2021 Fiat 500C Reviews

Fiat slashes the price of its 500e hatchback, but are the best deals yet to come?

Can you hear what’s coming over the horizon? Probably not, because it’s a swathe of near-silent Electric Vehicles (EVs), set to supersede the bog-standard gas-guzzling Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) car within the next decade or two. 

Most established carmakers are feeling the pressure from China and this iconic European brand is no exception.

Meet the brands posting the biggest year-on-year declines as Australia's new car market permanently changes.

We range-test the Fiat 500e and compare it to its Abarth 500e companion in our final month with the diminutive electric city car.

Fiat has revealed its new pint-sized SUV in an attempt to fend off the advances of new affordable Chinese cars.Dubbed the Grande Panda, the little SUV will be available as a fully electric car or as a hybrid.It follows the same formula as the new Citroen C3, its twin under the skin.The Grande Panda’s bold design is sure to turn heads and win it a cadre of new fans.It brings the same digital, retro cool vibe as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, with pixel-effect headlights and front grille. Edgy 17-inch alloy wheels, 'Panda' embossed on the side panels and 'Fiat' on the rear hatch will help it stand out from the crowd.It will measure less than four metres long, which makes it shorter than nearly all cars on sale in Australia including the micro Mazda2 and Hyundai Venue SUV.Fiat hasn’t confirmed whether the vehicle will make it to Australia, but they have referred to the Grande Panda as the “first model of the new global line-up”.It will first be launched in Europe, Middle East and Africa but a further global expansion could be on the cards. The third generation Fiat Panda was briefly sold in Australia between 2013 and 2015.Fiat hasn’t provided details but expects the Grande Panda to use the same power sources as the Citroen C3.The electric version will use an 82kW motor fed by a 44kWh battery that provides a driving range of up to 320kkm.Hybrid examples use a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor.Carmakers are starting to bring cheaper electric cars on line to help drive up sagging demand.Currently only a handful of Chinese brands sell electric cars under $40,000, but big name legacy makers such as Volkswagen, Hyundai and Jeep have plans in the works for cheaper alternatives.VW has confirmed a ID.1, which will be the same size as the former VW Up micro hatchback. Hyundai has teased its new Inster SUV, which will be the brand’s cheapest electric vehicle. Kia will have a version of this car too in the future called the EV2.Jeep has confirmed it is resurrecting the Renegade as a sub $35,000 electric SUV. It is due to go on sale by 2027.

As the Fiat 500e falls into our daily routine, some pros and cons have made themselves apparent.I'd love to tell you that a tiny electric car like this is all you really need in life. Our roads, lungs, and the planet would be much better off if we all drove smaller and more efficient vehicles, but one of the things that has become evident in our time with the 500e so far is that a model this small in a city like Sydney does come with some compromises.

Fiat has confirmed a hybrid version of the 500e electric car will be released in 2026 following slower than expected sales of the EV at home and abroad.The new hybrid city car, to be known as the 500e Ibrida, will be produced at Turin’s Mirafiori plant alongside the existing electric car.Unsurprisingly, there are political reasons surrounding the decision with a need to keep Fiat's Mirafiori plant flowing with production for the local market. Last year, only 64,244 500es found homes in Europe compared to 108,943 combustion models (which are built in Poland).To satiate some of this demand, the 500e Ibrida will use a 1.0-litre mild-hybrid three-cylinder ‘FireFly’ petrol engine as found in the Fiat Panda that develops 51kW and 92Nm.The new car will use the same platform as the 500e which is not the bespoke STLA small platform but an electric capable version of the Alfa MiTo’s SCCS architecture.The 500e hybrid will be highly Italian with its engine produced in Termoli, the exhaust in Napoli and gearbox at its home Mirafiori plant.“Italy serves as our foundation, our driving force and our future”, says CEO Olivier Francois.“And Mirafiori is one of our engines which represents Italy, its people, its values, its pride and the 500.“But today, 90 per cent of Mirafiori production goes abroad. To increase the number of 500s on the road in Italy and to answer the Italian customers, we have decided to produce the new 500 Ibrida”, he added.Naturally, the hybrid 500e will cost less than its electric counterpart which is dear in Australia at $52,500 for the La Prima. No Australian plans have been announced for the 500e Ibrida but it would be a unique option alongside the Kia Picanto, Suzuki Swift and MG3.The previous-gen combustion Fiat 500 is currently built at Stellantis’ Tychy plant in Poland to satisfy the more affordable end of the European and overseas markets. It is understood this plant is where Leapmotor affordable electric cars will be built in the future.The Fiat 500 – that launched in 2008 on the Fiat Mini platform – won’t end its life just yet, though, with production expected to move to Algeria.

