'14 Fiat 500 of the 5-speed variety

[AHTOXA]

Let me preface what I'm about to type, by saying that this isn't going to be a review, this is simply my reflection on one aspect of the car, which is of some relevant interest to us as manual enthusiasts. The other aspects of the vehicle aren't what this post is all about.

Yesterday, I got to drive the said Fiat 500 5-speed. It's not the Abarth but just the regular or mid-trim, not sure. A female friend of mine was in town and she bought it recently and has been asking me to drive it to get my opinion on it; she loves it. Reluctantly, I agreed, and not because I was worried that I was suddenly going to grow a vagina due to driving a hilariously girly car in baby-puke-green color with a cream white interior, not because I feel a constant need to prove my manhood to every stranger out there, but because when I first sat in it a few weeks ago, I disliked the clutch enough to not make me want to drive it.

Well, that's a first. I always like driving different cars, and especially manuals. So, what happened here?

Some of you have had hydraulic issues with manual cars before, where perhaps your slave would leak and your clutch would drop to the floor when you press it and wouldn't come back up or would feel mushy; just didn't feel springy, you know? Well, it's kind of like that, only worse, and it's been designed to be like this. The travel is long and pedal feel is non-existent. Cow, it's FAR worse than the VW ever felt; you wouldn't believe it. On top of that, at the end of the travel, the barely-there clutch feel completely vanishes. What I mean is, when the pedal hits the floor, it seems to stick there when you clutch out. Only it's not sticking, the resistance becomes even lighter at that point, so as you clutch out from the floor it actually feels like the pedal stayed there because there's no pressure felt through shoe seemingly at all.

I presume that it was designed like this so people could sit clutched in and not get their leg feeling tired. Fine, I have issues with that notion but I bet that's why it was designed that way. The said friend mentioned that they were all like that when she drove a few.

In closure, this is the only car, where I feel that the pedal feedback (or complete and utter lack thereof) is actually so bad, that it's a deal breaker. It's a fine car for what it is, and I see its merits, but I would never, ever buy a vehicle with a clutch like that.

In fact, if my only choice period was that car in manual or auto, I'd buy an automatic, that's how disappointed I was. I hope Abarth's clutch is nowhere near like this.

[theholycow]

Some of you have had hydraulic issues with manual cars before, where perhaps your slave would leak and your clutch would drop to the floor when you press it and wouldn't come back up or would feel mushy; just didn't feel springy, you know? Well, it's kind of like that, only worse, and it's been designed to be like this. The travel is long and pedal feel is non-existent. Cow, it's FAR worse than the VW ever felt; you wouldn't believe it. On top of that, at the end of the travel, the barely-there clutch feel completely vanishes. What I mean is, when the pedal hits the floor, it seems to stick there when you clutch out. Only it's not sticking, the resistance becomes even lighter at that point, so as you clutch out from the floor it actually feels like the pedal stayed there because there's no pressure felt through shoe seemingly at all.

[Squint]

I would sincerely hope the Abarth has a different feel to it. Now I almost want to test drive one...

[AHTOXA]

I could entertain the thought of an Abarth, but surprisingly, I found that the seat doesn't lower enough and I end up having to lower my head and look up at streetlights when stopped, because I can't see them. Also, the steering wheel doesn't telescope.

Just because of those two issues the car isn't for me at all. I was surprised with the seat deal, because the car is tall on the inside.

[Boston Fit]

Sounds like a manual Mazda CX-5 I once test drove. Very numb feeling to the clutch.

[tankinbeans]

Having sat in one at the auto show a couple years ago, I was amused to see how large the shifter knob was. I've never driven one though and wouldn't be able to comment on its usefulness or anything else.

[watkins]

I just drove my first 500 on Saturday. Except it was an automatic. So it really has no relevance to this thread. Goodbye.

[SonicHKS]

This is the kind of thing that sold me on buying a Sonic, I enjoyed driving it. It felt like a driver's car: best clutch/gas/brake and shifter I've ever driven.

