New Fiat 500 Hybrid is Impossibly Slow, Good Thing It’ll Stay in Europe
The latest, electric-only Fiat 500 (called 500e) has definitely not been a success to this point, not only in Canada but in Europe, too. This is why the company has decided to find a way to install a gasoline engine and create a hybrid variant, hoping to reach a wider range of potential buyers.
Production of the new Fiat 500 Hybrid recently began at the Mirafiori plant near Turin, Italy, and based on the technical specifications that were released at the same time, we can’t imagine anybody wanting to get one.
- Also: Fiat 500e to Remain Canada’s Cheapest Electric Car for 2025
- Also: Top 10 Most Affordable Electric Vehicles in 2025
To be clear, the car features a mild hybrid system—not a true hybrid powertrain—consisting of a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine assisted by a tiny electric motor with a 12V battery. Power is controlled by a six-speed manual transmission and sent to the front wheels.
The big problem is that, with 64 horsepower and 68 lb-ft of torque, the 500 Hybrid is impossibly slow, needing 16.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h, or even 17.3 seconds in the case of the Cabrio. That's significantly slower than the previous generation sold in Europe (13.8 seconds) and nothing like the electric 500e (8.6 seconds according to our own acceleration tests), which generates 117 horsepower and 162 lb-ft.
As for top speed, it's rated at up to 155 km/h, but who in their right mind would dare to spend their time on the highway in this Fiat?
Fuel consumption isn't exactly a selling point, either: it stands at a combined 5.2-5.4 L/100 km depending on the model. The Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and many others can do better than that.
By the way, the new 500 Hybrid is available across Europe in three body styles (Hatchback, 3+1, Cabrio) and three trim levels (Pop, Icon, La Prima), not to mention the Torino launch edition. Luckily, it’s not coming to Canada.
Meanwhile, despite being the cheapest EV in the country right now, the Fiat 500e has a hard time finding takers—even in Quebec where customers still have a provincial incentive of up to $4,000 (until Dec. 31, 2025). Dealers are offering huge discounts, sometimes dropping the retail price below $30,000 (from $39,995).