2020 Fiat 500

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
25–26 mpgcombined; city 22–24, highway 30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,490–$16,100U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$15,170 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
Recall campaigns
2over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
2filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2020 500. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 500. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air bags1000
Electrical system1000
Electronic stability control (ESC)1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 2012396
  2. 2013165
  3. 2014124
  4. 201592
  5. 201614
  6. 201714
  7. 20185
  8. 20193
  9. 20202
  10. 20210
  11. 20222
  12. 20230

Every 500 year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2020 500 over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Air bags: frontal; Seat belts: front

NHTSA campaign 24V510000 · reported Jul 3, 2024 · 337,128 vehicles potentially affected

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia, 2018-2025 Alfa Romeo Stelvio, 2019-2023 Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, and 2024 Fiat 500E vehicles. A seat belt buckle switch sensor may be improperly connected, preventing the front seat air bag from deploying as intended.

Risk: A front seat air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will repair the connection, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning August 27, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 82B.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components

NHTSA campaign 19V909000 · reported Dec 19, 2019 · 1,353 vehicles potentially affected

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X vehicles. The right rear brake caliper could have been fractured during the casting process.

Risk: A cracked right rear brake caliper can fail, reducing braking performance and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right rear brake calipers, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VE8.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 87 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 500, the latest on Mar 4, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: electrical system (33), equipment (21), engine and engine cooling (14), exterior lighting (10), structure (9).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2020 500.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2020 Fiat 500s for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: small station wagons. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
500 L
Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turboAutomatic 6-spdPremium Gasoline22 / 30 / 25
500X
All-Wheel Drive
1.3 L, 4 cyl, turboAutomatic 9-spdRegular Gasoline24 / 30 / 26

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data