Abarth 500 review

Introduction

The Abarth 500 has moved with the times. What was once a tiny, snarling, petrol-powered hot hatchback is now a fully electric one – and it’s arguably the first of this new breed.

That’s right, it beat its competitors to the electric hot hatch market and is picking up where the now-discontinued Abarth 595 left off. That even goes for the noise, because this new 500 has an external speaker that emulates that car’s signature exhaust note.

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42kWh Convertible 2dr Electric Auto (155 ps)

Expected annual mileage	5000
Term months	48
Deposit months	12
Monthly payment	£391.77
Initial payment	£4,701.24

Step-by-step

Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.

• Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
• Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
• Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end

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• Full manufacturer’s warranty
• Road tax and roadside assistance included
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£4,701 initial payment, 48 month contract, 5000 miles p/a. Subject to status and conditions.

• Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
• No balloon payments
• Road tax included

It's available as a hatchback or a convertible and benefits from a more powerful electric motor than the one in the car it’s based on, that being the Fiat 500e. Its extra poke allows for a quicker 0-62mph time than the old 595 too.

Electric cars being quick isn’t exactly breaking news of course – if anything, handling is of even bigger importance. In that department, the 500 benefits from bespoke suspension, wider wheels and tyres, and specially developed rear brake discs.

Rivals? Well, while they’re few and far between at the moment, the Alpine A290 and Mini Cooper Electric JCW are well worth considering. Read on to find out how we rate the 500 against them...

What's new

- July 2024: 500e Giorgio Armani announced, with 117bhp electric motor, bespoke paint colours and ‘GA’ logos on the alloy wheels
- January 2024: Abarth 500e named What Car?’s Best Small Electric Car of the City (Note: This award was given by Car Expert, not What Car? The text has been corrected to reflect the more common "Best Small Electric Car of the City" phrasing, although What Car? awarded it "Best Small Electric Car" in 2023)
- May 2023: Abarth 500e on sale in the UK with hatchback and cabriolet bodystyles and 500e or high-spec 500e Turismo trims. Both are mechanically identical
- November 2022: Abarth 500e makes its debut, with 42kWh battery and 153bhp electric motor

Overview

There’s some pint-sized fun to be had with the Abarth 500 and 500 Convertible, albeit not enough for us to overlook its limitations. It’s low on space, busy in its ride and short on range. We’d point you towards the Alpine A290 instead. It’s more expensive but much more well rounded, as well as more fun to drive.

Pros

• Peppy in-town performance
• Sharp steering
• Fun around town

Cons

• Rivals are quicker and more fun
• Tiny rear seats and boot
• Poor range

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

Let’s get something straight before we begin to talk about the Abarth 500’s performance. Petrol-powered Abarth models have never been the most objectively competent hot hatches but their peppy, raucous engines make them a hoot to drive.

That's something you simply can't replicate in an electric car – or can you? Well, to try to channel some of the 595's exuberance Abarth has fitted the 500 with a noise generator that mimics the engine noise of the petrol model.

When you thumb the starter button, the 500 blares into life like it’s powered by liquified dinosaurs rather than electrons. The sound comes from a powerful external speaker, multi-channel amplifier and subwoofer mounted under the boot floor.

It's surprisingly loud but not particularly realistic, with the note lacking the textural depth of a real exhaust. There aren’t any simulated gears either so the sound raises in pitch as you accelerate… but then just stays there. We reckon many buyers will gladly switch it off shortly after their first journey.

More positively, while the Abarth 500 doesn’t sound like a hot hatch, it gets off the line like one. With a 153bhp electric motor, it will sprint from 0-62mph in 7.0 seconds – slightly faster than the Abarth 595.

The electric motor’s ability to deliver instant pace means that while the fastest petrol hot hatches have more impressive 0-62mph times, it feels quicker as you accelerate to 30mph.

That said, the 500's electric rivals pull even harder from a standstill. The Alpine A290 GTS officially takes 6.4 seconds to cover the 0-62mph sprint while the Mini Cooper Electric JCW shrinks that to 5.9 seconds.

Those rivals will also travel further between charges, with the 500’s 37.8kWh usable capacity battery giving the hatchback an official range of 164 miles and the convertible up to 157 miles. For comparison, the A290 GTS has an official range of 226 miles and the Cooper Electric JCW 250 miles.

On a country road, the 500 is a pretty good handler, with a planted feel and the kind of agility you’d expect from such a tiny car. The steering is also natural-feeling and pleasantly precise. On the other hand, there’s only so much dynamism you can cram into something so small. Its Mini rival is more playful and engaging in the corners, while the Alpine is also more fun.

The A290 is better in the ride department too. It's compliant and comfortable, where the 500’s ride can get quite busy. Mind you, at least the suspension isn’t as punishingly stiff as the JCW’s.

