Fiat 500e review

Introduction

If it’s retro charm you’re after, there aren’t many new cars that come close to the uber-chic, heritage-inspired Fiat 500. 

With looks harking back to the 1957 classic of the same name, this 21st-century reimagining of the Fiat 500 (or Cinquecento as it's known in Italy) can still turn heads more than a decade after its launch, and remains one of the best-selling city cars. But does it deserve its ongoing success?

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Over the years, Fiat has made (very) minor tweaks to the 500's exterior styling and the interior, but more significant improvements to the engines and infotainment system. That said, the competition in this class is far from weak and rivals have more modern and sophisticated underpinnings.

So, how does the Fiat 500 stack up against similar-sized alternatives, such as the Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto and Volkswagen Up? We're focusing on the regular hatchback model in this review – you can read about the convertible Fiat 500C and feisty Abarth 595 hot hatch separately. 

Overview

The Fiat 500e is great around town and looks the part. However, plenty of rivals offer a longer range between charges and have far more space for people and luggage. If you do buy a 500e, we'd recommend getting the 42kWh battery (118bhp) version with the entry-level trim.

What's new?

• November 2025: we revisit the 500e to see how it compares to its newest rivals
• July 2021: first UK drives of the 500e
• January 2021: 500e crowned Best Small EV at What Car? awards

Pros

• Fun and easy to drive around town
• Small battery version is reasonably priced
• Cheery interior

Cons

• Tiny rear seats
• Noisy at motorway speeds
• Rivals can go further on a charge

What's new?

• November 2025: we revisit the 500e to see how it compares to its newest rivals
• July 2021: first UK drives of the 500e
• January 2021: 500e crowned Best Small EV at What Car? awards

Trims available

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Our pick of the range brings a generous amount of kit for the money, building on the Red’s spec with keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers and 50:50 split-folding rear seats.

La Prima

This flagship model comes with the most kit, including wireless phone-charging, a panoramic roof, a front centre armrest, 17in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control and a six-speaker sound system.

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Performance & drive

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

How fast is it and which motor is best?

The cheapest Fiat 500e is called the 70kW and it’s powered by a 94bhp electric motor. It's not our favourite version, though – the official 0-62mph time of 9.5sec is relatively tardy by modern electric car standards but, more importantly, it can’t travel very far between charges. More on that below.

The 87kW version boosts power to 116bhp and offers nippier acceleration – especially when you’re out of the city limits. It can do 0-62mph in 9.0sec, which is about the same as an entry-level Renault 5 Urban Range.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The 500e is built for the city so it has a tight turning circle and is great for nipping along narrow streets and negotiating tight car parks.

It doesn’t lean too much, even through tight turns, and has plenty of grip. There's not much feedback from its super-light steering though, so a Renault 5 feels more composed and confidence-inspiring at faster speeds.

The ride is a bit choppy but not uncomfortably so. In short, while the Hyundai Inster and Renault 5 feel calmer and more settled along most roads, the 500 is never too jarring or annoying.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

The 500 isn’t as hushed around town as a Renault 5 – you just aren’t insulated as well from the outside world, even in the hardtop let alone the 500e Cabrio.

At faster speeds the difference is even more stark, because the 500e whips up far more wind and road noise than its equally retro rival. Again, the fabric-roofed Cabrio does an even worse job than the hatchback here.

That said, when you fold down its top you aren’t blown around as much as you might imagine. That’s partly because of the "air cap" at the top of the windscreen, which diverts air over occupants' heads.

The brakes aren’t too grabby, either, so you won’t find yourself doing an unintended impression of a learner driver when slowing down.

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

If you want the entry-level 70kW version of the Fiat 500e you’ll have to go for the hardtop. It has a tiny battery with a usable capacity of 21.3kWh and an official range of just 118 miles. In the real world, you’ll be lucky to get 80 miles before stopping to plug in, so this version is best avoided unless you’re after a second (or perhaps even third) car for nipping around town.

Not that the 87kW version with its 37.3kWh battery is exactly fit for crossing continents. However, it does boost the official range to 199 miles (188 miles in the Cabrio). In our real-world winter range test, the hardtop with this larger battery managed 118 miles before grinding to a halt.

Going for the bigger battery brings the ability to charge quicker, too. The 21.3kWh battery can accept a peak charging rate of just 50kW so you’ll be waiting around 25min for a 10-80% top up. You’ll be waiting about the same time for a 10-80% charge of the 37.3kWh battery, too, but remember because it’s a bigger battery you’ll be adding range at a faster rate.

Even so, plenty of rivals, including the Nissan Micra and class-leading Renault 5, can charge faster and travel greater distances before stopping.

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

Given its retro exterior styling, you might be surprised by the relatively modern and conventional look of the Fiat 500e's interior. True, the dashboard has been loosely inspired by that of the 1950s original but don’t expect any analogue instrument dials or retro switches.

The cheaper versions have a dark grey interior, but the higher trims bring lighter colour schemes, including beige (La Prima). There’s usually at least one special edition trim on offer, most of which are partnerships with Italian fashion houses (such as Giorgio Armani). 

