Want retro charm without having to sacrifice on space? Say hello to the new Fiat 600e, the grown-up electric sibling of the Fiat 500.
The ‘600’ badge is a significant one for Fiat, with the Italian firm producing the 600 in abundance between the 1950s and 1980s.
In the UK we also got the dinky Seicento in the late Nineties and early Noughties - with ‘Seicento’ being the Italian word for ‘six hundred’.
But now the 600 is making a comeback proper - in the form of this battery-powered 600e crossover. Order books open next month with deliveries expected early next year.
It’s what’s known in the industry as a ‘B-segment’ car - so it’ll compete with compact vehicles like Honda’s new e:Ny1 as well as the Renault Megane E-Tech and the Jeep Avenger.
It’s significantly bigger than the Fiat 500 and gets proper rear doors as well as a generous 360-litre boot - which is about the same size as the one in a VW Golf.
The Fiat 600e is powered by a 54 kWh battery that unlock a range of up to 250 miles. Fiat says you might even be able to eke-out a maximum of 375 miles if you’re just pottering around town.
That battery also supports 100 kW fast charging which can take the battery from 20% to 80% in less than half an hour.
The Fiat 600e should be nippy enough for urban driving, coming with power of around 156 PS and a 0-62mph acceleration time of 9.0 seconds.
Two trim levels will be available from launch - the entry ‘Fiat 600e RED’ and the better-appointed ‘FIAT 600e La Prima’.
The ‘RED’ models get 16-inch steel wheels, rear parking sensors, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, and safety systems like autonomous emergency braking and lane keep assist.
The ‘La Prima’ grade adds 18-inch alloys, chrome flourishes on the exterior, a 180 degree camera, heated seats in the front, wireless charging and - perhaps most importantly - adaptive Cruise Control with ‘Level 2’ autonomous driving.
If you don’t know what Level 2 autonomous driving is, it basically means the car will assist you in braking, accelerating, and steering, but you’ll still need your hands on the wheel and to be paying attention at all times.
The Fiat 600e is priced from £32,995 to buy outright, so it’ll definitely be at the affordable end of the leasing spectrum.
We’ll bring you leasing prices as and when we get them!
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