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The Fiat 500, however cute, is a bit impractical if you’ve got a family to haul around because the rear-seats in the 2+2 configuration are strictly for toddlers or your shopping bags. Fiat saw a problem there and thus, they’ve introduced the 500L – a 5-seat, mini-MPV cousin of the cutesy 500 hatch. First impressions? It’s not as cute as the 500 hatch and tends to draw more from the new Panda than its cute cousin but that’s alright when you’ve got loads of practicality and space. The 500L is based on Fiat’s ‘cab forward’ concept and the ‘Large’ really does means large – at 414 cm long, 178 cm wide and 166 cm tall, it eclipses its Fiat MPV-cousin - the Fiat Panda - and on the road, it would occupy the footprint of a small SUV.
Styling wise, we think they could’ve done a little bit better since the 500 series is the most stylish of the Fiat line-up and in comparison to the 500L, even the new Panda manages to look nicer and cleaner. What’s going on here?! Under the hood will be two engine options – a 1.4 petrol and the renowned 1.3 MultiJet diesel.
It will make its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March 2012. Stay tuned for more updates on the Fiat 500L.
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