Electric cars are seen as sensible, serious and streamlined vehicles; the thinking person’s choice. Convertibles, on the other hand, are for fun, flamboyance and feeling the wind in your hair, somewhat at the expense of aerodynamic efficiency.These two concepts would seem to be at odds, which suggests, unhappily for lovers of drop-top motoring, that the age of electric cars will mean less convertibles for everyone. Wrong.As I’m sure Marie Antoinette would agree, you should be able to you have your cake and eat it too, while driving with the sun on your skin and the wind in your icing, which is why you’ll soon be able to choose a convertible electric car in a variety of shapes and sizes.While slipping through the air as cleanly as possible is a priority for EV, in order to maximise range, car companies know that not everyone buys a car for purely practical reasons. Indeed, the existence of most sports cars and all supercars proves this.Which is why there are a variety of electric convertible cars that Australia and the rest of the world will soon have access to from the likes of Mini, Fiat, Porsche, Maserati and more.At the moment, though, this is still a relatively new part of the EV market, so there are limited models currently available in Australia - and, indeed, globally. The current market for convertibles is relatively small, with drop-top models typically a spin-off of already niche sporty models, like coupes and sports cars.The initial wave of electric convertibles certainly fits that bill, with a combination of sports models and some premium products from Mini and Fiat.However, the market is likely to quickly evolve as EVs become adopted by a more mainstream audience and carmakers look for new ways to make their products appealing to customers.And the idea of driving with the roof down, wind in the hair and just the sound of nature (and not a revving petrol engine) should certainly be appealing to many.Here is a list of the already confirmed or expected electric convertible cars.While it may now be Chinese owned and build SUVs and small cars, the original version of MG was famous for building compact convertibles, like the iconic MGA and MGB.The Cyberster, a portmanteau of cyber and roadster, which combines the present and past, has been created to celebrate the brand’s centenary in 2024. And when you look at it, it’s clearly the most old MG the new MG has come up with.However, the powertrain is all about the future, with the Cyberster expected to be offered in two variants - a 231kW rear-wheel drive version and a 400kW all-wheel drive option.Expect the Cyberster to go on sale in Australia before the end of 2024 with prices to be confirmed, but likely to start north of $100,000. Looks like it might be worth it, for the looks alone.The Italian brand has taken an inclusive approach with its latest generation of GranCabrio sports cars, offering both internal-combustion engines and the all-electric Folgore version.While the petrol-powered cabriolet has a 410kW 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, the Folgore (which is Italian for lightning), has a tri-motor powertrain good for up to 610kW.Technically, that figure is only available for a short period of ‘MaxBoost’ but the ‘regular’ output of 560kW/1350Nm from the one front and two rear mounted electric motors is still very impressive.Despite having space for four, the GranCabrio can launch from 0-100km/h in just 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 290km/h - so you and your friends can get wherever you’re going in a hurry. Yes, really, 2.8 seconds.Maserati also claims the GranCabrio Folgore will have a respectable range of up to 447km on a single charge.This is another Italian electric convertible but a very different proposition to the Maserati. The Fiat 500e is not a sports car and it has a very different roof compared to the other models on this list.Like the petrol-powered 500 convertible, this one has a canvas roof that retracts but leaves the side panels in place, so it’s not quite a true convertible but it does allow for an open-top driving experience and that’s what many people really want.\Naturally, it shares the same underpinnings as the hardtop 500e, which means an 87kW/200Nm single electric motor that drives the front wheels.Stellantis Australia hasn’t officially confirmed when (or even if) the 500e Convertible will be offered locally, but it’s a likely addition to the range in the next year or two.This is an unusual scenario because Mini has already discontinued its original electric cabriolet. The brand offered just 999 examples of the Electric Convertible back in 2023 and, as of publication, had yet to officially commit to reintroducing it with the new-generation Mini Cooper.There are a few reasons to be optimistic, however, with the Mini Convertible (the petrol one) the best-selling drop-top in the world and the limited-edition version from last year was (assuming you discount the Targa-top original Tesla Roadster) the first electric convertible offered by any brand.So, don’t be surprised if the this one re-enters the market in the near-future.Who else would build an electric sports car? The German brand has confirmed its next-generation 718 range, both Cayman coupe and Boxster convertible, will be all-electric.While likely to be (yet another) dagger to the heart of Porsche purists, the electric Boxster is crucial for the brand’s sustained success in the Chinese market.Due to arrive in 2026, Porsche has already previewed what we can expect with the Mission R Concept giving an insight into the styling of the new model, while the track-tested, Cayman-based GT4 e-Performance is serving as a rolling test lab for the powertrain technology.Putting the battery behind the seats rather than beneath the car, for mid-engine-like balance, is just one of the clever ideas Porsche will unveil here.It won’t be for sale in Australia for a few years yet, likely in 2026 or 2027, but those looking for an alternative to the Porsche should look to the production version of the Polestar O2 Concept.Make no mistake, this Volvo spin-off will take direct aim at the German sports car. Power is tipped to be in the range of 650kW, with up to 900Nm of torque, so it will be an extremely quick convertible.Not only will this be the high-performance hero model for Polestar, it’s expected to debut a new-generation 800-volt architecture.It will undoubtedly look the part, too, with Polestar indicating the final production design will stay as close as possible to the striking O2 Concept, which was revealed at the 2021 Los Angeles Motor Show.What’s less likely is the “autonomous cinematic drone” that was featured on the concept, which could be deployed on the move to take photos and videos of you enjoying your drive. Although, in our social-media-obsessed world, perhaps we shouldn’t count it out.

The Australian new-car market is facing a period of almost unprecedented change, say some legacy manufacturers, with the influx of new Chinese brands set to put out legacy manufacturers in what is already one of the world's most congested and competitive markets.