Pros and cons
Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) pros and cons — the honest buyer's verdict (2021)
4 min read·Last updated: 2021-01-01·By ev.care editorial team
TL;DR
4 pros, 4 cons. The Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) is best for european urban buyers prioritising design and style over range/practicality — within that envelope it is one of the strongest picks in its segment.
An EV is too big a purchase to make on vibes. This guide breaks the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) down into 4 genuine wins and 4 fair criticisms, anchored to Fiat (Stellantis)'s own spec sheet and what 320 km of range actually buys you in daily use. No marketing fluff, no hate piece.
Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) — the pros
If you ask Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) owners what they would tell a friend, this is the short list. Strength 1 — Italian fashion icon — best for style. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 2 — Cabrio variant has no EV rival. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 3 — 199 miles WLTP is fine for urban use. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 4 — 85 kW DC charging is decent for segment. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Anchoring all of this: a 42 kWh battery, 320 km range, and a EUR 29,950 - 38,000 (European market) starting price that defines the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)'s value envelope.
Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) — the cons
Be honest about whether these matter for your driving — for some buyers they're noise, for others they're disqualifying. Weakness 1 — Not sold globally. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 2 — 185 L boot tiny. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 3 — Rear seats cramped for adults. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 4 — USD/EUR pricing premium for size. On the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. For a retro electric city car weighing 1365 kg with 150 km/h top speed, these trade-offs are within segment norms but worth pricing in.
Who the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) is for
Fiat (Stellantis) pitches the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) at "European urban buyers prioritising design and style over range/practicality", and that framing holds up. If your driving fits that shape, the pros above land hardest and the cons fade fastest. 320 km of range is enough for most weekly profiles, and 0-80% in 35 min (85kW DC) of fast charging keep occasional long trips practical.
Practical next steps
Take both columns into your test drive — drive the route that matters to you (commute, school run, weekend highway) and see which side of the ledger your own day-to-day touches first.
Related Fiat (Stellantis) EVs
If the cons above are dealbreakers, look at peugeot e 208, renault 5 etech — each makes a different set of trade-offs. The Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) wins more often than not in its tier, but cross-shopping protects you from buying the wrong shape.
Frequently asked questions
- Can the cons be fixed with aftermarket changes?
- A few — wheels, tyres, interior comforts, dashcam, charging cables. Most cons in the list above are structural and not modifiable after purchase, so buy with eyes open.
- What's the biggest reason to choose the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)?
- Pick the pro in the list above that most matches your weekly use. If it's range, value, charging speed, or feature set — whichever sits at the top for you — that's the buy signal.
- Is the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) worth buying overall?
- For european urban buyers prioritising design and style over range/practicality, yes. The Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500)'s pros pay back week after week for that use case. For substantially different needs, you'll find better fits in other models.
- Does Fiat (Stellantis) address the cons in newer models?
- Some, not all. Fiat (Stellantis) has improved the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) platform with each refresh — software updates close a few cons, hardware refresh cycles close more. But fundamental layout decisions (boot space, seating, charge port placement) are baked in for the life of the model.
Wrapped up — the Fiat (Stellantis) 500e (New 500) is a deliberate choice for european urban buyers prioritising design and style over range/practicality. The pros and cons aren't symmetrical, and that asymmetry is what makes it the right car for some and the wrong car for others.