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For the better part of the year, I spent my time browsing Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and various used-car websites, hunting for a cheap, cute, compact vehicle to drive around New York City.
Now, do I need a car? No. But when I briefly had access to a car last year, it opened up more leisure opportunities. Getting to our favorite dog-friendly beach was just a 30-minute drive instead of an hour-and-a-half subway ride with three transfers. Visiting my in-laws and parents was easier, considering they didn't live in the city.
But if I was going to buy a car, I wanted it to be unique. Something that'd make me feel good driving it. Not many options in the used marketplace fit that criteria unless you're OK with buying a 20-year-old vehicle (I wasn’t). A mechanic I spoke to urged me to buy a Toyota Yaris. “It's reliable!” Apologies to any Yaris owners, but no thanks.
That's when I started seeing the Fiat 500 crop up. Some used options fit my budget, it was appropriately tiny for New York, and I loved the design. It's cute, and the 2015 model I bought through Marketplace wasn't boring black or white, but bright yellow.
I've had it for several months now and wouldn't change a thing (though I think I may have to change the transmission soon). Funnily enough, while researching, I found out that Fiat was introducing its electric Fiat 500e (8/10, WIRED Recommends) to the US market this summer.
As someone with limited experience with electric vehicles, I wanted to see what the fuss was about, but also, crucially, find out just how different the EV version was compared to my own Italian ICE runabout. So Fiat loaned me a black 500e model to test drive for a week. It's not bright yellow, but it's a heck of an upgrade.
Still Small, but Roomier
On the surface it may seem a bit odd to compare a 2015 model to a 2024 car, but I reckon that's the kind of upgrade most people might be making. Also, I find it important to note that I am not a car guy. I don't review cars—we have people who do that—so I'm coming at this from an average consumer's perspective.
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The first thing I noticed as I hopped into the Fiat 500e was the space. I'm a 6'4" man, and in my 2015 model, my legs brush up against the gearbox. It's a tight fit. In the Fiat 500e, there is no gearbox, so I have more room to sprawl, and the seats feel wider and comfier. But crucially, the car retains a similar overall shape and size, so it's still the tiny Fiat I love that I can park anywhere. Truly, I mean anywhere. It's satisfying to find a parking spot where only your car will fit.
Unlike many other EVs, you're not getting more storage space. The trunk is pretty much the same size (though, as usual, you can drop down the rear seats to pack more in). And there is no “frunk”—pop the hood and it's filled with the motor and all the important bits. (See? I told you I'm not a car guy.)
Inside, arguably one of the best parts is the center console. In my ICE model, I have a pathetic excuse of an armrest (only for the driver), two cup holders for the nonexistent passengers in the back, and two cup holders under the gearbox, with not much else in the way of storage.
In the Fiat 500e, there's a great deal you can store in the center console, and the rear passengers still get their own cup holders built into the seat. At the base, you can flip open a compartment for a hidden cup holder, though I wish this one had room for two cups.
All in all, I felt much more comfortable riding the Fiat 500e. Sitting in the cockpit, I didn't feel like I was driving such a compact car.
Nicer Interior
Truth be told, it's not hard to impress someone who is used to the interior of a 2015 Fiat 500. My car has some shoddy build quality inside, especially after nearly a decade of use. While the Fiat 500e interior is by no means luxe, I think it looks and feels quite nice. A lot of it is plastic, but it's aesthetically pleasing, and I didn't hear any creaks. It seems well-built.
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I also love the physical controls. I am a sucker for switches, knobs, and buttons, and I find EVs that mostly rely on touchscreens for everything dangerous. I'm glad Fiat didn't go that route, and I'm even happier to see a satisfying volume knob on the center console. My 2015 model doesn't have a volume knob, and it pains me.
I mostly stuck with Android Auto during my time with the touchscreen dashboard, though I did use Fiat's map to find nearby charging stations. The only thing I'd harp on is the design of the interface. It could stand to have a bit more character, and if Fiat can spend a lot of time with some design touches (like the Fiat name embossed into the vegan leather seats, or the “Made in Torino” marking on the car door pocket), it should bring more of those flourishes into the software.
