The Fiat 500L has been given a significant facelift five years after it originally went on sale.

While some mid-life updates are virtually identical to the original car, around 40 per cent of the components in the revised 500L are new, including the completely updated interior which features a refreshed dashboard boasting a more high-tech and iconic look.

The plumped-up MPV is now offered with three separate identities – Urban, Cross and Wagon – to lend the 500L even more character and personality with up to 1,500 internal customisations possible.

The Urban model is very similar to the original 500L but the Cross model boasts a crossover look with new bumpers and skid plate, new 17-inch alloys, an extra 25mm of ground clearance and a bold, sporty grille.

Wagon variants set themselves apart from the rest of the 500L range by being available with seven seats and offering more boot space.

From the outside, the changes are modest with the addition of LED daytime running lights and a revised front bumper, while at the rear, the fog and reversing lights have been relocated below the bumper to boost their effectiveness.

Part of the standard 500’s appeal is how much buyers can customise their car and that idea has been shifted onto the 500L too with a choice of ten pastel or metallic colours and three types of roof – body-coloured, glossy black or white or matt black.

Fiat says the 500L is best in class for internal space, thanks to the passenger compartment's generous length, while Urban and Cross models offer 455 litres of boot space, expanding to 1,480 litres with the back seats folded down. That grows even more with the Wagon, which promises 493 litres, rising to 1,509 litres.

Engines available in the 500L include two petrols – a 1.4-litre 16V with 93bhp or 118bhp – and two diesels – a 1.3-litre with 93bhp and a 118bhp 1.6-litre.

Prices start from £16,195, with the first customers set to receive their new 500L from September.

Ben Robb, brand manager at The Fuelcard People, comments: “The 500L may be a totally different animal to the original 500 but it remains one of the best models in the MPV segment.”