Say hello to the 500e’s 'big sister’
- Exterior design and rivals
- Interior and practicality
- Technology and safety
- Performance, battery range and charging speeds
- Ride and handling
- Pricing and on-sale date
- Verdict: Fiat 600e review
Fiat has some expansion work to do. For many years now, the Italian company has relied on the strong sales success of the 500 and has managed to spin a variety of derivatives off that famous old nameplate — such as the ungainly 500L family crossover, and the slightly prettier and more rugged 500X.
But as the company enters the electric age under the umbrella of the vast Stellantis group, Fiat is brushing those aside and offering this, the 600e, as a replacement for the 500X (although they will be on sale alongside each other for now) alongside the excellent little 500e electric city car.
Fiat itself calls the 600e the ‘big sister’ of the 500e. However, while resurrecting another heritage Fiat badge — the original Seicento was produced from 1955 to 1969 — it is far more closely related to other Stellantis electric cars, such as the Peugeot e-2008, Citroën e-C4, DS3 E-Tense, Vauxhall Mokka Electric and, most closely, recently launched Jeep Avenger.
As you can tell from the headline, the 600e stands out as the stylish one of this group … but what of its other qualities?
Exterior design and rivals
There’s a strong 500 theme to the look of the Fiat 600e, although — as if to reinforce the message that, no, you are not looking at a Fiat 500 here — this newcomer is adorned with “600” logos absolutely everywhere. There’s one in the front panel between the headlights, another incorporated into the chunky side sills, every wheel centre bears the emblem and then, just for good measure, the one embossed into the rear bumper also has the Italian tricolour incorporated into it.
Along with the round, hooded headlights, the circular daytime running lamps, the oh-so-500X-ish rear clusters, the raised ride height and that familiar profile line, the overall effect of the 600e’s styling is generally appealing.
It’s also the first product which embodies Fiat’s “no more greys” policy of only offering bright colours for its cars. Therefore, the 600e comes in shades called Sun of Italy (orange), Sky of Italy (kind of teal), Sea of Italy (it’s supposed to be green, but it looks more dark blue), and Earth of Italy.
There’s also a straightforward red, for one of two specifications, which is the entry-level Red. Although you can have that model in black or white if want some monochrome in your life.
Aside from that, the little “e” badge on the boot is worth noting. It’s there because Fiat has only just confirmed that the 600 family, previously thought to only be sold as a pure-electric vehicle, will in fact gain a mild-hybrid model in the coming months. Regardless, Fiat was at pains to point out that every 600 will be electrified in some form, though the ‘600e’ gains that small letter in honour of the fact it is the most electric version of all.
In terms of rivals, it’s not only that raft of Stellantis cars which use the same underpinnings as the 600e, but also the accomplished Kia Niro EV, as well as budget alternatives such as the MG ZS. Ford is also readying an electric Puma, while there’s a futuristic-looking, all-new Hyundai Kona inbound, too. It’s a tough crowd to beat, but the 600e’s styling stands it in good stead.
Interior and practicality
While the exterior is stylish but perhaps not the most daring of designs, it’s quite a lot more eye-catching than the cabin. The Fiat 600e’s obvious relationship to the Jeep Avenger is most starkly visible inside, where much of the fixtures and fittings are the same.
There are pleasing features, of course. The synthetic-leather seats, nobly made from 200 recycled PET bottles, look great with their repeated Fiat stitching. The two-spoke wheel is a nod back to the 500s and 600s of antiquity.
And there’s a fillet of trim in the dashboard that provides visual contrast as well as a genetic link to the smaller, present-day 500e. There’s also a rather natty folding lid for the central cubby compartment, just like an Apple iPad cover and something a bit different.
But that trim fillet we mentioned in the dash feels very plasticky to the touch, while the door cards — even in the front — look and feel cheap. They’re even more basic and built-to-a-cost in the back, a place passengers won’t much thank you for being situated in as room back there is not exactly at a premium.
At least there are a pair of doors to access this bench, which of course is a feature the 500e lacks, and there’s also a decent 360-litre boot.
Technology and safety
Every model of the Fiat 600e line-up comes with a 10.25in infotainment system, complete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as a seven-inch digital driver’s cluster, both of which feature reasonably sharp graphics — albeit they’re not as every-which-way configurable as the systems in some rivals.
Still, they’re easy enough to use and read, and if you step up to the top model of the range then the infotainment is augmented with integrated navigation, while you’ll also get a wireless smartphone charging pad.
Safety levels are good across the board, too, as the entry model is fitted with autonomous emergency braking and vulnerable road user protection, lane keeping assist, intelligent speed assistant, traffic sign information, drowsy driver detection and six airbags, as well as emergency e-call assist.
The top grade 600e also gains adaptive cruise control with Level 2 autonomous driving capability.
Although the Fiat hasn’t been assessed by Euro NCAP yet, the cars which use the same technology as it does in the Stellantis group have all recorded at least four-star overall ratings, so it should be every bit as safe as those.
