Two cars that share the same name, rich history and – in some respect = design.

The Fiat 500 and Fiat 500 Electric are both retro-styled city cars that come with affordable running costs, a super easy driving experience a surprising amount of flexibility to suit most drivers.

Whether you choose the electric version of the Fiat 500 or the petrol-hybrid model, you’ll have bagged yourself a great new car.

But which one should you choose? In this blog we’ll compare everything from the design and practicality to performance and costs to help you make the best choice. So, let’s get to it!

Exterior

While these two cars may look related, underneath their skin things couldn’t be any more different.

This is mainly because of the fact that the Fiat 500 Electric is built on an entirely different platform. Fiat actually made the Electric bigger in every way, but kept things in proportion so that it was only when you jumped inside that you saw the true benefit (namely, your head isn’t brushing the headlining of the car).

On the other hand, the 500 Hybrid is still identical to the solely combustion powered model launched way back in 2007.

We’d also like to point out that even though the Fiat 500 range is now hybrid, that it’s not like a hybrid in the sense of cars like the Toyota Corolla. It’s much more mild than this, with a standard 12-volt battery and a slightly beefed-up motor to give it an efficient/performance boost.

The good news is that neither of these cars comes as standard with naff kit.

‘Pop’ spec kicks off the 500 Hybrid range, but it’s best avoided as it’s extremely basic. Instead, look to the next-level ‘Dolcevita’ trim, which comes as standard with 15-inch diamond-turned alloy wheels, smart Bossa Nova White bodywork (which will require you to wear sunglasses while looking at it because it’s so bright), blond-wood effect on the dashboard and a panoramic glass sunroof.

The electric Fiat 500 does a good job of not slacking. However, like the 500 Hybrid, it’s only when you look to the snazzier (and more expensive) ‘La Prima’ spec that you see its superiority, and it has the 500 Hybrid’s number. With larger 17″ bi-tone diamond-turned alloy wheels, full LED headlights, a slick e-latch electric door handle and a unique badge pointing out that it’s the first electric car to be produced by Fiat, it’s a very impressive package.

Winner: Fiat 500 Electric

What we think

While the 2019 facelift to the Fiat 500 Hybrid range has brought it on, it’s the 500 Electric that has the smarter kit and looks, in our opinion.

There is a caveat.

Like we mentioned before, we’d dodge the ‘Action’ spec if you’re going with the electric 500. It’s not very well-equipped and a much smarter 500 Hybrid will cost you less.

If you were going to opt for the Fiat 500 Hybrid, we’d recommend looking at that Dolcevita spec or higher.

Interior design and space

Design

From the inside it’s clear to tell that, in keeping with its more recent production date, that the Fiat 500 Electric has the more refreshed design.

Even if you go for the most basic Fiat 500 Electric spec, it will have much better materials and a better layout than any of the 500 Hybrid models. Overall, it just feels much more solidly screwed together.

Some good news for the 500 Hybrid is that you can improve the very basic stereo setup you get with the entry-level Pop spec. Dolcevita trim upwards come with a fully-fledged 7-inch touchscreen infotainment that’s conveniently placed high up on the dash and comes as standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

Infotainment isn’t so good at the entry-level end of the Fiat 500 Electric either. Basic Action trims get four speakers, but you’ll have to use your smartphone for entertainment as there are just USB ports and a cradle on the dash to hold it in place. This might suit some people, but Red spec and above get a massive 10.25-inch touchscreen display with built-in satnav and smartphone mirroring.

One thing that’s also notably different about these two cars is the visibility out of them when you’re sat inside.

The way the Fiat 500 Electric is designed means that you’re sat higher up than in the 500 Hybrid. This gives you a much more commanding view of the road ahead, while rear visibility isn’t great, but rear parking sensors as standard tackle this issue.

Winner: Fiat 500 Electric

What we think

Without a doubt the Fiat 500 Electric looks smarter, uses superior materials and features better tech from the off than in the 500 Hybrid.

So, if you’re someone who values your in-car luxuries, the Fiat 500 Electric should be on your radar.

This isn’t to say you should disregard the 500 Hybrid compeltely. However, we’d recommend looking beyond the ‘bare bones’ Pop spec. Instead, check out the Dolcevita spec, which contains a much more modern up-market design.

Space

Now, we mentioned earlier about the Fiat 500 Electric being the bigger car out of the two, and this rings true when it comes to fitting in people and their stuff into the back.

If you’ve ever seen a Fiat 500 whizzing around your local roads, you’ll know that they’re not designed to ferry passengers or their stuff. So, for this reason, it’s best that you treat them like an occasional four-seater, but not for long distances. Tall passengers won’t fair too well in the back, even if you edge the seats forward as much as possible with an average-sized adult in the front.

