already know what we mean.

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Fiat's tiny 1.4-liter Inline 4 may not seem like much, but it has a lot of character. It is a turbocharged 4-cylinder unit with 160 horsepower on tap, not a lot by today's standards. There is some discernable turbo-lag, which might deter the newbies, but the experienced wouldn't be fazed. The car feels slow initially, till the turbos spool. After that, you get a fine pullback as the engine scoots forwards happily.

A 6-speed manual feeds power into the rear wheels. The gears are very closely spaced for improved acceleration in the lack of power, and slick and precise shifts are helpful too. You can also pair it with a 6-speed auto, which is a life-saver if you live in a crowded city. The little Fiat is extremely fun to drive regardless of the choice of transmission, although the manual is a more engaging experience.

Acceleration

The lack of power shows up in the spec sheet, in the form of borderline "slow" acceleration times. The 124 Spider isn't the fastest in a straight line. The little Fiat wasn't built for performance, but that was never why this car is popular. It takes a lethargic 6.2 seconds to run from 0 to 60 mph, while the quarter-mile run takes an equally unimpressive 15 seconds.

Braking

The 124 Spider has 11-inch disc brakes both in the front and rear. It has an extremely light body that weighs under 2500 pounds, which reduces the amount of work the brakes have to do on it. The car come to a halt from 60 mph in 113 feet.

Ride and Handling

Remember when we said the little Fiat isn't popular due to its performance. That's because it's popular due to its fun handling. The 124 Spider has a near 50-50 weight distribution, which aids with the lovely handling and performance around corners. You also get a good straight line and cornering stability due to the brilliant chassis. The Fiat displays a typical Italian flair in its handling, reminiscent of Ferraris and Lamborghinis that cost ten times as much.

The little Fiat maintains good composure in a straight line at city and freeway speeds. The Steering offers ample feel and feedback too, which boosts the driver's confidence while driving. The Suspension in the Classica and Lusso have been tuned a bit softly as compared to the Abarth version so as to give a better everyday riding experience and a bit more comfort without compromising on the agility.

The little Fiat uses its lightweight body to save quite a lot of fuel. In daily driving conditions, Fiat 124 is good for a 26-mile run on a single gallon of fuel. On the highways, the figure rises up to a whopping 35 miles per gallon, thus bringing the overall efficiency figure to a great 30 mpg. For the money conscious fun-loving driver, the 2020 Fiat 124 is the best choice in the market.

Seating and Comfort

In order to build a car as small as the little 124 Fiat, you'll have to make compromises on the interior space. The car doesn't even pretend to have rear seats, which actually helps a lot. Their exclusion leaves a lot of space for the front seats, and the people up front have enough space to laze around. The car can seat you and your date in extreme comfort, but no one else. The car's first priority is to be fun and engaging, with practicality taking the non-existent back seat.

The interiors are classy, and extremely driver-centric. The car feels upmarket, and if you could ignore the tiny turbo engine, this actually feels like a premium sports car. You can choose between the lovely beige and sporty black interiors, both of which have hidden the cheap plastic bits away from your touch.

Infotainment

The little Fiat uses the same Mazda Connect infotainment software as the MX-5 Miata, which is one of the many things shared between these two cars. Fiat's system is called, unsurprisingly, Fiat Connect, and offers a 7.0-inch full-color touchscreen, along with shortcut buttons on the steering wheels. Apart from that, it has:

• A multimedia command knob
• GPS Navigation System
• Bluetooth Streaming Audio
• Bose nine-speaker audio system
• Rear Back-Up Camera
• SiriusXM
• Popular apps like Pandora, Aha Radio app by HARMAN and Stitcher.

Cargo volume

The lack of rear seats should have helped the trunk gain a bit more space, but that isn't the case. The Miata's architecture doesn't leave much empty space in the car for storage use, and with the exception of cubby holes in the center console and bottle holder in the door, there isn't much usable storage in the car. The loading bay is quite high and has a small opening, which hinders usability further. If you use it to hold the only the essentials, you might manage just fine.

