Car review: 2024 Fiat 500e La Prima
The Fiat 500 is an automotive icon, up there with the Volkswagen Beetle and Mini for cuteness and popularity.
A motoring icon (in disguise)
Now in an EV format, this motoring legend is set to have another lease of life and attract a new generation of buyers.
Buying a Fiat 500e is an emotional decision because at more than $57,000 it’s not cheap, and even less so if you choose certain paint options. The value is in the “look at me” styling, which is bound to turn heads.
There’s only one variant available in Australia – La Prima. It comes with a decent list of standard features, including a panoramic fixed-glass roof, heated front seats, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with DAB digital radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and adaptive cruise control.
Design and function
The 1960s retro styling comes at the expense of functionality, with the rear seats only suitable for kids. However, the small hatchback does have 50:50 split rear seats to make some use of the available space. On the other hand, the good thing about the Fiat’s petiteness is the clear visibility from the driver’s seat. This is thanks to the large glass area and higher seating position, and what you can’t see is covered by the blind-spot monitoring system and rear-view camera
Soft-touch switches mounted in the interior and exterior door trims replace the traditional interior door handles and a set of easy-to-use, dash-mounted push buttons replace the gear shift. There’s also a wireless charging pad for your phone.
On the road
The 500e is no sports car, nor is it light at 1.3 tonnes, but the acceleration from the front-mounted 87kW motor is all you need to reach highway speeds. The 500e is happiest in the city where it’s easy to drive and park, but if you’re taking it up to the Adelaide Hills or other windy, steep roads, it still handles like a go-kart.
The tech
A large, easy-to-use 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen takes pride of place in the centre of the dash, and can swivel from portrait to landscape at the push of a button (something of a gimmick). It houses wired Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. There’s also a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster while the top-spec Premium gets a head-up display. It all feels very high-tech.
Driving range
Equipped with a 42kWh battery, the 500e delivers a claimed range of 311km while using power at a rate of around 14kW per hour. Hooked up to an 85kW DC fast charger, Fiat claims a zero to 80 per cent charge capability of 35 minutes.
The three driving modes can be selected via the console-mounted switch. I’d suggest using the RANGE mode that allows one-pedal driving to recover the most electrical energy during deceleration and send it back to battery storage.
The bottom line
You’ll buy the 500e with your heart as its cute, easy-to-live-with nature will overcome the impracticality that comes with such an expensive, small city car.
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Price | $57,284 |
| ANCAP safety rating | 4 stars |
| Range | 311km |
| Warranty | Three years or 150,000km (whichever comes first) |
| Battery warranty | Eight years or 160,000km (whichever comes first) |
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