Fiat 600e 2024 Review | First Drive

Fiat has become most famous for the miniature Fiat 500, a car that originally gained continental acclaim in Europe between 1957 and 1975 before being reborn for the modern era in 2007. But before the diminutive city car, the Turin manufacturer had first introduced the similarly styled but far more practical Fiat 600 in 1955.

Acclaimed at the time as an affordable family car that grew to be hugely popular in Italy, Spain and even Argentina, the 600 was Fiat’s original volume seller, with almost five million produced during its 14-year lifespan. Now, 55 years later, the Fiat 600 is back, and it’s cutting a recognisable silhouette with a similar raison d’etre.

The Fiat 500 has, for a long time now, been the poster car for Fiat, which remains one of the market leaders when it comes to outright retail sales. It leads the way for the Stellantis catalogue of brands and now looks to broaden that advantage by expanding its offering. There’s no doubt that relying on the diminutive 500 will only get the manufacturer so far, so why not bring back another of its most iconic nameplates to further energise its sales?

Not only that, but the 600e becomes Fiat’s second EV, exhibiting the same flamboyant style that has seen the 500e prove so popular as the runaway market leader. Unlike the 500, that can largely get by on those cutesy looks alone, the 600e is going to need to expand the offering somewhat if it’s going to pull its weight among some pretty serious competition.

Positioned somewhere between a traditional B-segment hatchback and the new world order of compact SUVs, the Fiat 600e is going to find itself going head-to-head with the likes of the Peugeot e-208 and Mini EV, while its bulkier styling might well turn the heads of drivers who’re entertaining the idea of a Vauxhall Mokka E.

When it comes to the looks, Fiat has really nailed down its intentions. “Joy, simplicity and fun.” The designers have doubled down on the big smiling face at the front of the 600e, those bright LED eyes toe the line pretty well between cute and cool.

In many ways, this car is a magnified 500e. Much of the shape and styling has been carried over, and it fits pretty well on this larger frame. We have of course seen a very similar concept before in the 500X, so from that point of view this design strategy follows what we’ve seen for some time from Fiat.

The obvious change for the 600e is the more practical high roofline that implies a roomier interior, but the rounded silhouette remains to give this larger family car the same feel as its smaller sibling. It looks fun, and is available, as per Fiat’s new ‘no grey’ decree, in several bright colours. The ‘Red’ edition is also available in white and black, but La Prima models have a more imaginative palette of colours representing the sun, sand, sky and sea.

Configuring your own 600e has been made even simpler. You tick two boxes to choose your spec, Red or La Prima, and your colour. That’s it.

While based on Stellantis’ e-CMP2 platform upon which the Citroën ë-C4, Vauxhall Mokka-e, Peugeot e-208 and e-2008 are built, the Fiat 600e does a good job of differentiating itself from those when it comes to the feel on the road. Work has been done to fine-tune the suspension to give it a more spritely feel, and in many ways there is a distinct comparison with the far smaller 500e.

The steering feels light and alert, and there’s very rarely any sense of body roll through corners. It feels well balanced and calm on the road, with barely a hint of understeer when you do offer up the power mid corner.

That might be because there isn’t actually much power to speak of. A modest 154PS (115kW) and 260Nm of torque is enough for a nine-second dash from 0-62mph on the way to a 93mph top speed. This is not a quick car, in fact it’s about as slow an EV as I’ve ever felt, but the instant snap of acceleration is still there if you need a quick burst in motorway traffic.

The three drive modes available in La Prima spec do offer an amount of personalisation to the driving characteristics. Sport mode gives a touch extra weight to the steering, and livens up the throttle pedal, while eco mode slackens the power off dramatically, although reaps benefits when it comes to electric range.

According to the figures, the Fiat 600e will manage 252.3 miles (WLTP) from a full charge, which is strong for this sector of the market, and a should certainly be a key factor for anyone shopping around.

It’s worth noting if you like the styling but fancy a bit more warmth under your right foot, the 600e is due to be receiving the Abarth treatment, in what is expected to be the most powerful Abarth model ever made. We can’t wait to see how that turns out.

There are two primary interior styles available. Red models feature the red oval dashboard insert and Red edition fabric seats, La Prima lightens everything up with an Ivory dash and leather upholstery. Both have their merits in terms of style, but if you’re dead set on one look over the other you may need to compromise elsewhere on the spec sheet. Red models represent the entry-level, while La Prima is more expensive and more extensive in its offering.

We’ll come to tech shortly, but regardless of trim, the Fiat 600 interior is an interesting one. It’s priced similarly to the Mini Electric and it comes up some way short in terms of feel and quality. The amount of cheap-looking plastic on show is disappointing. Much of the switch gear is lifted from the 500e, so if you’ve driven that car, this will feel more or less the same from behind the wheel, and ultimately that’s just a little underwhelming.

The seats are comfortable, and the driver’s seat even features a simple but appreciated massage function, although it’s limited to your lower back. Rear space is limited, though, it’s realistically only of use for younger children, a pair of child seats would fit in the back no problem. Boot space is a similar story, the choice is between your shopping or a pushchair rather than both.

In terms of the powertrain, the Fiat 600e’s 54kWh battery is positioned in the front of the car under-bonnet, and it powers the electric motor connected to the front axle.

Moving onto the tech list, starting with Red models, the 10.25-inch touchscreen comes as standard alongside the seven-inch instrument display. There are USB A and C sockets in the central tunnel, cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition and a four-speaker sound system.

La Prima models upgrade that to a six-speaker system and integrate sat-nav into the infotainment. There are also parking sensors, a rear-view camera, an additional USB C socket, wireless phone charging, heated front seats and the aforementioned massage function for the driver.

The electric vehicle market is facing a tough period right now, but cars like the Fiat 600e might well be the incentive people are looking for to make an EV purchase. Not only has Fiat committed to its e-Grant, taking £3,000 off the list price of all its EVs, this car is also coming in to deliver something entirely new within the small family car market.

That said, in the face of the dwindling EV market, even Fiat, that was so enthusiastic in its plan to become a fully electric brand, has been forced to adjust its plans. A hybrid version of the Fiat 600e will be joining the EV on sale towards the end of Summer 2024. We’ll have more details on that option soon, but it will no doubt assist with getting the 600e out onto UK roads.

With its Fiat 500-esque styling, strong range, and impressive driving dynamics, the 600e looks to be worth the effort for the Turin marque. It’s fun to drive, if not lightning fast and evokes the joy of the 500 while offering some much-needed usability. As cars for small families go, the 600e is a worthy option.