Abarth 500e 2023 review

Local pricing for the Abarth 500e is yet to be confirmed, but we know only the top-spec Turismo coupe will be heading our way, and although it’s available in other markets, there’s no cabriolet-style convertible version for Australia.

However, pricing for the world’s biggest RHD market, the UK, has been set, and based on like-for-like comparison of existing Abarth models, our best estimate is an entry-price of around $65,000, before on-road costs.

The 500e wears 18-inch alloy wheels.

Upfront of the 500e are LED headlights.

Inside the 500e is a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen.

Behind the Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel is a 7.0-inch digital driver's display.

The 500e's seats are clad in Alcantara synthetic suede.

For that money you can expect climate control, a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 7.0-inch digital driver’s display, keyless entry and start (complete with wearable key), seven-speaker JBL premium audio (including a sub-woofer in the boot and a 320-watt eight-channel amp), wireless charging, Alcantara synthetic suede on the seats. dash and doors, a leather and Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and alloy pedal covers.

There’s also sat–nav, LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera with 360-degree view and a panoramic glass sunroof.

There’s nothing quite like this three-door EV hot hatch in the Australian market, but if we’re close on pricing, the top-spec ‘Mini Yours’ Mini Cooper Electric will be a rival, as will the five-door Cupra Born and base Tesla Model 3, not to mention the production version of the Alpine A290, although the latter is a couple of years away.

Although it’s all-new, the Abarth 500e isn’t a major design departure from the Fiat 500-based Abarth models we’ve known for close to a decade.

It dwarfs the tiny Fiat 500s and 750s Carlo Abarth’s company tuned in the 1960s and ‘70s but this car is still small by modern standards.

Yet the car’s performance intent is clear with a deep front bumper including a splitter-type insert underneath the honeycomb grille.

New stand-out colours of the 500e include ‘Poison Blue.’

A diffuser under the 500e's rear bumper enhances the micro macho look.

Big 18-inch rims dial up the 500e's sporty character.

The 500e's headlight design features a curved solid black insert.

Abarth's signature scorpion logo now features a lightning bolt running through it.

Big 18-inch rims dial up the sporty character, while side skirts, a diffuser under the rear bumper and a large roof spoiler enhance the micro macho look.

Car-spotters should also note the distinctive split headlight design from the Fiat 500e has been tweaked here with a curved solid black insert taking the place of the upper DRL.

Head of Fiat/Abarth design, François Leboine, told us it’s a key part of the car’s more aggressive expression.

New stand-out colours include the hero ‘Acid Green’ and ‘Poison Blue’, joining ‘Antidote White’, ‘Venom Black’ and ‘Adrenaline Red’.

You won’t miss them in the car park! And the signature scorpion logo, now electrified with a lightning bolt running through it, is a cool repeating graphic across the exterior and interior.

Speaking of which, the cabin exudes a suitably racy cockpit vibe, with high-back Alcantara-trimmed sports front seats, a flat-bottom Alcantara and leather-trimmed steering wheel and contrast colours applied to accents and stitching on the upholstery. The Alcantara extends to the dash and doors, too, enhancing the snug, focused feel.

There’s even a set of ancillary instruments available in the ‘Performance Pages’ on the 10.25-inch central media screen covering power, battery status, temperature and voltage of 12V battery.

Worth noting this is a four-seater only and although it boasts a longer (2322mm) wheelbase and wider tracks than the combustion Abarth 695, it’s still a decidedly compact hatch at just over 3.6m long, a little under 1.7m wide and a touch more than 1.5m tall.

There’s more than enough breathing space up front, but storage is relatively modest, comprising a tray between the front seats (complete with roll-top lid), another storage box/armrest above that, a small glove box and bins in the doors with just enough room for a decent-size bottle.

Move to the back, and, no surprise, it’s super tight. More like ‘+2’ seats and effectively a kids-only zone, and even then, those in front will need to give ground to free up some legroom.

For connectivity, there are USB-A and USB-C ports for power and media, plus a 12V socket in the centre storage tray and another in the boot.

Continuing the limited space theme, the boot is tiny at 185L (VDA). Enough room for a few soft bags, although the rear seat split-folds 50/50 to open up substantially more room (550L VDA).

Given the front powertrain, FWD configuration, it’s no surprise there’s no frunk, the Abarth 500e is a no-tow zone, and don’t bother looking for a spare of any description – your only option is a repair/inflator kit.

Powering this little rocket ship is a traction electric motor sending 114kW/235Nm to the front wheels via a single-speed reduction gear automatic transmission.

It’s fed by a 42kWh lithium-ion battery, the set-up running on a 400-volt electric architecture.

That 42kWh battery is connected to an 85kW DC charging system, with Abarth claiming it makes 40km of range available after five minutes, and 80 per cent of range in 35 minutes.

The charging port is a CCS Type 2 combo, and the AC maximum is 11kW, taking four hours for a full charge.

Maximum range is 265km and energy consumption on the WLTP cycle is 17kWh/100km.

Our relatively brief steer didn’t allow for a meaningful test figure. That will have to wait for evaluation on local soil.

Maximum range of the 500e is 265km.