Weight and dimensions

Fiat 124 Spyder is, in the truest sense, a tiny car. It is just below 160 inches and 70 inches in length and width respectively. It is also quite low (under 50 inches), which lowers the center of gravity and further improves handling. With a nearly full tank of gas, the car weighs a little over 2400 pounds. It's quite light compared to the other cars in the category, and if you opt for the Abarth version, you lose almost 100 pounds more from the body.

Design and styling

The design of this classic Fiat is nothing less than phenomenal. The 124 Spider has a beautiful long flowing bonnet, adorned by a horizontally split grille at the front end. On either end of the grille, there is a gorgeously detailed reverse teardrop headlamp. The headlamps also feature Daytime running LEDs in a curved-triangular fashion. To keep costs under control, the Fiat offers a manually folding soft-top, made of cloth. This also helps keep the weight down, although high-speed travel leads to buffeting in the roof.

For 2020, the Fiat 124 offers quite a lot of safety features as well. The standard features are listed below:

• Daytime Running Headlamps On / Off Switch
• Dual-Stage Front Airbag
• Dual-Stage Front Passenger Airbag
• Electric Power Steering
• Electronic Stability Control
• Enhanced Accident Response System
• Front Passenger Seat Belt Alert
• Parkview Rear Back-Up Camera
• Passenger Air Bag On / Off Switch
• Seatbelt Load Limit Sensor
• Seatbelt Pretensioner
• Supplemental Front Seat Side Air Bags
• Tire Pressure Warning Lamp
• Tire Service Kit (No Spare Tire)

Fiat 124 vs Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Club

Both these cars are based on the same platform, and that's not a bad thing at all. Both are lightweight, fun to drive cars that aren't too expensive to buy. They are also not very powerful, although MX-5 is a little less underpowered. The only important difference between the two is the engine. The Miata has a naturally aspirated engine, free of turbo-lag. If the nature of the engine was what you don't like about the little Fiat, then go buy the Miata instead.

Fiat 124 vs Buick Cascada

Buick's tiny convertible is quite similar to the 124, and yet so completely different. Both have extremely compact dimensions and both are powered by tiny turbo engines. Yet, where the Fiat is light and minimalistic, the Buick is heavy and feature-loaded. The Cascada is much more luxury-oriented than the 124, but not as much an Audi A3. Given the price though, you really can't complain. The Buick is also easier to munch miles in, something that you should take into account if you plan to go road tripping.

Fiat 124 vs Mustang EcoBoost

Buy the Mustang. Really, it's the superior choice in every possible way. Just avoid anyone who chants \u2018Mustangs should be V8' because those people are both wrong and annoying. 310 horsepower for $31 Grand. What else could you want in this life?

Fiat 124 is a car built for a very specific reason, i.e., to show that Fiat knows how to build a special car. It truly is special, especially due to its telepathic handling, low-slung stance. Drop the roof, enjoy the wind in your hair, and enjoy the open roads. Take it out to a racetrack if you feel like it, and this car won't disappoint. Or do none of that. Just buy the car, keep it parked and stare at it. The Fiat 124 will still manage to put a smile on your face.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q.1 What's the 5 year cost to own a 124 Spider?

A.1 The 2020 Fiat 124 Spider is the cheapest sports car to maintain. The total 5-year cost to own a 124 Spider is $38,124 that includes everything, from fuel charges to Insurance to State taxes.

Q.2 Is 124 Spider a good handling car?

A.2 With low power output and not so much to offer on the feature front, there's only one thing that makes Fiat 124 Spider a car worth driving - its Handling. It is one of the best handling sports convertibles in the market. The steering response is quick and precise providing good feedback from the road. All-in-all, its not so eager engine gets compensated perfectly by its superlative handling.