“Fix it again, Tony.” Yes, we all know the tropes about Italian cars, like this playful acronym for Fiat. The stories that Italian cars will break down at the most unfortunate of moments. That Lancias were rusting so badly it sounded like a clock ticking in the garage. Or that old Maseratis were more indoors than out on the road.

Bad quality steel aside, it’s interesting how market perceptions can be formed over years. It’s not always based on facts, but usually a bout of nationalism, and the avalanche theory, where people jump onto a bandwagon and sing along. But here are a handful of Italian cars, from the first Fiat Cinquecentos to the latest Pagani Zondas, that proved one way or another that Italian cars didn’t always need that bad rep they received.

8

Fiat Panda

Production Years: 1980 – Present

Travel in rural Italy and the chance is big that you’ll come across an old Fiat Panda. Or more of them. Since making its debut in 1980, the original Panda soon became the go-to workhorse for any Italian family. It was practical, fairly spacious but still compact enough to serve as both a city car and light delivery vehicle in villages. When Fiat introduced a 4×4 version, its legendary status was cemented.

Thanks to a simple layout, boxy design (from master-designer Giorgetto Giugiaro) and easy-to-fix engines, the little Fiat became a trusty runabout all over Italy, and the rest of Europe. In fact, it was one of the most popular hatches in the 1980s, with more than 4 million of the first-generation Pandas being sold. While the UK-based online specialist for used cars, Parkers, give the current Panda a good score of 3.5 stars (out of 5) for being “practical, attractive and surprisingly capable,” there is no direct score for the older versions. Reputation-wise, and with so many still on the road, the original Pandas are generally considered to be of good quality.

7

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Production Years: 2016 – Present

Moving on to something much more recent, the new Stelvio is Alfa-Romeo’s first stab at the popular SUV segment. Debuting in 2016, the big utility vehicle made its immediate mark with a luxurious, but also sporty interior and dynamic handling. In fact, in its top model, the QV, the Stelvio held for a while the record as the fastest SUV around the Nürburgring in 2017 (7 minutes, 51.7 seconds).

Using modern engine technology along with a host of electronic assistance features, the Stelvio embraces its Italian roots with dynamic handling and sporty design traits – just look at the squinting headlights, and the deep binnacles for the driver’s info behind the steering wheel.

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The Stelvio ticked all the boxes, and it was no surprise it was the marque’s most popular model, selling more than 43,000 models in only its second year on the market. Parkers give the Stelvio a 3.6/5 rating, citing the fantastic engine note and responsive handling as some of its positive attributes, while JD Power gave the Stelvio a score of 85/100.

6

Fiat 500 (First Generation)

Production Years: 1957–1975

Straight after the disastrous (for Italy) Second World War, the Italian government knew its population needed an affordable, dependable city car for mobility around towns and villages. After some development work, Fiat came up with a small, two-door car it branded the New 500, as it was supposed to be the successor to the Topolino of the pre-war years.

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The new Cinquecento (meaning 500 in Italian) provided for a more square-looking car, but at just more than nine feet in length, it was still small enough to be practical in Italy’s narrow city streets. Powered by a rear-mounted 479 cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine, the 500 was light on fuel, robust, and easy to maintain. Exactly what the tifosi needed. With nearly 4 million models sold over its lifetime, it proved the little Italian city car was more than trustworthy to the Italian – and broader European – buying public. As the car is not available any more today, there is no direct comparison of its quality. But the consensus among enthusiasts is that the original Cinquecento was a real die-hard which wouldn’t let you down.

5

Maserati Ghibli

Production Years: 2013–2024

Maserati revived its Ghibli name for the third time in 2013, when it brought its latest four-door sport-sedan to the market. The Ghibli is a remarkably appealing car, with the elegant profile giving owners an arguably more glamorous experience than they’d get in a more generic-looking BMW 5-Series or Mercedes-Benz E-Class. In contrast to earlier Maserati sedans from the 1980s and 1990s, which were a bit of a liability, the latest Ghibli appears to be more reliable. The Fiat/Chrysler (FCA) tie-up also brings advantages of scale. For example, the diesel engine is a variant of a unit also fitted to the Jeep Cherokee, while the infotainment system is based on other FCA products.

