Used Fiat 500 Electric 2021-present reliability
Category: Small Electric
The all-electric Fiat 500 is great fun to drive and has a reasonable range. Used prices are tempting, too.
What should I look for in a used Fiat 500 hatchback?
When viewing a used car, always follow our used car buying checklist.
You should always check for any bodywork damage; a car that has to earn its keep in the cut and thrust of traffic may have had one or two bumps in its life, so look for any scrapes to bumpers, or poor accident repair to body panels. If the work hasn’t been carried out to Fiat’s workshop standards, then this could lead to future rust problems.
The electric Fiat 500 achieved an overall four-star safety rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2021. All Fiat 500s come with lane-keeping assistance, traffic-sign recognition and automatic emergency braking (AEB). Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control are standard only on range-topping La Prima trim, but are at least optional on the other, cheaper versions.
What are the most common problems with a used Fiat 500 hatchback?
The Fiat 500 Electric has a couple of recalls to its name. Check with your local Fiat dealer that all remedial work has been carried out on these and any subsequent recalls.
A number of vehicles may have been fitted with a faulty left or right side half-shaft (drive shaft).
On affected vehicles, the fastening nut may be missing from the negative terminal of the high-voltage battery pack, which could result in a loss of torque, failure to start the vehicle and in extreme cases, it could present a possible fire hazard.
Click here for more information. Contact your local Fiat dealer if you believe your vehicle is involved in a recall.
Is a used Fiat 500 hatchback reliable?
The 500 Electric didn't feature in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey. The regular petrol-engined Fiat 500 fared badly, though; it finished in 19th position out of 20 cars in the small car class with an overall score of 82.1%.
Fiat, as a car brand, finished in 25th place out of 31 manufacturers in our most recent reliability survey, putting it above Ford and VW but below Mini and Toyota. Its overall score was just 88.2%.
Used Fiat 500 Electric: owners' reliability data
Owners we've spoken to have generally been satisfied with their Fiat 500 Electrics, even if some experienced software glitches.
