Fiat 500 Hybrid review: petrol power brings this city car back to life
The Fiat 500 has finally regained the petrol engine many buyers were waiting for. The new Hybrid isn’t quick or especially practical, but it brings character, affordability and familiar 500 charm back into the mix.
Over the years the Fiat 500 has been a relentless sales success for the Italian brand. But then things stalled a little. In fact, they pretty much collapsed.
And it wasn't because the car evolved in to something abominable, the latest generation of the heavily developed 500 platform, which dates back to the 1930s let's not forget, still looked unapologetically cute, but had more space and more kit.
What stopped buyers in their tracks was the drivetrain. For a while now, the latest iteration of the Fiat 500 has only been available as an EV. Sales trickled along, because it's a decent little runabout, but it must have left quite the hole in Fiat's balance sheet. To the extent that they've now reverse engineered it completely and fitted a petrol engine.
This will doubtless be music to the ears of loyal 500 fans who have been longing to upgrade but haven't needed or wanted an EV. And it's likely to help the new Fiat 500 become a much more familiar face on the high street, because it's really quite good.
Converting a car built around an EV platform has done little to spoil it. In fact you'd never know it had been redeveloped from the ground up, which is remarkable, given the conversion must have been an absolute sod to do.
But stepping in to the Fiat 500 Hybrid, pressing a button and hearing a little internal combustion engine fizz into life feels completely natural. I've spent a fair bit of time in the 500e and it's got plenty of character, but an engine really does suit it.
What we finally have, then, is another credible city car on the roads, to rival a small suite of other credible city cars such as the Kia Picanto and the Toyota Aygo. Those have what could theoretically be used as a second set of doors, and the Fiat doesn't. They also have the 500's missing puzzle piece... Sales momentum, but having spent a bit of time in the 500 Hybrid, I can't see why it can't be built up again.
The only engine Fiat could fit in the reengineered 500 platform was the naturally aspirated 1.0-litre three-cylinder used by the previous 500 Hybrid 12V starter-generator hybrid system, which has a total of 64bhp and 68lb ft.
If that doesn't sound like much, it's because it isn't. The Fiat 500 Hybrid is not quick, by any measure.
There's no automatic option, that would have been a stretch too far, and there are only two trim levels, both of which are reasonably priced. The Icon starts at £18,995 and if you wanted to make the worthwhile hop up to La Prima spec, it's £20,995.
Despite such a costly rethink, the 500 Hybrid does carry over some issues from its electric cousin. The driving position is a tad awkward, the rear seats are small and access is tight, and the boot is very compact.
These are not issues that Fiat 500 fans will find a surprise, but it does give competitors a bit of an edge.
Regular users will also find familiarity with the light steering and the car's love of an urban jaunt. It's at its best around town. Out in the countryside, the engine's diminutive power output shows itself and the driving experience feels more lifeless, but it's quite fun stirring your way through a manual gearbox to explore the rev range, and MPG is strong, so you can forgive it.
Installing a manual drivetrain must have been quite the headache, but it's been done very well. The only slight niggle is there's a bit of a lack of space in the footwell for that third pedal. Those with small feet won't really notice this, but I didn't really have anywhere to put my idle size-10 trainer between gearchanges.
In a funny way, the 500e feels more likeable overall, but it is more expensive, and there's a limited appeal to a car with a realistic range well below 200 miles.
Whereas the 500 Hybrid brings a bit of soul and character back to a familiar platform that plenty of people haven't yet fallen out of love with.
So I'm glad they've done it. And I hope we now see more of them about. The Fiat 500's biggest strength has always been its cuteness and individuality, and we need more cars like this.
It might not be the best city runabout on the road, but it's arguably the most fun and interesting. And that counts for a lot these days.