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Although owner reports are mostly positive, there were some issues, especially with the earlier models. Maserati has issued 10 recalls for the Ghibli, but most of these were for the pre-facelift models. This included fuel leak problems as well as a gearshift problem. For instance, Carcomplaints.com hasn’t received any complaints about the 2021 model Ghibli.

4

Lamborghini Urus

Production Years: 2017 – Present

It’s a cliché, but by combining German engineering nous with Italian flair, you do get the best of both worlds. And that is exactly what the Lamborghini Urus brought us. While some may have hoped for a revival of the legendary LM002 of the 1980s, the Urus was much more sensible in execution, albeit not with its outlandish design. Where the 1980’s Rambo Lambo used a V12 borrowed from a Countach, and rode on wheels wider than a chopping block, the Urus got its platform from Volkswagen Group’s trusty family of midsize-SUVs, the Touareg, Q7 and Cayenne. Plus the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 from the Audi stable.

With this German backbone, and an extroverted, flamboyant design (exterior as well as interior), the Urus can’t put a foot wrong. It is Lamborghini’s most popular model, and continues to sell in stronger numbers each year (from 2,500 units in 2018 to 4,300 in 2020 and 5,800 in 2023). Due to its limited sales figures, it hasn’t received a JD Powers rating yet, but UK ratings website Carwow.com gives it a rating of 8/10 for reliability.

There were two NHTSA recalls issued for the Urus. One was in 2024 for the vehicle’s hood, which is at risk of flying off the vehicle because the hood latch strikers may separate and fail. The other was in 2021, when 225 Urus vehicles of the 2021 model year were recalled because the center rear passenger seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early.

3

Fiat 124 Spider

Production Years: 2016–2019

Let’s call this the Japanese Italian car, as Fiat’s little open-top roadster is actually based on Mazda’s successful MX-5. While the small Italian is also assembled in Hiroshima, next to the MX-5, it gets its turbocharged engine straight from Turin – shipped all the way over to Japan. As a roadster, combined with the compact turbo-engine, the 124 Spider offers all the dolce vita you’re looking for in your lithe Italian job.

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It offers the MX-5’s legendary reliability, plus the grunt from low-down in every gear thanks to that turbocharged engine. There’s not much to find fault with the Spider. There were no recalls during its first year on sale. And only six complaints on file at CarComplaints. Which means this is one sure-fire way to get a reliable Italian on your driveway, even if it is actually built in Japan.

2

Alfa-Romeo Spider

Production Years: 1966–1993

It’s not every day that a car can stay virtually unchanged, for three decades, on the market. But that is how popular – and trustworthy – the little roadster from Turin, the Alfa-Romeo Spider, became. Alfa’s successor to the Giulia Spider was an elongated, flat design with the engine in the nose and the drive sent to the rear wheels. Clean lines and pure design set the Spider immediately apart from its competitors. Just look at the placement of the Alfa grille below the hood, and the bulbous headlights with their bulbous glass casings.

The Spider launched with a 1.6-liter engine, but a more powerful 1.8-liter followed soon. When the second generation arrived in 1970, the first edition’s rounded rear end was replaced with a more square tail, resulting in a more stylish shape and extra trunk space. A 2.0-liter model followed in 1982 soon after the third-generation was presented, making the Spider truly a driver’s car with its stunning looks and excellent road manners. Regarding buying a used model today, UK-based website Cars.com gave it a score of 3/5 for reliability.

1

Pagani Zonda

Production Years: 1999–2019

With only 140 ever produced, the Pagani Zonda is certainly one of the most exclusive of supercars out there today. With its Le Mans-prototype looks and tuned Mercedes-AMG 6.0-liter V12 behind the seats, the Zonda is every bit as exotic as its name sounds. What few people know, though, is that Horacio Pagani, owner and designer, literally redesigned several mechanical components to not only perform better, but also have an aesthetic look.

With so much attention to detail, it is no wonder the Zonda has racked up a reputation for being a battle-hardened sports car, ready to take on fellow Italian legends Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati. The Zonda has no JD Power rankings because of its exclusivity. But by using Mercedes’ 6.0-liter V12 initially, and then a larger 7.3-liter V12, Horatio Pagani ensured that his creations were mechanically sound and reliable. The performance, and exclusivity, came next. The Zonda has survived for 20 years, and still has a demand for it. Which proves its longevity as a brand and build quality.

Sources: Mercedes,Fiat, Alfa-Romeo