Ford Ka vs. Fiat 500: which is better?
Check out this small car face-off between the retro Fiat 500 and sporty Ford Ka in our guide. We compare drive, practicality, tech and more
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If you’re in the market for a small and affordable car – even your first car, then the Fiat 500 and Ford Ka are great starting points.
Surprisingly, they may be more similar than you might’ve thought, however, each has its own style and character. Below, we compare some of the key differences to help you edge closer to a decision.
Does the Fiat 500 or Ford Ka offer more style?
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The Fiat 500 was revived in 2007, offering a more up-to-date version of the iconic 1950s classic. Although it has plenty of built-in car tech, a used Fiat 500 features plenty of retro styling, such as a rounded body, circular headlights and soft colours used both outside and on parts of the interior trim.
Depending on the model you choose, you can have alloys or wheel trims that are both stylish and retro-looking, but more premium touches like chrome finishes bring the car into the 21st century.
In comparison, the Ford Ka has a more understated design. It’s still modern and slightly sporty but doesn’t stand out as much because it doesn’t have a classic car feel about it.
The Ford Ka has sharper angles and a slightly sportier style, including a small roof spoiler on some models. There are also plenty of customisation options with vibrant colours and decals available.
Is the Ford Ka or Fiat 500 better to drive?
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Fundamentally, there’s not a lot in it, because these cars are actually built sharing many of their mechanical parts, including the 1.2-litre petrol engine that appears in both models. It’s fairly nippy and can hold its own on faster roads.
The Fiat 500 also comes with a 0.9-litre turbocharged option, which has two cylinders as opposed to three or four like most other cars. It has a unique sound, but it’s pretty quick and fun to drive. Later on, a 1.0-litre mild hybrid became available.
Both are small cars, and they’re best suited to towns and cities where their tight turning circles really come into play. The Fiat 500 also has a city mode, which makes the steering very light at slow speeds to make those three-point turns easier.
Fiat 500 vs. Ford Ka: interior
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Starting with the similarities, both cars offer a fairly simple interior that has touches of the car’s exterior paint colour throughout, such as on a panel across the dashboard or on the doors. They also both have easy-to-use physical controls for the climate control systems.
The Fiat 500’s retro interior has a single circular instrument cluster, which houses all the information you need, such as speed and revs. It also has a vintage-style steering wheel, which is finished in cream for most models.
Ford uses a more conventional instrument cluster in the Ka, with two separate dials for the speed and revs. In some cases, the seats are designed with different fabric options, such as flower graphics, to provide a bit of visual excitement.
Lower-spec versions of both models come with basic radio systems, but you can get higher-spec Fiat 500 cars with a touchscreen infotainment system – even one that works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
You can’t get this in the Ka, but consider upgrading to the newer and bigger Ka+ if you want more car tech – it has a very slick touchscreen system, too.
Ford Ka vs. Fiat 500: which has more boot space?
When you’re buying a city car like these, boot space won’t be high on your list of priorities, but thankfully, you can fit a few shopping bags in each.
The Fiat 500 has a 185-litre boot in both hatchback and convertible (500C) forms, but the convertible model's opening is narrower to accommodate the folding fabric roof.
If you need more space, you should consider a Ford Ka. It has a 224-litre capacity, or an even larger 270-litre capacity if you choose the more spacious and newer Ka+.
Compare Ford Ka and Fiat 500: which is more reliable?
Thankfully, because both cars have been so popular, there are lots of them on the roads, and there’s a lot of data to back up their reliability.
Furthermore, both cars’ small sizes and simple mechanics make them easy to maintain, and parts are generally widely available and comparably affordable.
Overall, both cars are considered reliable and offer good value motoring, however, each car will vary depending on the condition of the vehicle and its maintenance history.
Fiat 500 vs. Ford Ka size and dimensions
Although these cars share some parts under the bonnet, they have their own unique bodywork. That’s apparent in both their styling and their dimensions, with the Fiat 500 being slightly smaller than the Ford Ka.
The Ford Ka is 3,620mm long, 1,894mm wide and 1,505mm tall, whereas the Fiat 500 is 3,571mm long, 1,893mm wide and 1,488mm tall.
It’s worth mentioning that, while the Ka is nearly 5cm longer than the 500, both cars are considerably shorter than most other models on the road, including more conventional family hatchbacks.
Used Ford Ka vs. used Fiat 500: which should you buy?
There’s not an awful lot that separates them, but the Ford Ka’s slightly larger size can help you feel a little more stable on faster roads.
Similarly, the Fiat 500’s more compact dimensions and lighter steering options are more well-suited to town driving.
You’ll also want to consider styling because the Fiat 500’s iconic retro look has its own charm while the Ford Ka is a less quirky option.