City car, electric car, convertible and style icon – all in one. The roots of the Fiat 500 go back to the 1950s, when Fiat created a small car specifically for cities, narrow alleys and streets.
The same concept works best in today’s world, now with the addition of zero emissions through full electrification.
No need to argue with the Italians about design and elegance. The new Fiat 500 already respects the design language of the first 500. The roundness of the exterior design and the beautiful minimalism of the interior are present in the new 500.
The new Fiat 500 looks very similar to the previous 500, launched in 2007. However, the new Fiat 500 is all new, and the car is designed and available only with an all-electric powertrain.
The new Fiat 500 is the only hatchback and four-seater all-electric car in the A-segment with virtually no competitors. Features and equipment have been imported from larger cars, and the car is available with 2-level autonomous driving, including lane assist and adaptive cruise control.
Electricity is the word of the day
Full electric power makes driving the Fiat 500 even more fun. Instant power and huge torque for a small car make the driving experience effortless, quiet and emission-free. The manufacturer’s claimed acceleration of 3.1 seconds from 0-50 km/h makes city cruising a breeze and the blocks whizz by.
Depending on the equipment level, the car is available with two different battery capacities. The smaller battery of around 24 kWh gives just under 200 kilometres and the larger 42 kWh battery is good for just over 300 kilometres, according to the manufacturer. In city driving, the range could be as much as 450 kilometres, according to the manufacturer.
A very short test drive did not allow us to go into the consumption figures in detail, but in reality we may get close to the figures stated by the manufacturer when driving is limited to urban and suburban areas.
In addition to its effortlessness, the car felt stable at different speed ranges. The steering is very light and enhanced, the throttle response is immediate thanks to the electric motor and the single pedal driving style allows for economical driving without using the brake pedal at all. So driving is easy and fun.
Recycled materials and eco-leather
In addition to the electric power train, ecological considerations have been taken into account in the interior, where a lot of recycled materials have been used. The design of the interiors is a sleek, graceful and rounded style, where practicality has sometimes even taken precedence over design.
There are three trim levels: Action, ICON and La Prima. At the lowest equipment level, the car’s battery is a smaller 24 kWh model and the car comes with the necessary basic equipment including air conditioning and safety features. The ICON and La Prima trim levels bring major improvements to the car, the most significant of which is the larger 42 kWh battery.
The ICON and La Prima versions feature a 10-inch touchscreen in the centre console with Apple car play as standard. Instead of a touchscreen in the standard Action trim level, the dashboard features a holder for a dedicated mobile phone, which, with an app, acts as a replacement for the touchscreen. The air conditioning buttons are conveniently located as touch buttons on the dashboard. The instrument panel is a fully digital display with a clear layout.
The car’s exterior colours range from rose gold to sky blue, green and black.
New Fiat 500s have been sold to customers without even seeing the car and dozens of test drive bookings have been received. Taking into account the government subsidy for electric cars, prices start from €22,990 for the Action trim level. The most attractive option in terms of value for money is the ICON-equipped model, with prices ranging from €29 990 to €31 990 depending on the body model.
In addition to the traditional hatchback model, there is also a convertible with a slatted roof and a 3 1 model with a small hatchback-style rear door.