Smooth Ride
The Fiat 500e’s torque was startling the first time I put my foot on the pedal. It doesn't have that gradual ramp-up I was used to on my gas car; it just goes, and it's fast and smooth. My overall ride experience was fantastic—this EV feels nimble, quick, and responsive. It's also super quiet. I'm sure that's a point of contention—the rumblings of an internal combustion engine can be music to the ears—but I prefer the serenity of electric.
You can switch between three range modes: Normal, Range, and Sherpa. The latter limits the speed and cuts off the air conditioning to conserve energy, but I mostly drove in Range mode. It's the only way (that I could find) to enable one-pedal driving, where you essentially push on the accelerator to move, and take your foot off to let the regenerative braking automatically kick in.
I had to get used to this, as you have to ease off the pedal so that you don't come to a stop quickly and bob your head back and forth. But once I did, it was hard to go back. Who wants to keep moving their foot between two pedals?
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It's also nice to use a car with modern amenities like lane guidance and auto braking when it detects a pedestrian. Heck, even having a reversing camera is nice. However, the Fiat 500e constantly warns me about “emergency vehicles” in front on the display (it plays a scarily loud sound, too), but it's unfortunately wrong 80 percent of the time. Stop giving me a heart attack!
The Old Range-and-Charging Problem
You're getting a roughy 150-mile range on the Fiat 500e, which is OK for how often I drive. I don't commute for work, so most of my trips are for leisure. I did drive the 500e more often than I probably would in a normal week, but after four days, I went from 96 to 41 percent after around 53 miles. This poses a problem when I need to make the occasional longer jaunt, like when visiting my in-laws or going on a road trip.
I have a house with a parking spot in New York City, which makes me very privileged and lucky to be able to charge from home—however, the charger Fiat includes was just a smidge too short to reach the charging outlet at the back of my house. Regardless, many folks are not going to have a luxury like that and will have to use charging stations. When I tried looking for charging stations near me, almost all were described as “slow.” Thankfully, there was just one marked as “fast.”
But before that, earlier in the week I found myself near WIRED's Manhattan office, and I figured I'd find a spot to park and charge the car while I sat in the office for two hours. The first parking garage I went to was full, so they turned me away. The second I went to said it'd cost $60 to charge and park for two hours because, in New York City, you're not paying only for electricity but also real estate. Sixty dollars boosted my battery from 41 to 77 percent. It's worth noting that I regularly pay around $35 every two weeks to refuel my gas Fiat 500 (and it takes a few minutes).
Finding the right fast-charging station is important. The one near my home that had plenty of spots available (on a Thursday evening), and I watched many EV drivers passing the time in their cars as they charged, watching videos on their phones. I pulled up, plugged the car in, and after roughly 20 minutes I had gained 20 percent, which cost me roughly $4. Now I can get used to that.
I didn't get to test drive the Fiat 500e on a longer trip, though I imagine I'd have to be a bit more meticulous about making sure there are fast chargers on my route and time it so that a 30-minute recharge could perhaps fall right during a lunch or bathroom break. It's more involved, and this is arguably the biggest pause I'd have about buying an EV if I frequently make long trips (but I don't).
Let’s Talk Money
While I was researching a car to buy, I frequently saw the backronym for Fiat: Fix It Again Tony. These cars seem to have earned a poor reputation for reliability and maintenance over the years. I had the 500 I bought inspected, and it was in fair condition, though the previous owner did tell me they had to replace the car's door handles after they broke off. I have never heard of a car's door handles just breaking off, but apparently it's a common problem among Fiats. I can't say much about the reliability of the Fiat 500e in the US, but I'm hoping it's improved.
The elephant in the room is the $32,500 starting price (the model I tested starts at $36,000). You have tons of EV options with more room and better range, like the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric, and the Tesla Model 3.
However, if you're after a small car, there really aren't many options in the US, save the new Mini Cooper SE, which has a $30,900 starting price. I'm consistently envious watching my UK counterparts enjoying a suite of tiny and affordable electric cars—we need them here, too. (I would totally drive the Microlino.)
The Fiat 500e is too expensive, but we're starved for choice in the US, especially for small EVs that look great. The Fiat 500e is just that. I'd easily choose to drive it over my gas model; too bad it's out of my budget. It also doesn't come in yellow (boo!). If Fiat could solve those two problems, I'd happily open my wallet.
