DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense vs Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) — 402 km vs 320 km, full head-to-head (2021)

DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense vs Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) — quick spec snapshot

At a glance — price: ₹33,20,000 (DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense) vs ₹28,20,000 (Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)). Battery: 54 kWh vs 42 kWh. Range: 402 km vs 320 km. Charge time (AC): 7 hr vs 6 hr. Power: 156 bhp vs 117 bhp. Top speed: 150 km/h vs 150 km/h. Seating: 5 vs 4. Warranty: 8 yr vs 8 yr. Motor: PMSM vs PMSM. Ground clearance: 195 mm vs 175 mm.

Price and value — DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense vs Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)

Cross-shoppers comparing the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) on price often miss the running-cost line — that's where the real divergence lives. On ex-showroom, the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) comes in cheaper by roughly ₹5,00,000. List prices: DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense at ₹33,20,000, Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) at ₹28,20,000. Yearly maintenance figures land in the same broad band for both the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) — small differences either way.

Range and charging — DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense vs Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)

Real-world range derate is the dimension buyers underestimate when picking the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense over the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) or vice versa. Quoted range favours the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense. DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense: 54 kWh pack, 402 km claimed. Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500): 42 kWh pack, 320 km claimed. DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense fast-charges as: 20-80% in 30 min (100kW DC). Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) fast-charges as: 0-80% in 35 min (85kW DC). Real-world derate is typically 15–25% off the claim on both, larger in cold and at sustained highway speeds.

Practicality — DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense vs Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)

Cabin space and boot are where the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) stop looking like spec-sheet twins. Body type: DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense is a Premium electric subcompact SUV; Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) is a Retro electric city car. Boot space — 350L (DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense) vs 185L (Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)). Ground clearance — 195 mm vs 175 mm. Seating — 5 on the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense, 4 on the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500). Top speed of 150 km/h on the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and 150 km/h on the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) — neither is the deciding line for typical buyers, but it indexes how the platform is tuned.

Owner experience — DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense vs Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)

Both the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) carry a small list of known niggles — the lists don't overlap much. On the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense, the recurring owner reports point at: Touchscreen UX criticisms; Build quality variances. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500), the most-cited issues are: Tailgate sensor reliability on early Cabrio units; Software glitches on pre-2022 UConnect. Neither list is disqualifying — every EV in this segment has a short list of niggles, and most are workshop-fixable or OTA-patchable. The pattern matters more than any single item: pick the one whose failure modes you can live with.

Where each wins

The DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense's strengths and the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)'s strengths are not the same strengths. Pick the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense if range is your decisive line, given it stretches 402 km on the brochure. Pick the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) if sticker price is the decisive line — the ex-showroom gap pays for a year of EV running cost outright. Pick the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) if home AC charging speed matters — its 6 hr full-charge cadence fits a wider range of overnight schedules. The DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense also wins on: Distinctive French luxury chic. The Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) wins on: Italian fashion icon — best for style. Neither pick is a mistake — the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) are both honest electric cars at their respective price points.

DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense vs Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) by use case

Your daily-mileage profile matters more than the brochure when choosing between the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500). City commuting — the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) is the easier daily companion; both work, but the smaller car is happier in tight parking and dense traffic. Highway and weekend trips — the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense pulls ahead thanks to the longer claimed range and the larger pack. Family duty — the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense wins on practical space. First EV — the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) is the lower-risk pick on price and learning curve. Fleet — service-network coverage outweighs spec; check both networks in your operating geography.

Practical next steps

Both the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) reward a thoughtful pre-purchase inspection — ev.care offers one in both cases.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper to maintain — DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense or Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)?

Both the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense and the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) sit in the same broad maintenance band. Treat scheduled service as a draw and decide on charging access and service-network density.

Which charges faster — DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense or Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)?

DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense fast-charge spec: 20-80% in 30 min (100kW DC). Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) fast-charge spec: 0-80% in 35 min (85kW DC). AC home charging: 7 hr on the DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense vs 6 hr on the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500). For daily use, AC matters more; for road trips, DC.

Which is safer — DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense or Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)?

Both carry credible safety kits. DS Automobiles (Stellantis) DS 3 E-Tense: Euro NCAP 4 stars, AEB, Lane Keep Assist. Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500): Euro NCAP 4 stars, AEB, Attention Assist. Check the official crash rating for each in your region — those numbers are the cleanest comparison.