Would a Fiat 500 work with a nearly four-year-old?

[Olivegreenn]

Does anyone have a tiny car with a young child?

I used to have a fiat 500 and absolutely loved it. It did everything I wanted it to do and was affordable. I got rid when my DD was about 9 months old - managed until then because I was still with her dad so most of the time we used the bigger car. When it was just me, I switched the airbags off and had her in the front, folded the back seats down and out her pushchair in!
It worked until she was too big for her travel system car seat basically.

Anyway. Fast forward to now. I have a Ford focus that I hate. It's too big for me (personally) one of the doors is dented (my fault) the Bluetooth always breaks and my air con doesn't work. I want a cute car again! But I don't want to spend a fortune.

Would I be completely stupid to get a Fiat 500 again? My DD is nearly 4. Still rear facing but will turn her around soon. She can climb in herself, I know it'll be awkward to buckle her with the 3 doors. She also rarely uses her pushchair anymore. My main concern is how safe is a 3 door car in an accident- I worry that it won't be easy to her her out. Also I'm a single mum now but rarely have any big things in the boot. I only ever get 2 bags of shopping at a time as well

Thoughts?

Personally I'd wait until she is forward facing and can do her own belt.

My family used to have one a while back and it was a great car.

Looking at my son's transition through car seats (in a bigger car) I think that now (forward facing and can do his own belt) me and him could have one and it would be fine. I'd open the door, he would climb in and do his own belt up, no hassle.

But if it was rear facing and I had to reach over to do belts each time? or needed any adjustment from me on a daily/drive basis, I think that would annoy me a lot.

Are you not using extended rearward facing car seat as I doubt it would be suitable.

In your shoes I’d be prioritising reliability and safety over “cute”.

@Olivegreenn My main concern is how safe is a 3 door car in an accident- I worry that it won't be easy to her her out.

Safety comes from build quality and engineering, rather than "size." The idea that "size" is the only thing that determines safety is a very common misconception. There are many massive cars that are absolutely not safe.

Check Euro NCAP for car safety information, which is informative.

The other thing to mention as well is that anyone can be very safe through defensive driving - avoid road rage situations, stay very far back from hazards and accidents, stay away from drivers who are driving erratically, etc. Granted, defensive driving won't protect anyone from a scumbag who is driving at 90 mph on a 30 mph road... but there is no car that would fare well in that situation.

I have a Toyota aygo with a 6&9yo, brought when they were 4&7. I don't think you'd get a rear facing seat in, but size wise it's fine for HBB. It does have doors, which was handy when DD was younger, but she's been doing her own seat belt for about a year.

Maybe put up with the big car until your ready to turn her, then give it a few weeks ff to see if she can manage her own straps. If she can, get the 500, if not then either look at small 5 door or wait enough year.