The 500e's energy consumption on the WLTP cycle is 17kWh/100km.

The 500e's 42kWh battery is connected to an 85kW DC charging system.

Abarth claims its 500e will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.0sec, which is quicker than the combustion Abarth 695.

For example, at 1.5sec, it’s a second quicker from 40-60km/h, and the car feels typically EV fast in a straight line.

Then, far from being a usual, eerily quiet EV, traditionalists can tune a ‘Sound Generator’ to what Abarth calls “the unmistakable Abarth roar, faithfully reproducing the sound of an Abarth petrol engine”, right down to the Record Monza exhaust note.

It allegedly took two years to develop and hooks the accelerator up with the audio equivalent of the rise and fall of a petrol engine’s revs. Incidentally, you can dial up a rock guitar tone inside the cabin every time the car is turned on or off.

The ‘engine’ noise is close to anti-socially loud from the outside, and suitably raucous inside, but turn it off and the Abarth loses a chunk of its personality, feeling a lot like any other EV.

We had the chance to drive the car on Stellantis’ sprawling (and beautiful) Balocco proving ground (mid-way between Milan and Turin, in North-West Italy), as well as public roads around the town.

Getting in, before pushing around one of the test facility’s ride and handling loops, I didn’t hold out great hopes for the Sound Generator, but got out of the car after a few laps unable to wipe the smile off my face.

Then, on the outside drive, we turned the sound off for the first half and the change was marked.

I’m not in love with the idea of a synthetic engine and exhaust soundtrack, but it makes such a big difference to this car’s personality.

Maybe the bigger question is whether this kind of Band Aid solution to a sporty EV’s inherently silent nature is sustainable in the long term? I don’t think so.

Another issue is the fact that with a single ratio transmission, you reach 70 or 80km/h and it feels (sounds?) like the ‘engine’ is madly over-revving.

You just want to pull a couple of higher gears to relieve the stress. A particular factor on the freeway, so maybe silent running is the best option there.

There are three drive modes. ‘Turismo’ lowers outputs to 100kW and 220Nm for smooth acceleration and improved efficiency. ‘Scorpion Street’ combines full performance with ‘single-pedal’ regen braking, and as the name implies, ‘Scorpion Track’ is maximum attack mode with minimal driver aids operating.

We spent time in all three modes across road and track driving, and Scorpion Street provides the best balance most of the time.

Suspension is by struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear, and the big surprise is how well this car rides.

There’s a specific damper tune for the Abarth 500e, compared to the Fiat 500e, and even when driving over some pretty ordinary B-road surfaces it feels agreeably comfortable.

Weight distribution is 57 per cent front, 43 per cent rear, and you have a battery pack weighing close to 300kg located under the floor.

So, the centre of gravity is low and the car feels balanced and predictable in cornering. Coming out of hairpin bends on the Balocco test track, the Abarth 500e put its power down without fuss.

Steering feel and response is good, too, especially through the grippy leather and Alcantara-trimmed wheel.

Although it’s small the Abarth 500e weighs in at 1375kg, so, in combination with the car’s performance, braking is a big factor.

For a start, it’s fitted with 281mm ventilated discs at the front and 278mm solid rotors at the rear (the Fiat 500e runs rear drums). They’re a little abrupt on initial application, but strong and progressive from there.

A note for left-foot brakers, though. Apply pressure to the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time and the car bogs down in a case of minor paralysis. A quick dab on the brake is required to get things going again.

The regen braking, right up to single-pedal driving, is satisfyingly effective.

For example, given the transmission is a single-ratio auto, the placement of buttons in the centre of the dash to control its operation makes a lot of sense.

A minor black mark goes against small opening levers located low down in the door panel. Not exactly easy to get to.

The Fiat 500e this Abarth is based on scored four from a maximum five stars when it was assessed by Euro NCAP in 2021, with relatively low scores in the ‘Vulnerable Road User’ and ‘Safety Assist’ categories.

That said, active crash-avoidance tech includes Auto emergency braking (AEB), operational from 5.0km/h, with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, a reversing camera with 360-degree overhead view as well as proximity sensors front and rear, traffic sign recognition, ‘Intelligent Speed Assist’, lane-keeping assist, driver fatigue monitoring, cruise control, auto high/low beam LED headlights and blind spot monitoring.

An ‘Electronic Rollover Mitigation System’ monitors the wheels in extreme manoeuvres, managing the brakes and motor power to reduce the possibility of lift-off.

If a crash is unavoidable there are six airbags – dual front, front side, and curtains, although the increasingly prevalent front centre bag is missing in action.

There’s a back-to-base emergency call function triggered by airbag deployment, as well as top tethers and ISOFIX anchors in the two rear seat positions.

The Abarth 500e will be covered by Fiat Australia’s three-year/150,000km warranty, which is well off the market standard of five years/unlimited km.

Separate warranty cover for the battery is yet to be confirmed, but expect it to match the industry standard of eight-years/160,000km.

Although service intervals are also unconfirmed, in Europe they’re set at 12 months/15,000km, which is short for an electric vehicle. And we’ll have to stand by until closer to launch for service costs.