The CVT is OK, but for those who enjoy driving, it's about the worst thing you can get. There is no connection to the machine. For some folks, they just don't understand and only worry about it getting them from point a to point b and that's perfectly ok. But for enthusiasts, the CVT is the devil incarnate. Since the OP mentioned he has to have a manual and prefers the fun factor, I'm almost 100% sure he would hate the CVT. I go to car meets all the time and mentioning a CVT is like saying a bad word, lol. They're hated that much by enthusiasts.
Sorry Carfreak09, I am not a fan of the quality of the fiat brand. While I have not worked on any 500's, I have worked on some of their newer model vans and am not at all impressed. I think Mitsu is much better quality long term. I hope your Fiat works out well for you.
I sold my orange Lancer and we bought 2 (two) 2014 Outlander Sport ES FWD CVT. No complaints so far.
flatbroke (05-17-2016)
I'm a fan of Mitsubishi and Fiat. I tend to root for the underdogs. Ive owned 4 Mitsubishis and 3 Fiats (2 in my garage right now). Both are good products. Mitsubishi offers a longer warranty for those that worry about that. Fiat definitely makes a more driver oriented product though, which is why they have won out over Mitsubishi when I've been in the market. That being said, I still am toying with the idea of getting a Mirage for my business.
Can't comment on the refreshed 2016, but my Mom just bought a new 2015 (leftover). I got to drive it every day for a week while she visited from out of town. I liked it a lot. The 2.4L motor has strong, not great, power and runs very smooth and quiet. With my light foot, cruising at 45-55mph, I saw 36 MPG, which I thought was fantastic. The only not so great thing is the road noise. it's prominent. Much quieter the my Mirage, but still very noticeable. Very comfortable and roomy inside for the size. Good cargo space. I think it's a very underrated compact CUV.