Two years after the Fiat 500’s U.S. market introduction, the 500L debuts. More is the buzzword with the 500L. For starters, it’s a four-door. (For the number trackers, that’s two more doors than the 500.) There’s more room as the 500L is 27 inches longer in overall length (167.3 inches) than the 500 (139.6 inches). And there’s also an additional 6 inches of vehicle height and width with the 500L. During this journalist’s one-week test drive of the 2014 model year 500L, the Euro- inspired cabin design was one of the car’s strongest draws. Wrap-around windows enhanced the feeling of roominess while providing great exterior visibility. The pull-down rearview interior mirror is also a nifty design element on this B-segment car.

Powering the front wheel drive 500L is a 1.4-liter MultiAir turbocharged 4-cylinder that produces 160 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 184 pounds-feet of torque between 2500-4000 rpm. This driver found the 6-speed manual transmission’s tall shifter a bit of a hinderance for making quick gear shifts. (A 6-speed dual clutch transmission is optional.) Firm/supportive front seats help convey a sporty flavor while driving, but the manual seat adjusters fell short of expectations. It was challenging to elicit a seating position that didn’t require long leg stretching to engage the clutch. The 500L Pop (one of four model trims) carries a MSRP of $19,100. When fitted with manual transmission, the estimated mpg is 25 city and 33 highway.