The new Fiat 500 is here with a fresh look and… is one of the slowest cars on sale! – Autocar
The new Fiat 500 will arrive in the UK next summer with a 64bhp hybrid powertrain.
Sold alongside the visually identical 500e EV, the new 500 Hybrid will be offered in both hatch and convertible forms, like its predecessor.
At the heart of the Hybrid is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine and 12V battery – a similar set-up to the previous car’s but downrated by 5bhp. In the new model, the power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.
With just 64bhp on tap, the new 500 Hybrid hatch needs 16.2sec to reach 62mph from standing and the convertible takes 17.3sec . Top speed is rated at 96mph.
The new 500 has a claimed fuel economy of 53mpg, similar to the car it replaces. Fiat says it has been designed for “efficient, urban motoring”.
The new hybrid model is otherwise very different from its predecessor because it uses the same platform as the 500e.
The move to new underpinnings was made because the old model, which was mechanically 17 years old, fell foul of new EU cybersecurity laws.
Upgrading the old car to comply with the new EU regs would have meant a costly re-homologation effort, so the unprecedented move to retrofit an electric car platform with a combustion engine was seen as the most cost-effective solution.
Visually, the new 500 Hybrid looks identical to the electric 500e except for a reworked front grille to feed more air to a petrol engine.
It also adopts the 500e’s interior, which includes Stellantis’s 10.25in touchscreen. Alongside this, the dashboard features a larger and squarer new storage cubby and the gearlever is elevated alongside the steering wheel – as in the old petrol 500.
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The small EV class is developing rapidly, yet Fiat has done nothing more to its electric 500 than change some coloured bits…
The arrival of the new hybrid model also means production moves from Tychy, Poland, to Mirafiori, Italy – where the 500e is built. It is understood that this will help increase production rates at the Italian factory amid slow sales of the 500e and its Abarth 500e hot hatch sibling, which led Fiat to pause lines on several occasions last year.
Speaking previously, Fiat CEO Olivier François acknowledged the challenges, saying that the 500 Hybrid will boost production at Mirafiori “to ensure the plant’s productivity”.
He added that launching a new combustion-engined 500 in response to flagging sales of the EV serves as “proof that social relevance is at the core of the brand mission”.
Production of European-spec 500 Hybrids began last week. Right-hand-drive models are due to start production from April. Fiat predicts more than 100,000 examples will roll off production lines each year.
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Will is Autocar’s news editor. His focus is on setting Autocar’s news agenda, interviewing top executives, reporting from car launches, and unearthing exclusives.
As part of his role, he also manages Autocar Business – the brand’s B2B platform – and Haymarket’s aftermarket publication CAT.
As part of Autocar’s news desk, Charlie plays a key role in the title’s coverage of new car launches and industry events. He’s also a regular contributor to its social media channels, creating content for Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter.
Charlie joined Autocar in July 2022 after a nine-month stint as an apprentice with sister publication What Car?, during which he acquired his gold-standard NCTJ diploma with the Press Association.
He is the proud owner of a Mk4 Mazda MX-5 but still feels pangs of guilt over selling his first car, a Fiat Panda 100HP.
I welcome a new petrol powered 500, but 64hp in 2025? What are Fiat thinking? This isn’t the 525 kg 500 of the 60s. Bring us an ICE Abarth version please.
Am I missing the “fresh look”?
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