Dealers fume as Fiat's U.S. comeback stalls

Fiats are overpriced. A Focus or Mazda3 costs about the same as the 500, yet you get more car for your money. A Fiesta is 2 grand cheaper and it is a better car.

The 500 is a great car: go-kart handling and great mileage. But the 500-L ??? When they bloated up the Camry to create the Avalon it was ugly. Proportions off. The bloated-up Mini SUV looks like an abomination from most angles. And the "Mega-Mini" ... same thing. Sorry, but you'd have to slap a Toyota badge on it to get something this ugly to sell.

Just look at it. There is your answer to stalled sales.

I blame J-Lo. Seriously, I used to like the 500 until I saw J-Lo driving one in that commercial. After that, fail!

I drove a 500 L. It's a decent vehicle. It is very roomy. It has great viability. The interior is stylish. It rides decently. It's priced right. i think it is simply a matter of time an awareness.The only thing else it needs is awd.

Fiat really has little to offer Americans without including some more Fiat Group marquees. Even then Fiat has nothing competitive to offer. The majority of their cars a dumpy, chunky hatchbacks, micro variants or adorable utility vans for the plumber crack crowd.

Fiat was stillborn when it came back into the US market a few years ago. We needed a cheap, fun to drive, 45 MPG car that was going to be the next hot thing. Instead the cars were overpriced, not so much fun to drive with their sloppy steering and gearbox, and they got mediocre mileage compared to VW's diesels or Toyota's hybirds so they never became the next it car, plus they had all the baggage held over for 30 years about frequency of repair.

If they had a 60 MPG diesel that you could buy for 15K then they would be lining up and they would be all over college campuses and in cities on both coasts, but Fiat did the same overpriced thing MB did with the Smart Car and nobody came.

Well I tried to help and purchased a 2013 Abarth 500c and am liking it quite a bit - Compared it to the Mini S & JCW and for what you get for the dollar it the better car and deal - Took a quick look at the 500L and would consider it when the CRV needs to be replaced - Nice and a good alternative to what is on the market to day - One thing Fiat really needs to do is work on their Dealerships - Some were good - Some were absolutely pathetic (like no one in the show room for 15+ minutes and not letting you test drive a car) - Mini was a better overall experience