Fiat 500 Review, Specs & Performance
City car with retro charm
Spacious cabin and easy to drive
The Fiat 500 is an impressive city car packed with retro charm. It's not only stylish but also affordable – plus it's an easy car to drive around town.
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Overview of the Fiat 500
WHAT DOES THE FIAT 500 OFFER?
Essentially, the all-electric Fiat 500 offers an excellent opportunity to drive an impressive electric vehicle that will meet most people's city car needs; it's highly recommended, particularly with its low running costs and potential owners should look at the car lease opportunities that are available.
The established Fiat 500 with the petrol engines is still a good car with a sound reputation for reliability, and while it still delivers comfort and style, the electric 'la Prima' newcomer really is an impressive and futuristic vehicle. The new 500 will undoubtedly become a major player for those wanting zero emissions and all-electric driving in an all-round excellent creation.
Fiat 500 in a nutshell
The all-new Fiat 500 is an impressive city car available as a pure electric vehicle. It’s great to drive and with great economy; the iconic small car has been reborn! The petrol versions are still available and are now mild-hybrid offerings.
Fiat 500 Engines and Performance
In the all-electric 500, there’s no engine range to choose from, and the Fiat 500 makes life simple with just one zero-emissions powertrain. The ‘la Prima’ special edition is not cheap which makes the 500 an excellent car leasing opportunity. The large 42kWh battery delivers a WLTP range of 199 miles, which is further than many of its close rivals, including the Honda e and the Mini Electric Hatchback.
The mild-hybrid Fiat 500 uses a three-cylinder, 1.0-litre petrol engine along with a small lithium-ion battery to deliver 69 bhp and torque of 92Nm. It's not the fastest city car from a standing start, but the timeless design and interior offering makes it an easy car to live with.
The 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit produces 68 bhp and is mated to an automatic gearbox. There's also the twin-cylinder 0.9-litre TwinAir petrol engine that develops 84 bhp and returns fuel economy of 53 mpg. The TwinAir unit is a responsive engine to make this a fun car to drive – helped by the battery power at low speeds.
Fiat 500 Handling
One of the big advantages for the all-electric Fiat 500 is the low running costs, and the car feels effortless when being driven around town. The design is still unmistakable, though the electric vehicle is slightly larger than the petrol-powered sibling.
The new model comes with a range of driving modes that affect handling and the battery range. The steering offers good feedback, and the car is an agile offering, and the size means it is still easy to park.
Fiat 500 Equipment
There's a new infotainment system and a digital instrument display utilising a 10.25-inch touchscreen, and the slightly larger dimensions means there's more space for driver and passengers - though the boot remains small at 185-litres. Safety equipment includes a range of sensors for blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and there's also autonomous emergency braking.
Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, smartphone compatibility - there's also wifi on-board and tracking software will help find your Fiat 500 if it has been stolen.
Safety equipment includes a pedestrian detection system which will then use the autonomous braking to avoid a collision. The system also monitors for vehicles and cyclists, and there's an attention assist system to warn drivers to take a break.
More Information About the Fiat 500
Why not have a look at the all-electric 500 on the official Fiat UK company website. Or, if you would like to consider alternatives to the Fiat 500, why not look at some of these car lease deals from First Vehicle Leasing: the Mini Electric Hatchback, the Hyundai i10 and the Volkswagen e-Up!.