First Drive: Fiat’s 500 Hybrid is a plucky and cheeky little city car

What is it?

The A-segment city car class has become a niche category in the new car market, with vehicle manufacturers focusing more towards EVs and ultra-compact SUVs.

Fiat seems to think differently and has continued to sell its beloved 500 as well as offer an electric variant with the 500e.

However, with the electric car’s high price tag and compromised claimed range, it hasn’t really caught on here in the UK. As a result, the Italian firm has gone back to basics and decided to relaunch the 500 with a new petrol powertrain to sit alongside the EV. Welcome to the 500 Hybrid, a cheeky, affordable and charming city car that wants to keep the A-segment city car ball rolling. The question we want to know is, will this new powertrain continue the 500’s success into the future?

What’s new?

There’s nothing new about the car’s styling, with only very subtle changes made compared to the electric 500e.

It’s what’s underneath that matters, as the car now utilises a petrol engine with an electric motor to make it easier to live with and similarly efficient as the EV model.

Inside, the recipe remains the same as before with a curved dashboard design, decent standard equipment levels and the choice of a three-door hatchback and two-door Convertible with the 500c.

What’s under the bonnet?

The 500 Hybrid is only available with one powertrain, which is a 1.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol mated to a 12-volt lithium-ion battery.

In terms of numbers, the setup produces just 64bhp and 92Nm of torque, while 60mph comes round in a rather lethargic 16 seconds and the car runs out of steam at 96mph.

Fiat claims that the car can manage up to 53mpg on the combined cycle and that it emits between 119 and 121g/km of CO2, depending on which trim level you go for.

As standard, all Hybrid models of the 500 are equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox.

What’s it like to drive?

The 500 feels most at home around the city with its light steering and tight turning circle.

It can feed through narrow gaps in traffic with ease, while it has no problem darting up and down urban streets too.

The little 1.0-litre engine feels fairly perky at lower speeds and the six-speed manual gearbox is light and easy to use. The car’s clutch is also a breeze to use and has a nice feel to it, while visibility is great thanks to the thin B and C-pillars.

Get out of town and onto the open road and you notice some of the 500 Hybrid’s weaknesses. That light steering is too vague and doesn’t inspire any confidence in where the front tyres are actually pointing, and the rather sluggish 64bhp powertrain struggles up hills – you have to work through the gears a lot of the time to make any decent progress.

How does it look?

The 500 Hybrid looks identical to the electric car, which means it has lots of charm and character.

Its curvy and bubble shape-like proportions give the car a distinctive appearance, along with its circular LED daytime running lights and headlights, flush door handles and square-shaped rear tail lights.

The only exterior changes over the 500e are the lower front radiator grille, to allow air to cool the engine, the ‘Hybrid’ badging and a tiny exhaust tip located under the rear bumper.

We’re driving the ‘Torino’ launch edition model which also comes with ‘500 Torino’ plaques on the rear quarter panels of the car.

What’s it like inside?

Nothing has changed inside when it comes to design, style and storage over the electric model.

You still get the same two-spoke steering wheel, curved and colour-coded dashboard design and lots of physical controls.

The only change comes from the dash-mounted gear lever, which fits perfectly in the palm of your hand and makes the car a lot more involving to drive.

Material quality is lacking to an extent, with a lot of hard and scratchy plastics dotted throughout the cabin; a Kia Picanto feels posher inside compared to this Italian alternative.

Storage up front is good, with lots of deep pockets in the centre console, spacious door bins and a fairly long and wide glove box.

It’s in the back where the 500 starts to fall, as rear-seat space is very cramped, with limited head and legroom for even average-sized adults; the rear is only best-suited for children.

Then there’s the boot. Measuring at just 185 litres, and 550 litres with the rear seats folded down, it’s the same as the electric model, though a lot less than the 252 litres that you’ll find in a Hyundai i10.

What’s the spec like?

From launch in the first quarter of next year, the UK market will receive three different trim levels of 500 Hybrid.

Prices have not been confirmed at this stage, although it’s anticipated that the range will kick off from around £18,995 for the entry-level Icon, which will put it on price parity with its bigger brother, the Grande Panda Hybrid.

Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, automatic climate control, a 10.25-inch touchscreen display and rear parking sensors. La Prima cars boast further toys such as 17-inch alloy wheels, a fixed glass sunroof, a reversing camera and eco-leather upholstery.

We’re driving the ‘Torino’ model, which will be available for a limited time after the car’s launch and includes unique ‘Torino’ badging, special fabric and vinyl upholstery and rear parking sensors.

If you fancy the Convertible model, there will be a premium to pay for the 500c, with it estimated to cost an additional £3,000 more than the standard three-door hatchback, meaning prices will start from around £21,995.

Verdict

The 500 is Fiat’s baby, and it’s great that the firm has launched a hybrid variant of this great little city car.

Its cheeky charm, stylish exterior design, decent storage and low running costs could sprinkle a bit of hope into the fading city car class.

The sluggish powertrain, cheap-feeling materials and limited interior space may not make it a class-leader, but Fiat really knows how to make a fun and classless small car, and the 500 Hybrid delivers that in spades.