Performance, battery range and charging speeds
The Fiat 600e is currently available with just one powertrain, which is widely seen in other Stellantis cars such as the Avenger, e-2008, e-C4 and Mokka Electric. Despite all the 500-type styling themes, and the reality that the 600 is a replacement for the ageing 500X it does not share its underpinnings with the 500e.
The 600e has a battery pack with a capacity of 64kWh, of which 51kWh is usable. That, in turn, is hooked up to a 115kW electric motor, which results in up to 154bhp and 192lb ft of torque and allows the chunky 1,520kg Fiat to hit 62mph from rest in nine seconds.
It’s also capable of 252 miles to a charge, according to the manufacturer (it’ll be less on motorways and in cold weather, for example), and it has 100kW DC recharging that means it can be boosted from 20-80 per cent of its battery capacity in 27 minutes, in ideal conditions. Enough time for a comfort break and a coffee on a long journey. Charging at an 11kW AC wallbox at home or on street will take around six hours for a full recharge, meaning the battery will be topped up every morning.
On the move, to access the full 154bhp, you need the Fiat 600e in Sport mode. It feels noticeably less sharp to react in both Normal and Eco settings, the latter with a particularly soft accelerator pedal feel and lethargic performance. It’s no road rocket even when you have full electric power, to be honest.
That said, the way it scoots about town on its rich seam of electric torque (twisting force, all of which is available from standstill) is fun, while out on open roads it never feels like it is holding up traffic.
The range claims seem reasonable enough, too, as it managed its battery reserves relatively decently on a fast-driven test route. You might not be able to get 252 miles out of every charge, but only moderately thoughtful driving should see in excess of 200 miles as something perfectly feasible to achieve on a regular basis.
Ride and handling
This is where the Fiat 600e’s appeal starts to diminish. The Italian company claims it has tuned the suspension to suit the brand’s identity, so there’s an emphasis on there being some fun to be had once the car’s in Sport mode — and it should equally be agile in town driving, where a 10.5m turning circle means manouevring in tight streets should be simple.
Sadly, driving the 600e in a spirited fashion is a completely detached experience. The steering never really weights up into anything of significance, and while it’s direct and consistent, it gives up nothing in terms of feel. So, if you start throwing the Fiat into corners with a bit of Italian brio, not only do you have to deal with a degree of body roll — which is at least reasonably controlled, it must be said — but you’ll understand precious little about where the levels of the front tyres’ grip are.
Or, more plainly put, it’s just not interesting to drive.
This would be fine enough if the Fiat were incredibly refined and quiet, something you’d certainly hope for, given that a) the 500e is absolutely brilliant at in-town comfort and ride quality, and b) this is an electric car, which are always subdued. Strangely, the 600e is rather noisy.
You’ll notice the suspension first of all, which is louder here than we’ve encountered in the cars with the same electric running gear, such as the Mokka Electric and the e-2008. And while the ride comfort is never bad, the 600e isn’t the most polished when it comes to dealing with ravaged tarmac. Going through bigger indentations in the road surface elicits notable bangs in the passenger compartment.
It’s also not that quiet at higher speeds, with the wind rushing past where the two sets of doors join in the middle of the car being an ever-present companion at 50mph-plus, and you hear far more of what the tyres are rolling over than you strictly need to.
Pricing and on-sale date
Order books for the Fiat 600e are open right now and you have two choices. The entry-level car is the Red, from £32,995, which comes with 16in steel wheels with bicolour covers, climate control, automatic lights and wipers, rear parking sensors, keyless go, LED front lights, cruise control, the 10.25in infotainment system and a four-speaker sound set-up.
The La Prima is what we drove, which costs from £36,995. That gains 18in diamond-cut alloys, 360-degree parking sensor coverage with a 180-degree rear-view camera, synthetic leather seats with front heating and electric adjustment plus a massage feature for the driver, keyless entry, a powered tailgate and adaptive cruise control, plus navigation for the infotainment, a six-speaker sound system and a wireless smartphone charging pad.
Usefully, these prices undercut those of the other Stellantis electric newbie, the Jeep Avenger, by a few grand each, so the Fiat looks like it is excellent value for its offering – perhaps its key selling point after the exterior appearance.
Verdict: Fiat 600e review
The Fiat 600e is an understandable addition to the manufacturer’s range of cars, and it’s a perfectly pleasant and likeable attempt at the small electric crossover. It looks good on the outside, it’s terrific value for money, and the interior is cheerful with some nice heritage touches.
That’ll be more than enough for fans of the Fiat “look” — especially those who’ve always wanted something more practical than the 500 — but it can’t be ignored that in terms of driving manners the 600e isn’t quite as good as other Stellantis cars using the same hardware.
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Keyword: Fiat 600e 2023 review: Style over substance for pure-electric Italian crossover