Whichever 500e you go for, you won’t find as many upmarket, soft-touch materials inside it as you will in a Peugeot e-208 or Renault 5, but everything feels solidly screwed together.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

You sit fairly high up in the Fiat 500e (certainly higher than in a Renault 5). The driver's seat provides enough support and all versions have reach adjustment for the steering wheel, something you don’t get on several cheaper alternatives, including the Dacia Spring.

However, there's not much space to rest your left foot because the pedal area is rather cramped, and you'll need to go for at least La Prima trim if you want seat-height adjustment and a central armrest.

You do get a good view of the road ahead and to the sides though. Over-the-shoulder visibility isn’t brilliant, but all trims have a reversing camera as standard, with a 360deg ‘drone view’ camera fitted to La Prima models and above.

Those top trims also get standard LED headlights for better visibility at night.

Is the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

Every 500e comes with a 10.3in infotainment touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. Apart from a few small icons on the main homepage, the interface is fairly easy to get to grips with and the screen responds quickly when you press it.

In short, it's better than the infotainment system in the Peugeot e-208, although the Renault 5’s Google-based system is even more capable and easier to use.

Go for La Prima trim or above and you’ll get an upgraded JBL sound system, which adds more bass if not amazing definition. La Prima is also the entry point for a wireless charging pad, although all versions of the 500e have a couple of USB sockets for charging your phone on the move.

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

How much space does it have for people?

You’ll have seen countless Fiat 500s on the road over the past few years so you’ll already be aware that this isn’t a big car. However, other than the cramped pedal area we’ve already mentioned, the 500e is roomy enough in the front for a couple of six-footers.

There’s even a respectable amount of stowage space, with a tray halfway up the dashboard that’s the perfect size for your phone. True, the door pockets are quite small but there’s a long, narrow cubby between the front seats. On La Prima and Giorgio Armani versions this cubby has a lid to hide your valuables.

Rear passengers are somewhat less well-catered for. For starters, there are no rear doors, so getting in means clambering through a small gap between the door pillar and the front seats. And when you’re in, you’ll find only seats and even less head and leg room than in a Mini Cooper Electric.

The Renault 5 also has more space in the back, as does the BYD Dolphin Surf and Citroën ë-C3. If you’re looking for an occasional four-seater, though, that’s unlikely to be a dealbreaker.

How much room does it have for luggage?

If you go for the hardtop 500e, the hatchback tailgate lifts to reveal a small load bay that can hold three carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf. Yes, that’s one more than you’ll fit in the boot of a Mini Cooper Electric, but the Renault 5 can swallow four cases and the Citroën ë-C3 five.

Access to the boot is more restricted in the Cabrio version because the boot lid is much smaller (more like a saloon car’s). This version can take only two carry-on cases.

If you need to carry more, the rear seatbacks can be folded down in a 50/50 split.

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Fiat 500e has a higher starting price than some rivals, including the Renault 5. And remember that’s for the smaller-battery model, which has a paltry range between charges.

If you want the bigger battery (which you probably will), then you’ll be spending even more cash. There’s also another sizeable price jump if you want the Cabrio rather than the hardtop, so overall the 500e isn’t the bargain you might be hoping for.

The cheapest trim gets you most of the essentials, including 16in alloys, keyless entry, automatic air-conditioning and cruise control. The Red version is essentially the same when it comes to creature comforts but has a red (rather than grey) dashboard. Curiously, you don’t have to have red paint on the outside.

Stepping up to La Prima (available only with the bigger battery) adds heated front seats, 17in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control and the upgraded sound system and a height-adjustable driver’s seat we mentioned earlier. You also get a fixed glass roof – assuming you’re buying the hardtop hatchback version. We don’t think it’s quite worth the extra outlay over the cheaper trims.

The Georgio Armani edition is hard to recommend unless you really love the styling changes it adds.

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

By electric standards, the Fiat 500e scored slightly above average marks in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey. It proved marginally more dependable than the Peugeot e-208, but other direct rivals, including the latest-generation Mini Cooper Electric and the Renault 5, were too new to feature. The most common glitches were electrical issues, although these weren’t related to the electric motor.

If anything goes wrong there’s a three-year, unlimited-mileage standard warranty on most components. The battery is covered by a separate eight-year warranty, although this is capped at 100,000 miles.

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

The Fiat 500e achieved an overall four-star safety rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP back in 2021. That's the same rating as the Peugeot e-208 and Renault 5, but the Mini Cooper Electric was awarded five stars.

It’s also worth noting that the Mini and Renault 5 both scored higher marks than the 500e for their ability to protect both adult and child occupants in a crash.

All versions of the 500e come with lane-keeping assistance, traffic-sign recognition and automatic emergency braking (AEB). Stepping up to at least La Prima adds blindspot monitoring.

However, whichever trim you’re going for you don’t get an alarm. If you want one it’s available as a dealer-fit accessory. All versions of the 500e have an immobiliser to make it tougher for thieves to drive your car away, though.

Buy it if…

- You love the retro styling

- You rarely need to carry more than one passenger

- You’re looking for a budget drop-top (the Cabrio)

Don’t buy it if…

- You regularly travel long distances

- You need to carry adults in the back

- You’re looking for the best-value EV

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