Pour one out for the Fiat 124 Spider and the Fiat 500L.
FCA is going through some changes — more on that here. Discontinuing the Fiat 124 Spider and the Fiat 500L after the 2020 model year is part of that change. With these departures, U.S. Fiat dealers will be left with just one vehicle: the Fiat 500X crossover. It’s beginning to look like Fiat may not be long for the United States, unless there’s an intervention.
Considering the fun, yet stylish Fiat 124 was not very popular in the U.S. isn’t too much of a surprise. Many consumers in our market have been shy around convertibles, and the numbers reflect it. We can attest to the excellent driving characteristics of the Fiat 124 Abarth. It combined the best of Mazda and Fiat along with a fun overall character.
As for the Fiat 500L…it will not be missed by many. Sales numbers were never that strong, and the Fiat 500L is regarded by many as one of the least reliable Fiats sold on our shores. It simply did not resonate with buyers over here, and Fiat never addressed its shortcomings. I always enjoyed the fun Italian interior, but the exterior design was polarizing. On top of that, the 500L was never priced to compete in a shrinking class.
The sales numbers were abysmal.
In 2019, less than 800 Fiat 500Ls were sold in North America, 2020 looks to be about half that. The Mazda MX-5 Miata-similar Fiat 124 (aka: “Fiata” by many) has performed better. Nearly 3,000 124’s were sold during the 2019 model year, and 2020 looks like it will be about half. Unusually, it appears that the Fiat 500X (which is a platform-mate to the popular Jeep Renegade) actually sold less vehicles than the Fiat 124. Perhaps, Fiat sees future potential in the 500X as crossovers are big sellers here. On top of that, I though the 500X was kind of fun, for what it is.
