Ted Welford heads to Italy to sample Fiat’s first electrified model in Europe

What is it?

The 500’s styling remains largely unchanged – but that’s no bad thing. (Fiat)

It’s no understatement to say that the 500 is Fiat’s icon – a model that keeps soldiering on with minimal changes, yet never seems to look a day older.

The reborn 500 was launched in 2007, and while there have been more special editions than there have been DFS sales, as well as a mild facelift a few years back, it’s more or less the same car that it was 13 years ago.

But with manufacturers increasingly under pressure to make their cars more environmentally friendly, it’s time for the first electrified Fiats to show their faces…

What’s new?

This is the first electrified Fiat to be sold in Europe. (Fiat)

First things first, we should get out of the way that this isn’t technically Fiat’s first electrified model, as a pure-electric 500e has previously been sold in small numbers in the States.

However, it’s the first electrified model for Europe – featuring a new 1.0-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor and battery, which will over time replace the existing 1.2-litre petrol unit previously available.

To help celebrate the new powertrain, there’s yet another special version – the Hybrid Launch Edition in this case. More on that later.

What’s under the bonnet?

The 500 Hybrid has a 1.0-litre petrol engine and electric motor. (Fiat)

The 1.0-litre petrol unit in the 500 Hybrid is the latest in Fiat’s FireFly engine series, though it’s the first to be fitted with mild-hybrid technology. It combines the block with a belt-starter generator and a small battery.

Watching paint dry feels quicker than waiting for the 500 to get up to speed, with just 69bhp and 92Nm on tap. The sprint from 0-60mph takes a rather lethargic 13.8 seconds, and maxed out, Fiat says it will hit 104mph. The firm also promises that it delivers 25 per cent more torque than before, though you’d struggle to tell.

The mild-hybrid technology does, however, bring efficiency savings, with Fiat claiming it will return 53.3mpg, while CO2 emissions are particularly low at 88g/km – that’s 20 per cent less than the outgoing 1.2-litre petrol engine.

What’s it like to drive?

The Fiat 500 is nippy about town but acceleration is incredibly slow. (Fiat)

Fiat has the city car market nailed, and the 500 is truly excellent in urban areas. Its light steering (enhanced further with a ‘City’ mode) makes it incredibly nippy, and tremendously easy to park. And while it takes a while to get up to speed, that doesn’t matter too much when you’re zipping between the lights.

The ride could be more comfortable, though refinement on the whole is decent, and thanks to a six-speed manual transmission (most cars in this segment only have five gears) it doesn’t feel too far out of its depth at higher speeds. That’s providing you keep at a constant speed – trying to overtake at anything above 50mph feels like an impossibility.

One bizarre feature of the hybrid, though, is the coasting function. It’s only available at slower speeds, though it’s unlike many mild-hybrids which automatically disengage once you haven’t been accelerating for a few seconds. That’s because the Fiat needs you to put into neutral to be able to take advantage of this – it’s something that feels unnatural, and also not particularly safe.

How does it look?

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