Despite being slightly bigger in every direction, the only noticeable difference in the Fiat 500 Electric is that taller passengers won’t feel their head brushing the roof.

Where you’ll notice the difference is in the front stowage, which is better in the Fiat 500 Electric. There’s a large tray on the dashboard and a long cubby between the front seats. Door bins are quite small, though.

One saving grace with the 500 Hybrid is that it has two good-sized cupholders below the gearlever.

Boot space is identical with both these cars – you get 185 litres, which is enough for a few shopping bags, but not much else.

Winner: Fiat 500 Electric

What we think

This is a very close call as both these cars are very similar in terms of their interior practicalitiy.

If it wasn’t for the more generous front storage in the 500 Electric and better headroom for taller passengers, we’d give this one as a tie.

Performance

Even the cheapest Fiat 500 Electric has a 94bhp and 24kWh battery connected with it. An official 0-62mph sprint of 9.5 seconds is zippy, but you can specify a punchier 118bhp electric motor that cuts this sprint time down to 9.0 seconds.

Importantly, the punchier version also has a bigger 42kWh battery pack supporting it, which is the difference between an official range of 115 miles (24kWh spec) and 199 miles (42kWh spec).

Unfortunately, the 500 Hybrid doesn’t compete when it comes to power.

The best thing about both these cars is that they’re excellent in the city. With a tight turning circle dinky dimensions, they’re great for manoeuvring in small spaces. The entry-level 1.0-litre petrol engine only has a mere 69bhp that is far from inspiring anywhere except 30mph zones.

Winner: Fiat 500 Electric

What we think

This one is easy. The Fiat 500 Electric has the 500 Hybrid in its back pocket in a straight line and getting up to motorway speeds.

You’ll need to think about whether an electric car suits your lifestyle, especially as the Fiat 500 Electric doesn’t have the greatest range. But with most UK drivers on average driving around 25 miles each day, even the 500 Electric will be enough to get you to where you need to be.

Price and running costs

You can lease a brand-new Fiat 500 Electric from around £285 per month* and the Fiat 500 Hybrid is available to lease from around £170 per month*.

*Prices accurate as of September 2022

With UK petrol and electricity prices soaring in recent months, you might be left scratching your head over which option is cheaper.

To help you get a rough idea of how charging and fueling costs compare with the Fiat 500 Electric and Hybrid 500, we’ve taken a closer look at each of them.

Using the entry-level Fiat 500 Electric with a 24kWh battery as an example:

• Fiat 500 Electric avg. home charge cost (empty to full)* – £13, adding around 115 miles of range.
• Fiat 500 Electric avg. public charge cost**(20%-80%) – £6.48, adding around 61 miles of range.

*Assumes tariff of 28p/kWh. Cost of home charging will vary depending on electricity rate.

**Assumes tariff of 44p/kWh applicable to most rapid chargers as of April 2022.

Using the entry-level 69bhp 1.2-litre petrol Fiat 500 Mild Hybrid as an example.

This version has a fuel economy of 53.3mpg and a 35 litre (7.7 gallon) fuel tank capacity.

• Filling up from empty to full would cost roughly £50*, adding around 410 miles of range.
• Filling up the tank from 20%-80% full would cost around £30*, adding around 246 miles of range.

*Average cost calculated using average UK fuel price of £6.5 per gallon as of August 2022

Winner: Fiat 500 Electric

What we think

It’s clear to see that running an electric car is the cheaper option here, especially if you’re not regularly driving more than 200 miles in one day. If this was the case, then we’d recommend the Fiat 500 in this case to avoid an over-reliance on public charging, which is generally more expensive.

If you are going to opt for the Fiat 500 Electric, we’ recommend having a home charger installed. This way you can make use of the cheaper electricity rates. Alternatively, if your workplace has a charge point that you can use, this could be a viable alternative as it’s often free to use and you can get a full charge while you’re not using your car.

Overall winner: Fiat 500 Electric

The electric version wins in every one of our test categories.

As well as being cheaper to run, more spacious in the front and more environmentally-friendly while you’re driving around, it has better styling and more modern tech.

Only those doing frequent long journeys should consider the petrol hybrid Fiat 500 to avoid costly public charging.

Find the best Fiat 500 Electric and Fiat 500 lease deal

Are you interested in either of these cars and want a quote? At Moneyshake, we compare lease deals on brand-new cars and show you the best deal on the market from a variety of the UK’s top leasing providers.

We have great offers available on brand-new Fiat 500.

Compare Fiat 500 lease deals

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