I drove a '12 Fiat 500 and didn't think it was that bad. Felt like my Sonic, but only like 70-80% of it, if that makes sense. Too many things were just a little off, including its driveability. Handling wasn't as sharp, braking was disappointing, etc. I don't remember the clutch being that bad....no offense to your friend Tony, but maybe you should test drive one at a dealer? One reason I bought new is because most people don't know how to drive and I hate inheriting issues with used cars.

Anyways, if the 500 I drove was 70-80% the car my Sonic is, the Veloster I drove was like 5% of the 500....complete pos. All sorts of gimmicks and luxury shit in the interior but it drove like ass.

[Rope-Pusher]

All sorts of gimmicks and luxury shit in the interior but it drove like ass.

Fickset

[AHTOXA]

This is the kind of thing that sold me on buying a Sonic, I enjoyed driving it. It felt like a driver's car: best clutch/gas/brake and shifter I've ever driven.

I drove a '12 Fiat 500 and didn't think it was that bad. Felt like my Sonic, but only like 70-80% of it, if that makes sense. Too many things were just a little off, including its driveability. Handling wasn't as sharp, braking was disappointing, etc. I don't remember the clutch being that bad....no offense to your friend Tony, but maybe you should test drive one at a dealer? One reason I bought new is because most people don't know how to drive and I hate inheriting issues with used cars.

Anyways, if the 500 I drove was 70-80% the car my Sonic is, the Veloster I drove was like 5% of the 500....complete pos. All sorts of gimmicks and luxury shit in the interior but it drove like ass.

Yeah, I was very disappointed in the Veloster as well. Even the turbo model was just no there. It didn't drive like I expected it to with that much power and the ride was terrible, I agree.

The issue with modern Kias and Hyundais is the suspension. They haven't dialed it in yet. It's soft when it should be stiff and it's stiff and crashy when it should be soft. That's part of the reason I got rid of the Soul. After a while, I hated the way it rode.

[tankinbeans]

My experience with Kia is as follows. In 1993 my dad's 1978 Buick Skyhawk tried to kill me and my mom forced him to buy a new car, so he bought a new 93 Festiva (Mazda 323 via Kia Pride) and he loved it. He then bought a 95 Ford Aspire (same car with bloated proportions) and loved it.

When I first became aware of Kia as a brand by itself, circa 2002, I thought they were crap. I continued to think they were crap until I bought one in 2011. Overall, my Forte was a great car, but the suspension was a bit odd (common complaint) and the transmission was finicky. I had intermittent trouble getting into 4th gear which was not speed/rpm dependent and I took it in every oil change to mention it and continuously got told it was more or less my fault. In late 2012 I finally got rid of it because the 4th gear issue really got on my nerves. Come to find out it might have been faulty motor mounts after doing some digging online.

Enter Clifford, and my motoring has been thousands of times better.

That's not to say I'll never give Kia another shot, because I think they're decent cars and are nowhere near craptastic as they once were. I won't let one mildly bad experience sully my view of the brand as a whole. Mine may have been a one off.

[daleadbull]

You said that your friend loved it, but the question is what did you tell her? Did you play it down or did you tell her the clutch is crap?

[AHTOXA]

I didn't say it was crap, but I expressed my frustration when driving it. I guess there's no need to poop on someone's ice-cream when they just bought the thing and call it crap.

[cwat89]

What a shame. Seems most manufactures save for a few are going the way of no clutch feel. I drove a 5 speed Tacoma the other day and it was similar to what you described. It engaged very low and had no feel to be able to ride it out should you need to. It was kinda all or nothing. One car that surprised me that had a great shifter and clutch feel was he ford fiesta st I sat in at the auto show. Also the Chevy sonic was nice too.

[Squint]

What a shame. Seems most manufactures save for a few are going the way of no clutch feel. I drove a 5 speed Tacoma the other day and it was similar to what you described. It engaged very low and had no feel to be able to ride it out should you need to. It was kinda all or nothing. One car that surprised me that had a great shifter and clutch feel was he ford fiesta st I sat in at the auto show. Also the Chevy sonic was nice too.

What auto show did you visit?