2022 Fiat 500 review

No one listened to me when I argued that the reborn Fiat 500 was the most over-rated car of the last 15 years. And why should they? The little car is in many ways a fashion accessory, a subject about which I know nothing.

But here’s another, new from the ground up, larger in every single direction and a pure EV to boot, though the old car remains on sale.

Prices start at just below £30,000, which buys you a 42kWh battery, 118bhp, and a range of 200 miles. Compared to other fashionista electric hatches, that’s a lot more than either a Mini Electric or Honda E.

Thanks to its size and the inherent space efficiency of EV design, it’s a roomy car, which is no great surprise. But it doesn’t just look like a premium product, it feels like one too. The car I drove was beautifully constructed and while there are some cheap materials inside, they’re nothing like as conspicuous as you’ll find in, say, a Volkswagen ID.3.

It’s easy to operate, predictably quiet and unpredictably comfortable. Best of all, if you keep it in ‘normal’ mode, power delivery is impressively linear. It’s not much to drive, thanks to dead steering and suspension that gets bouncy when you push it, but who’s going to do that? Of the small electrics I’ve driven, it is the idea of the Honda I like most, but the execution of this Fiat I like best. I wish it well. Which, for a modern 500, is a first.

 

Fiat 500

• Price £29,435
• Engine Front electric motor, 42kWh battery
• Power 118bhp
• Torque 162lb ft
• Weight 1365kg
• Power to weight 86bhp per tonne
• Transmission Single-speed, front-wheel drive
• 0-60mph 9.0sec
• Top speed 96mph
• Economy 200.1mpg
• CO2 0g/km
• Verdict A match for the Honda E