Fiat 500e La Prima 2025 review

The Fiat 500e – the electric version of Italy’s iconic city car – is arguably too expensive and too compromised to make sense for many. But its charm can transcend sensibility. It’s clearly a car you can love, even against the best pragmatism.

Forgive your author for being completely swept off his feet by this cute little Italian, but it’s just oh-so charming. And in a modern automotive landscape increasingly proliferated by cynical and vapid cookie-cutter sameness, it’s nice to connect an electric car with a lot of character.

But none of this is to say its flaws can be ignored. And what’s perhaps most disappointing is that, much like fellow iconic and reimagined city cars of yesteryear such as the Mini Cooper, the Fiat 500e is now more of a fashion statement attainable by only those with a high disposable income.

In electric form at least, and wanting for over $50K, it feels as far away from the car of the people as it’s ever been. Or is it?

As far as EVs go, the EV-for-the-people mantle now sits neater alongside Chinese competitors such as the MG4 and BYD Dolphin, both available with more space, more power, more range, and more doors, for less than $40 grand.

So who is the Fiat 500e for and is it worth dropping your guard, ignoring its numerous red flags and exchanging numbers with this alluring Italian?

Or is it a whirlwind romance you’ll wake to regret the next morning?

What are the Fiat 500e’s features and options for the price?

The Fiat 500e is available in regular ‘La Prima’ spec as we have on test, or in spicy Abarth Turismo form.

At the time of review, Fiat Australia is offering a $49,990 driveaway deal on La Prima, albeit one due to expire at the end of December, 2024. Our vehicle also adds $990 for the fetching rose gold paint colour.

While the diminutive proportions and short range are probably the two notable hurdles to jump over in justifying the cost – and we’ll cover them shortly – the spec level isn’t bad.

As standard you get features like:

• 17-Inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Daytime running lights
• A panoramic fixed glass roof
• Privacy glass
• ‘Eco-Leather’ seat trim
• Six-way manual front seat adjustment
• Heated front seats
• Front, side and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch infotainment screen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless charging bad
• Six-speaker sound system
• 1 x USB-A and 1 x USB-C ports
• Keyless entry and keyless start
• Climate control
• Auto dimming rear view mirror

So, spec level isn’t necessarily that bad in isolation. 

But when you look at it in context of the fact that it’s a small three-door hatch best suited for two occupants, as well as its slim 311km WLTP electric range claim, it becomes clear that the Fiat 500e’s strength is its charm rather than its value for money.

Let’s see if its driving manners and cabin can justify some of its cost.

How does the Fiat 500e drive?

On paper, the Fiat 500e’s outputs are modest. It has a single electric motor driving the front wheels delivering 87kW/200Nm, enough for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 9.0 seconds.

However, when we last had the 500e in La Prima spec in the Chasing Cars garage we managed a best result of 7.93 seconds, and it certainly doesn’t feel slow.

As an urban-commuter, the power is plenty and the instant torque from the electric motor makes it a breeze for navigating stop-start urban traffic.

The purist in me initially lamented the fact that the 500e is front-wheel drive, unlike the rear-motor rear-drive original that debuted in 1957. And while that would certainly be a nice nod to the original – and potentially increase its driving prowess further – the 500e is still a keen and confident handler.

With a design that proudly pushes its wheels to the outer extreme of each of its corners, no doubt adding a bit of a go-kart-like nature to its dynamics.

While it’s no sports car – and doesn’t pretend to be – the electric Fiat likes to be punted around and driven with purpose. The chassis feels solid, delivering good body control and ample grip.

Couple that with fast, light and direct steering and you’ve got a city car that’s quite playful and really just a pleasure to weave in and out of tight city streets.

Its small size (3.6 metre length, 2.3 metre wheelbase) is a big part of its agile nature and adds to its prowess in the city, in traffic, in tight streets, and crucially, in parking in tight spots.

Importantly, despite this, it didn’t feel too out of place on the highway either, feeling composed and planted at 110km/h.

Ride quality is on the firm side but not uncomfortable and there was some road and wind noise transmitted into the cabin. This was particularly evident on the highway though, otherwise, the 500e delivered a quiet cabin experience.

In fact, if you listen carefully you can hear a very subtle artificial engine note at low speeds, which also incorporates notes from the soundtrack to Federco Fellini’s 1973 film Amacord – a whimsical element that adds to a very Italian experience.

Less whimsical, however, were the incessant beeps of the overzealous parking sensors that kept sounding throughout my drive experience to the point of extreme annoyance, even when I was driving normally with plenty of space between myself and other vehicles.

For a vehicle that’s designed for tight city streets, that’s a hindrance not a help and hopefully just an issue with our test car.

On a more positive note, the brakes felt decent and you can also switch between three different drive modes including normal, range – which maximises regenerative braking so you can enjoy a one-pedal drive experience – and the interestingly named sherpa mode, which switches off the aircon and limits your top-speed to 80km/h, so only to be used when things are dire and you’re running low on electrons.

And this brings us to the electric range.

The 500e features a small 42kWh gross lithium-ion battery pack (37.3kWh usable), with a quoted WLTP range of 311 kilometres and a claim of 14.4kWh/100km.

We conducted our official Chasing Cars highway range test and delivered a highway efficiency of 15.8kWh/100km and an implied highway range of 236km.

Urban results were unsurprisingly better, achieving an average of between 260 and 280 kilometres of implied urban range during our time with the vehicle, or around 13-14kWh/100km, which – range aside – is decently efficient.

Some may look at these results and write the vehicle off. Certainly, if you plan to be spending regular hours on the highway, this is not the vehicle for you.

