Anthony Fongaro
Think of the ideal city car: one small enough for narrow roads can fit just enough in its trunk for a loaf of bread and has laughably small rear seats. To me, that sounds like the Fiat 500. Yes, the Fiat 500 is still being built, and a new one was created a few years ago. This time, parent group Stellantis decided that the new, or nuovo, 500 should be electric only. Fiat tried that with the previous generation, but that was more like shoving batteries into a 500. Prices have drastically increased; the 500e starts at $33,000 with two models (including this Inspired by Beauty trim level) costing $38,000. It’s expensive, but is it any good?
It harkens back to the 1950s, but the 500e seamlessly combines retro style with modern touches. At the front, the classic circular headlights are split between the hood and front fascia and lower circular lights. Two strips of silver trim at the front has a large 500, with a small side indicator with the Italian flag. Inspired by Beauty vehicles are painted in Rose Gold with an intricate 17-inch wheel. The 500e has the retro silhouette of the 500, along with sculpted door handles and silver trim which includes a badge stating La Prima 500. At the rear is a small liftgate with a Fiat badge and 500e. This is one of the cutest EVs on the market.
Hop inside, and the quirks begin. You sit high in front of a large steering wheel and plenty of headroom. Somehow, all of the buttons feels cheap, with the worst being the large buttons for the transmission. Thankfully, the light colored interior in the Inspiried by vehicles brightens up the interior. Fiat uses a 7.0-inch infotainment system poached from other Stellantis products. It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and works well enough. A toggle switch next to the driver is for the drive modes, but you have to really press it to change the drive modes. There are back seats, but they’re better used folded down to give more room for the trunk. The interior doesn’t feel $38,000, but what about the powertrain?
There is no frunk, but under the hood is a permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor producing 117 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Driving the front-wheels, the 500e accelerates from 0-60 MPH in 7.8 seconds. Normally, that would qualify for the slow lane, but the 500e has plenty of off-the-line poke. Acceleration feels more brisk than it is. EIther part of the appeal or quirckiness of the 500e, there is music that plays once you start accelerating and a Christmas-sounding jingle when you turn the car off. The biggest positive of the 500e is its size. It’s simple to drive in low-speed traffic, but the 500e has quite the bouncy ride. Three drive modes include Normal, Range that introduces one-pedal driving, and Sherpa which cuts the power, the HVAC, and limits the top speed to 50 MPH to squeeze out all the juice in the 37 kWh battery pack. Range is small at around 140 miles, and its 85 kw charge rate means it takes longer than competitors to charge.
This brings us to that $38,000 for the Inspired by Beauty. I wish Fiat priced this about $8,000 less. It may have adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, and emergency braking, but it’s trounced by all of its competitors. Does that make the 500e a bad car? Absolutely not! It’s brimming with character, has a cute body, plenty of room for two, and makes for a great city car. Rose gold paint isn’t for everyone, so I would recommend the Inspired by Music since it comes in black. Fiat plans on creating a hybrid 500 which should cost less, and I hope to test that when it comes out. Yes, the 500e is flawed, but those flaws didn’t stop me from enjoying it. If you’re looking for a second car or drive in the city, I recommend taking a look at the Fiat 500e.
