Fiat 500 Hybrid Review: Back to the Past
Originally planned to be all-electric, the current Fiat 500 is now available again as a gasoline-powered model. Only 65 PS? In our test, the mild hybrid turned out to be sluggish, but still fun to drive.
Get in and be amazed: Seriously, are we supposed to shift gears manually again for a change? Anyone driving a new car these days has almost forgotten how to use the clutch and shift gears: Only one in every 20 new cars still requires manual shifting. Even crazier in this age of electric cars: You start it up—and the Fiat 500 chugs away merrily, with that classic three-cylinder sound. Just like the old days: It’s now available again with a gas engine, in addition to the electric version.
Lots of charm, not much «oomph»
It’s also surprising when you look at the spec sheet. Are these perhaps the specs for the base 500 from 2007? Just 48 kW/65 PS and 16 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h! Why? There wasn’t room for anything bigger than a one-liter three-cylinder engine because the current 500, introduced in 2020, was designed as a pure electric car with limited space for the powertrain. But customers’ eyes welled up at the sight of the electric model’s price list: 24,990 francs for a 3.63-meter city runabout? That explains the hybrid, priced starting at 19,990 francs.
Better to Travel Than to Speed
On a highway incline, the 65 cavalli are sweating—despite weighing only 1.1 metric tons—in sixth gear, just like Italians at the sight of a Hawaiian pizza. To pick up speed quickly, with the semi-truck in our rearview mirror, we have to shift all the way back down to fourth gear. Phew! «Nice try» would be a good title, we think. Then off to the city. Here, it’s a breeze, even if the supposed assistance from the e-hybrid system remains imperceptible: This works!
On the open road. It handles flat terrain just fine. On hills, it’s just like the old days—which, to our own surprise, fits the nostalgic character of the 500: After some initial sighs about the lack of power, your shifting hand, clutch foot, and gas pedal soon find their rhythm: rev it up quickly, shift gears eagerly—it works. Tip: keep it Mediterranean-chill. At one point, a massive V8 SUV passes us uphill, but two tight turns later, our little wonder of agility has caught up to it again. And officially, the hybrid gets 5.6 l/100 km; in our test, it was 5.7 l/100 km—and even the 4 before the decimal point is doable.
In any case, we could simply never be mad at the «Cinquecento» (also available as a convertible or with an extra side door). For its charming look (in our test: «Torino» Edition, 21,990 francs), we’re willing to overlook a backseat that’s cramped even for kids and the overly high seating position. The cockpit is a feast for the eyes, and the suspension is spot-on. «Made in Torino» is proudly engraved on the door handle. And rightly so.
Expert opinion
Fiat 500 Hybrid «Torino»
Is the hybrid version the best case for the electric version? Yes and no. Sure, more power would be nice. But we’re excited to see this charming little speedster, the 500, practically race back onto the scene.
Advantages
+ lots of charm
+ a little thirst
+ We love him
Disadvantages
– 65 PS is just really not much
– not really a stock at all
