Fiat 500L MPW (2013 – 2018) Review

Fiat 500L MPW (2013 – 2018) At A Glance

3/5

+Available with five or seven seats. Lots of space. Diesel comfortable and quiet on the move. Quirky looks.

-TwinAir engine not man enough. Third row of seats only suited to children. No fun to drive. Rear suspension too stiff when unladen.

Insurance Groups are between 8–18
On average it achieves 67% of the official MPG figure

It was only a matter of time until Fiat cashed in on the success of the 500 with a range of larger models, in much the same way MINI has with its Countryman. The 500L is a larger people carrier model but the largest member of the 500 family is this - the 500L MPW - the only Fiat model with seven seats.

It's a sort of halfway house between an estate car and a family MPV. So it's more or less the same as the 500L, but with a longer overall length and more interior space. Five and seven seat versions are available, both of which come with a practical boot, plenty of interior space, plus some neat touches and Italian quirks - like the option of an in-built espresso machine.

The middle row is impressively spacious, with more than enough legroom for even the tallest adults. Sadly the same can’t be said for the rearmost seats, which are really designed for children. As with most seven seaters, these fold away when you don’t need them, leaving a usefully flat load floor.

The middle row is also mounted on runners, so you can adjust them to balance load space or legroom. Furthermore the boot floor can be set at three different heights plus the middle row can be tumbled forward completely making it one of the most versatile MPVs around. The MPW has a maximum of 400 litres more load volume than the shorter 500L.

Fiat offers four engines from the 900cc TwinAir petrol to the 1.6-litre MultiJet diesel. The latter is really the best choice for those covering big mileages thanks to its useful torque and reasonable fuel economy. The petrols are better for shorter runs and offer enough performance for around town.

Regardless of engine choice the 500L MPW is easy to get to grips with. It’s relaxed and easy to drive, offering a smooth and comfortable ride over most road surfaces. Unfortunately it doesn’t offer the same nimbleness as its smaller brother, but as a family car it’s perfectly competent.

It may not be as well built or as flexible as the larger Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, nor does it offer the same value for money as the likes of a Ford Tourneo Connect, but for those who like the quirky styling there’s enough to praise about the 500L MPW to give it serious consideration – but only if you really need the extra space over a regular 500L.

FIAT 500L XL/MPW and Trekking Road Test

Real MPG average for a Fiat 500L MPW (2013 – 2018)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

67%

Real MPG

29–60 mpg

MPGs submitted

35

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

Buying a used MPV - Which model is best?

"We are interested in buying a used seven-seat MPVv and have seen a 2015 Fiat 500L MPW 1.6 Popstar diesel on offer for 10.5K with around 5500 miles on the clock. They look really different from the norm and my wife and I have have been considering one. However, we tend to keep our cars for a while, my Volkswagen Passat diesel was bought new in 2005 and now has done 188,000 miles and my wife's Almera has 90,000 from new in 2004. I am concerned about the reliability/durability of the Fiat. I have never owned one and always remember them being branded as rusty, unreliable with a less than robust interior. I am sure things have changed but how much? Should we stick to a more 'conventional' option like the Toyota Verso, Vauxhall Zafira Tourer, Citroen Picasso or even a Nissan Qashqai +2 if we want decent longevity? However, our budget of circa. £10k will only stretch at best to 2012/2013 models of other 'mainstream' MPVs."
FIAT's 1.6 Multijet diesel doesn't have a brilliant reputation, but unless you do 20k miles a year I wouldn't be looking at diesel anyway. Too many problems with the emissions equipment. The Toyota Verso 1.8i Valvematic Multidrive S is the best Verso. None of the other cars on your list have great records for reliability. See http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar. Test of the 500L MPW here: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/fiat/fiat-500-xl-and-trekking-road-test// The best compact seven-seater was the Mazda 5 TS2 1.6d or 2.0 petrol, though the PSA/Ford diese engine in that can develop problems.
Answered by Honest John

Buying a car for commuting and electric wheelchair transport?

"I am looking to buy a medium car that I can use for commuting on country roads (20 miles a day), driving around town, and regular motorway driving. The catch is that my partner uses a powered wheelchair (120 kg) which we would like to be able to take on trips at weekends. The majority of the time I will be the only person in the car, and so I don't want a specific wheelchair accessible vehicle. He would not want to stay in his wheelchair, and would sit in passenger seat. I have been looking at getting a car with a flat loading boot, so that with a ramp I could drive the powered wheelchair into the car. Many of the cars I have been looking at would need the back seats to be folded flat which suits us fine, but my main concern is that a car boot/folded seat would not suppor the weight of the wheelchair. Would appreciate any advice on potentially suitable vehicles? "
The only way you could drive a powered wheelchair into the back of the car is to get a specific 'Wheelchair Adapted Vehicle' (WAV) from someone like http://www.brotherwood.com/ I can't think of a single station wagon that would take something the height of a powered wheelchair without disassembling it, though you might get one into a Citroen Berlingo Multispace, Peugeot Partner, Mercedes Citan, Ford Tourneo Connect or Fiat 500L using ramps if you are strong enough to push it in. You would then have to secure it, which is why a specific WAV makes more sense.
Answered by Honest John
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