Until just yesterday, the cheapest new car you could buy in the United States was the sensible, gas-powered Hyundai Venue. It has five seats, a big trunk, lots of standard safety tech, and a killer 100,000-mile warranty.The Fiat Topolino hasn't got any of these things. It's a tiny, two-seat electric car with rope doors and a suitcase on the back. It also comes at a massive $7,000 discount compared to the Venue, handily displacing it as the cheapest car in America.FiatIt starts at just $14,985, including destination charges. It features a total of eight horsepower from its single electric motor, with a top speed of 19 miles per hour. A near-microscopic 5.0-kilowatt-hour battery, which nets you all of 46 miles of range.AdvertisementAdvertisementEvidently, the intended use case is more than a bit different from the Venue. The Topolino is meant for the tight side streets of America's tiny beach towns; places like Martha's Vineyard, or Anna Maria Island in Florida.FiatThe use case is narrow, largely because of how the Topolino is classified. The vehicle is classified as a quadricycle, though a street-legal kit will up the limit to 25 mph, which will allow owners to drive it on roads with speed limits of less than 25 mph. This kit, thankfully, will be offered to owners at no extra cost.Speaking of no-cost alternatives, the Topolino will offer two trims. The one seen here is the Topolino Dolce Vita ("sweet life" in Italian). This gets you all the fun stuff: the rope doors, the cute roll-up roof, and an accompanying mandolin-driven soundtrack wherever you happen to arrive. The final point might have been a joke, but the rope doors aren't.The Topolino starts under $15,000.FiatThe standard Topolino will come as seen above, with real hinged doors, and a list of standard features that would make a quadricycle embarrassed. These include items like LED lighting, mirrors, seat belts, and any color so long as it's the Verde Vita green shown here.AdvertisementAdvertisementInside, you'll find USB charging, a digital gauge cluster for essentials like your speed, and a phone mount. The Topolino goes on sale in July 2026.This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Aug 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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