2017 FIAT 500e Review

The 2017 Fiat 500e is offered as one model only. There is one trim level option, the eSport, if you prefer a more customized look. It adds darkened exterior accents and special wheels and looks pretty cool. But we prefer to save the roughly $500 and put the cash in our pocket because the 500e is sty...

Smooth and seamless is the order of the day, but we wish the Fiat 500e offered the option of additional regenerative braking like some of its competitors.

Copious electric-motor torque gives the 500e great off-the-line punch. Our 500e scooted to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds, which is above average in the EV world and actually ties the Fiat 500 Turbo's time.

The brake pedal is firm and reassuring, and routine in-town stops feel, well, routine. Our panic stop from 60 mph took 129 feet — a little long, but not alarmingly so.

Oddly heavy and thick when driving straight, but it wakes up nicely and gives good feedback when bending through corners. Strangely, it feels more responsive than the steering in the standard Fiat 500.

The 500e stands apart from other electric vehicles with its great balance and an eagerness to turn. It's one of the most entertaining electric vehicles you can buy today.

Smooth and seamless is the order of the day, but we wish the Fiat 500e offered the option of additional regenerative braking like some of its competitors.

The Fiat 500e gives you the quietness you expect from an EV, but the suspension delivers a busier and more unsettled ride on uneven surfaces than we'd like.

The front seat adjustments are fairly basic, but the cushion and backrest provide adequate support.

Unlike the Spark EV, which delivers a polished ride despite its small size, the Fiat 500e pitches and bucks on its short wheelbase more than expected. The standard 500 rides noticeably smoother.

In true EV fashion, the 500e glides around in silence, at least when it comes to noise from the motor. Tire noise is noticeable, but mainly because there's no noise from anything else.

Like a regular Fiat 500, the 500e suffers from two things: form over function and, to a greater degree, a backseat that isn't terribly practical for family use. Think of it as a two-seater, and you'll get along with it much better.

The wide doors make entry into the front seats easy, but the rear seats are hard to wriggle into. This is not the right car if you will haul adults or even teens in the backseat.

Good head- and legroom up front, but the rear seat isn't something you should expect to use often unless the driver is short and likes the seat slid forward.

It's easy to see out the front, but the center door post seems to be in the way when checking your blind spot. Rear visibility is about average for this kind of car.

There isn't much room for cargo behind the rear seats if someone is sitting there. They need to be folded to get much utility. The 500e works best in the two-seat configuration.