Used 2016 FIAT 500e Battery Electric Hatchback Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2016 FIAT 500e Battery Electric Hatchback.
Most helpful consumer reviews
My Favorite car out of dozens!
Jon Sanserino, North Hollywood, CA, 09/30/2016
2016 FIAT 500e Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)
I bought this car because 95% of my driving is short range for shopping, post office, etc. when I am not traveling out of the country for business. Also - the dealer and government incentives made the lease price so low, the car was essentially free - the lease is about the amount I paid for gas monthly. I truly did not expect to fall in love with this little car! It makes me smile … every time I drive it. It is amazingly quiet and solid, and very quick. You really need to watch your speed. It brakes very well, and also handles better than expected considering it has hundreds of pounds of batteries in the floor. Whenever someone new gets in, the first thing they say is "Wow - it's nice! And it's roomier inside than I expected!" It is usually just me and a dog, or the two of us, but we have had 4 people in the car to go a short way to dinner, etc. The fact that there is NO SOUND except the (excellent) radio turning on when you "start" it, still takes some getting used to. The seats are surprisingly comfortable considering that they are so small and thin. Totally adequate for the car. The sound system is better than my Acura's. The NAV is a simple TomTom system, but it works, and it has nearby charging stations pre-programmed in. The Bluetooth works perfectly as does the climate control system. This little car really is well equipped with everything except a backup camera, but the rear bumper is about 10" behind the rear window so it isn't a serious issue, and it has the parking sensors anyway. Yes, there are a few little ergonomic issues about the car that frustrate me, and the steering requires real attention on the freeway, but in general, for what it is intended for, this is what everyone should be driving around town. I have owned around 50 cars, and this will be the one that will be hardest to let go of. GREAT WORK FIAT! And thanks to Fiat of Glendale for making the purchase so easy.
Zippy Electric Vehicle
Califas, San Jose, CA, 07/08/2016
2016 FIAT 500e Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)
The 500e has a better response than the gas-powered version. It handles better, has the best pickup and go, and is so fun to drive. I wanted to lease an electric vehicle so I wouldn't have to pay for parking in my city's parking meters and garages (my city has an incentive to lease/purchase EVs) especially as I work downtown and must pay to park. It's a dream to drive and park, and … recharges when you break, so it becomes a game to get as much mileage from a charge as possible. So far, I've had no problems with the car at all. The lease is up the end of the year, and I've become spoiled with having an EV; it's wonderful not to pay for gas, oil, or smog check! I hope to continue with either leasing or owning another EV. At least in California, this is the way to go especially as the state has a pay back money incentive to own/lease an EV.
Great-ish car.
Jon Sweitzernoffenhold, Laguna Niguel, CA, 10/07/2016
2016 FIAT 500e Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)
I like the way the car drives, but dislike a lot of the interior features. First off, the performance is great and I've never had such a fun car to drive. The acceleration sets you back in your seat and is instantaneous. I don't mind the range as we kept our gas cars and 95% of our driving is local. The charging has been fine with the standard 110 outlet and I don't see a need for … the fast charger. My 7 year old daughter fits in the rear seat without a problem, but I'm happy the lease will be up in a few years as we'll run out of room as she grows. As for the bad....Headroom is awful. I'm 6'3" and basically have to put my head into the sunroof area to drive. Backing out of a driveway is difficult as the rear visibility is very poor. I'm happy for the sensors. Storage inside the car is also horrible. The glove box interior is flat so all your stuff comes out when you open the door. The cupholders are too close together for even 2 medium drinks. There's nowhere to put a cell phone. I hate the radio. There's a navigation warning that comes on for a while that prevents you from changing the channel...unless you take your eyes off the road and hit the "accept" button twice. I don't need navigation as my cell phone does it better. The Satellite Radio sounds compressed and worse than a cassette tape. There's no CD player. I love audio and honestly can't speak to the quality of the speakers since broadcast radio is the best quality thing I've listened to. I hate that every statistic is listed in MPGe, but we fill the car in kilowatts. I find MPGe to be a worthless number. One cool feature about the car is the smartphone app that allows me to turn on the climate control before I get to the car. It's just tough that it only turns on the last setting you had. If I drove with the air off and the windows down, I have to remember to turn it back to automatic 68 degrees when I park if I want to use the app. I also love/hate the App's function to show where the car is because it allows the person with whom you share the car with to spy on you. I have nothing to hide, but it gets weird when the other person knows where you went out for lunch. The regenerative braking is cool, but it doesn't seem to activate fully until the car is less than 90% charged. i.e. It will regenerate up to -10kw, but after 89% battery remaining it will go up to -40kw regeneration. It almost pays not to fully charge the car if you don't need the range. There's also a weird spot between 5mph and 0 where the brakes engage differently and grip strongly into a forceful stop. Overall I like the car as a car, but don't like the comfort features. I'll miss it when the lease is up because it is such a unique experience.
Great Car - Stinkin' Good Deal!
AstroPreacher, Phoenix, AZ, 09/13/2019
2016 FIAT 500e Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)
95% of my driving is local with just myself or one passenger, and the Fiat 500e is the perfect car for it! We have another car in the family for road trips and multiple passengers. The choice of a 500e has some drawbacks that you can see written into my opening praise. It's got a range of 80-100 miles depending on speed and running the AC. The back seat is a penalty box for anyone … but small children. If those drawbacks meet your needs, you will love this car!
My 500e has a tight premium feel. The acceleration is awesome from a stop, although it gets a little weaker at highway speeds. The combination of a car known for it's handling, and the positioning of the battery pack weight low and to the rear, make for amazing handling. It corners better than my BMW 3 series. The front seats are very comfortable and the ergonomics are pretty good.
A couple complaints: The b pillars on this car are HUGE, making for poor visibility when changing lanes. Make sure your mirrors are adjusted. It does come with a very useful blind spot mirror, but it takes some getting used to. The cup holders are awkwardly placed and not very useful. The navigation system is a little clunky. It does work, but google maps does it better on your phone.
A couple kudos: The sound system is excellent (made by Alpine) and it plays well together with your phone. The seats, though manual, are comfortable and highly adjustable. The AC is very capable, although it does lower your range when it's on. The 500e is a hoot to maneuver. It fits through tiny gaps, parks easily, and will make a u-turn on any road.
I have not bothered with a 240 volt charger. It takes around 20 hours to charge on 120 volts (a normal US socket) with the charger that comes with the car. I rarely run the battery all the way down, though, so it is pretty much always fully charged when I am ready to go to work. I get an 80 mile range with the AC on and up to 100 miles in city driving without the AC. This means I'm paying a little less than 3 cents per mile for electricity! The 500e can use commercial 240 volt chargers and charge in about 4 hours. It is not compatible with fast DC style chargers.
If the vast majority of your driving is local and one or two people, you will love the 500e!
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2016 FIAT 500e Battery Electric Hatchback
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Above-average cruising range
- Pro:distinctive style
- Pro:easy to park
- Pro:fun to drive.
- Con:Battery pack and associated hardware consume valuable rear legroom and cargo space
- Con:cramped front headroom with optional sunroof
- Con:sales limited to California and Oregon.
Full Edmunds Review: 2016 FIAT 500e Hatchback
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2016 FIAT 500e in Ohio is:
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