In terms of the refinement, the 500 isn’t as quiet as its rivals, especially if you choose the 500 Convertible – it whips up a fair bit of wind noise, even with the roof up.

“You have to remember that it’s a city car at heart, and I think it’s best looked at as such.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

The interior of the Abarth 500 will be familiar to anyone who has sat in the Fiat 500e – they're fairly similar. Abarth has, however, added sports seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, contrast stitching around the interior, a darker headliner and aluminium brake-pedal covers. Range-topping Turismo cars also get an interior swathed in Alcantara.

Complaints? Well, the interior feels cheaper than that of the Alpine A290 and Mini Cooper Electric JCW, with more grey, scratchy plastics all over the place. We also wish the driver’s seat would go a little lower as you feel perched on the car rather than inside it.

Then again, many of these cars will end up living out their lives in cities, where a raised driving position gives you good all-round visibility.

Well, the hatchback does – the 500 convertible is a different story. Its tiny rear windows and fabric sliding roof seriously reduce your view out of the rear – especially when you have the roof down.

Luckily, every version comes with rear parking sensors to help when it comes with parking. Turismo trim adds 360-degree sensors and a rear-view camera. Standard kit includes a 7in driver's display and a 10.3in infotainment touchscreen high up in the middle of the dashboard.

The infotainment screen's position makes it easy to read on the move. It’s fairly crisp as well. However, some of the icons are rather small and fiddly. Every 500 comes with DAB radio, sat nav, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

“The other side of the driving position debate is that you get a raised view of the road ahead. That’s not to say I subscribe to that thinking, mind you.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

The Abarth 500 is slightly bigger in all directions than the Abarth 595 but there are still no rear doors, and even short adults won’t want to sit in the back for long. If you view this as an occasional four-seater, it's perfectly fit for purpose – both in hardtop and convertible forms.

Front stowage space is surprisingly good, with a large tray halfway up the dashboard that’s the perfect size to hold a phone. As you might expect, that's where you'll find the wireless charging pad in range-topping Turismo models.

If you want to keep valuables out of sight, there’s a long (but narrow) cubby between the front seats, which is lidded on Turismo versions. The door pockets are quite small though.

If you go for the hardtop 500, the hatchback tailgate lifts to reveal a 185-litre boot, meaning it’s less practical than a Mini Cooper Electric JCW (210 litres), let alone the Alpine A290 (326 litres). Access to the boot is restricted in the convertible because the boot lid is much smaller (more like a saloon car’s).

“I’ve been able to cram three people (including myself) and our luggage into a 500 convertible, but only just.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

The Abarth 500 hatchback has a starting list price lower than that of its two key rivals, the Alpine A290 and Mini Cooper Electric JCW. The Cooper Electric SE slightly undercuts the 500, so it’s worth checking that car out as well. The Abarth 500 Convertible comes at a premium (we’re talking a few thousand), which seems like a lot for just a sliding cloth roof in return.

The 500 is predicted to depreciate faster than rivals and that can have an effect on PCP finance rates, pushing up the amount you’ll pay each month. Before buying, make sure you check for the best prices using our New Car Deals pages.

Like all electric cars the Abarth 500 makes plenty of financial sense as a company car because it attracts much lower BIK tax than a petrol or diesel hot hatchback.

There are two trim levels to choose from: entry-level 500e and top-spec Turismo. The standard car comes reasonably well-equipped, with 17in alloy wheels, cruise control, automatic wipers and lights, climate control and a JBL sound system.

Turismo introduces 18in wheels, an Alcantara-lined interior, aluminium pedal covers and chrome kickplates, as well as heated front seats, heated wing mirrors, a centre armrest with centre console and keyless entry.

The problem is, upgrading robs the Abarth 500 of its price advantage over rivals. We’d stick with the entry-level trim and avoid the 500 Convertible, unless you happen to be dead set on soaking up the sun.

Charging the 37.8kWh (usable capacity) battery from empty to full takes around six hours with a 7kW home EV charger. A 0-80% top-up can be grabbed in just over half an hour if you can find a CCS charger capable of delivering the model's maximum charging speed of 85kW. You can plug it into a three-pin socket but a 10-80% charge will take nearly 20 hours.

What about reliability? Well, the 500 was absent from our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, as was the Fiat 500e it’s based on. Fiat came 25th out of 31 car makers present in the same survey, placing above Alfa Romeo but far below Mini and Renault. As a brand, Abarth wasn’t present.

The Abarth 500 hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP but it shares the same rating as the Fiat 500e. That rating is four stars out of five. The A290 got the same rating, while the Cooper Electric received five stars.

All Abarths come with lane-keeping assistance, traffic-sign recognition and automatic emergency braking (AEB). Blind-spot monitoring is standard on Turismo models.

“I’d ask yourself how much you value the Abarth’s upgrades, because if the answer is not much you’re better off saving some money and getting its Fiat counterpart.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

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