However, for those that are looking for an around-town city car or second vehicle to be used for short urban trips, it’s perfectly liveable and all one really needs, provided you have the means to charge it.

So, it’s not an all-rounder, but nor does it pretend or set out to be one, and shortcomings aside it delivers a solid and satisfying drive experience, save for probably my biggest ergonomic gripe…

What is the Fiat 500e’s interior and tech like?

The 500e is so likeable that I forgave most of its flaws quite quickly during our time together, except for one directly related to an issue with the interior ergonomics.

The shape and size of the driver’s footwell and the placement of the pedals meant that my left foot didn’t really fit comfortably in the gap in between. This could be a symptom of left to right-hand-drive conversion. Whatever the case, it may be an issue for some budding owners, so definitely try it before you buy.

Italian authenticity? Perhaps. And the Fiat 500e really does celebrate its ‘Italianess’. 

While the aural experience might reference Felini, the interior is all about reinforcing its Italian-flavour with easter eggs such as a wireless charging pad that features the Turin skyline, or door grab handles that feature original Fiat 500 graphic with the words ‘Made in Torino’ embossed next to it.

Some might say it’s gimmicky, but it’s also kind of charming. Maybe I’m still smitten, but it’s a car that inside and outside brings with it a sense of occasion that’s rare to find.

After all, not many competitors – or even its petrol-powered 500 sibling – can boast being made in Italy, with most EVs in Australia, including Teslas and those from many European brands, now sourced from China.

Aside from ergonomics and easter eggs, the interior is a pleasant place to be. It feels well-built and has an appealing design.

The comfortable light-coloured faux-leather seats feature a ‘Fiat’ pattern proudly stitched into them and the pews certainly bring a lightness to what doesn’t feel like a tight or cramped cabin for such a small car. 

That spaciousness only extends to the front-seats however, as this is really only a two-seater – it’s nice to have a second-row and I tried it on a short trip, but really – at 180cm – I wouldn’t want to be spending much time back there. It’s a car for a single person or couple.

There are also more quirky features including the electric push-buttons to open the doors – which are deceptively long when you open them.

And instead of a transmission selector you simply get four separate ‘PRND’ buttons on the dash – kind of cool and definitely saves on space, but give me an old-school lever any day.  

There are also buttons behind the steering wheel to control functions such as volume control, track selection and audio source – given you can’t visually see labels for the button functionality it’s something you’ll need to use your muscle memory for. 

The tech functioned quite well for me overall, and I didn’t have any issues with Apple CarPlay which is what I predominantly used, however the button sizes within the screen are quite small, which means you need to be careful to select the right one.

I’m not advocating for a bigger screen, but perhaps a better use of screen real estate for those not as gifted with their vision or dexterity.

A further criticism, which isn’t exclusively a Fiat-criticism, relates to the glass roof which does come with a ‘sunshade’, but I would use the term loosely.

In a UV-strong country like Australia, I believe all cars with glass roofs should have solid sunshades that give you the ability to completely block the sun out should you desire.  

Finally, boot space is expectedly small at 185 litres – enough for groceries. For bigger trips you can fold the rear seats down 50/50 to make for a much more usable 550-litres of boot space.  

There’s no space for a spare wheel but you do get a tyre repair kit.

Is the Fiat 500e a safe car?

The Fiat 500e has been crash-tested by ANCAP and received a four-star safety rating.

Under 2021 protocols, the 500e scored 78 and 79 per cent respectively for adult and child occupant protection, and 67 per cent apiece for vulnerable road user protection and safety assist.

As standard it comes with active and passive safety features including:

• Six airbags
• Blind spot assist
• Autonomous emergency braking 
• Traffic sign recognition
• Lane keep assist
• Driver behaviour warning
• Adaptive cruise control with lane centering and traffic jam assist
• Front, side and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera

What are the Fiat 500e’s ownership costs?

Service intervals for the Fiat 500e are every 12 months or 15,000kms, whichever comes first. A single visit will set you back $250, which is quite affordable.

The vehicle is covered by Fiat’s three-year, 150,000-kilometre warranty, which is substandard by 2024 measures. Meanwhile, the battery is covered by an eight-year, 160,000km warranty.

The honest verdict on the Fiat 500e

Despite some flaws I’m still smitten and look back on my week-long whirlwind Italian romance fondly.

The small size and short range of the Fiat 500e aren’t necessarily issues when you look at the use-case. What it offers is often all you need for a little runabout electric vehicle.

On top of that, it’s endearing to look at and be with, and it’s fun to drive and engage with.

But, what is an issue in context of all that it offers is the price.

Chasing Cars has recently handed the keys back to our Hyundai Kona Electric, which isn’t much more expensive at $54,000, and for that money you get a significantly larger, more practical vehicle with more range. Or, you can spend less on Chinese-built competitors to get the same if not better all-round credentials.

This is the biggest Achilles heel of the Fiat 500e – it’s priced to be an exclusive fashion statement for those that can afford to buy a cute little second car because they want to go for the style-choice.

Mainstream buyers who might be open to a small EV for the right price would find it hard to justify paying 500e money for its style and Italian flair when they can get significantly more bang for their buck elsewhere.

And, in the face of this stiffening competition, the 500e is struggling, with two recent-production halts in Europe due to haemorrhaging demand giving Fiat owner Stellantis a moment of pause to determine what can be done to reinvigorate sales for the vehicle.

Choice for consumers is good, and having a Torino-made electric option is a good thing. But in the face of broader market challenges and ever-cheaper alternatives, we hope it doesn’t price itself out of existence.

However, price aside, if you can justify it, there’s a lot to fall in love with. I’d happily ask it out on a second date.