In terms of reliability I doubt the Fiat 500 will have the absolute deal killer problems that Fiats of the '60s and '70s had. However, although I really like this car, and there are really no horrible cars anymore, problems on the level that Chryslers in general have would not be acceptable to me.
I'm out in the country so reliability is critical. Visits to the dealer are massive time eaters. In urban areas where the 500 has been launched, this is less of an issue.
The 500 looks like a great vehicle design and very competitive in price so if the reliability approaches average, it deserves to do very well.
It's great to see cars like this becoming available in Canada. With the 500, the Prius C, IQ and maybe the new Accent plus Smart, Fit, M2 and Fiesta etc, efficient car lovers can finally start to feel well served. Bring on the Polo and the 1 L car!
Cheers,
John Meyer