2018 FIAT 500e Review

Name: 2018 FIAT 500e Review
Brand: FIAT
Price: 9536 USD
Rating: 4.2 (38 reviews)

Price Estimate: $9,536 - $12,094

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2 cars

$10,250 avg. price

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Appraise My 2018 FIAT 500e

FIAT 500e model years

FIAT 500e for Sale

Edmunds' Expert Review

by Cameron Rogers

Pros

Nimble handling
Compact and easy to park
Typically more affordable than other EVs

Cons

Dinky cargo space and back seat
84 miles of range is less than most EVs
Missing the latest driver safety aids
Sales are limited to California and Oregon

What’s new

A rearview camera is now standard. Otherwise the 2018 Fiat 500e is unchanged from last year's model.

Vehicle overview

When it was introduced in 2013, the Fiat 500e fit right in with the electric vehicles of the time. The 500e was small, inexpensive and had a range that we called "an above-average number for an EV." But with the advent of cars such as the Chevrolet Bolt and the Tesla Model 3, the bar has been raised. Without any significant changes to its battery technology over the last five years, the 2018 Fiat 500e is no longer as competitive as it once was.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

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EV Tax Credit^{Certain EVs and PHEVs may be eligible for a federal used EV tax credit up to $4,000. Buyer and car must qualify.}
2018 FIAT 500e
Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback
$10,799
- 19,530 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, corporate fleet vehicle
- 84 mi range
- Budget Rent A Car Norwalk (2,263 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
Close
Located in Norwalk, CA
All Electric, Navigation, Moon Roof, Parking Assist, Alpine Premium Sound, Tilt, 4 Wheel ABS Brakes, Bluetooth Wireless, Keyless Entry, Heated Seats, ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
Listing Information:
VIN: 3C3CFFGE9JT362546
Stock: P11946
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 05-13-2022
2018 FIAT 500e
Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback
$9,700
- 39,485 miles
- No accidents, 3 owners, personal use
- 84 mi range
- Pre Owned Only (2,398 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- Parking sensors
Close
Located in Sunnyvale, CA
Well-equipped and maintained vehicle up for sale by PRE OWNED ONLY OF SAN JOSE. We are your AFFORDABLE LUXURY headquarters. We provide you with our hi...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
Listing Information:
VIN: 3C3CFFGE0JT377484
Stock: 240809
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 08-25-2024

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The 500e does offer some things that other EVs don't. It has an expressive design and excellent handling characteristics, and its short wheelbase and narrow track make it ideal for city dwellers who have trouble finding roomy parking spaces. The 500e has also been one of the most affordable EVs to lease over the past few years.

However, the 500e's diminutive stature makes for a compact cabin and cargo area, and the small battery pack only offers 84 miles of range. As an affordable runabout, it's worth considering, but know that rivals such as the Bolt, Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen e-Golf are superior EVs overall.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

The 2018 Fiat 500e is cute, stylish and stands out from the crowd. We also like its fun-to-drive nature. But its short range, small cargo capacity and limited availability might give some prospective buyers pause.

Driving

The 500e is an entertaining electric vehicle, with good moves at every turn. It's actually quicker to 60 mph than the regular Fiat 500. Driving that enthusiastically will greatly reduce range, however, so it's best to keep a light foot.

Acceleration

Copious electric-motor torque imparts a good drive-away feel from a stop. Our 500e scooted to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds, which is above average in the EV world and even bests the gasoline-powered Fiat 500.

Braking

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.

Steering

The steering wheel feels oddly heavy when driving straight, but it wakes up nicely and gives good feedback when turning through corners. Strangely, the 500e is more responsive than the standard Fiat 500.

Handling

The 500e stands apart from other electric vehicles with its great balance and an eagerness to turn. It's one of the more entertaining electric vehicles on the market.

Drivability

Smooth is the order of the day, but we wish the Fiat 500e had a mode you could set to enable extra regenerative braking force.

Comfort

The Fiat 500e is quiet, but its suspension delivers a busier and more unsettled ride on uneven surfaces than we'd like.

Seat comfort

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

Ride comfort

The Fiat 500e pitches and bucks on its short wheelbase more than expected. A standard 500 rides better.

Noise & vibration

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.

Interior

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

Ease of use

We've never liked the 500's window switch controls, trip computer reset buttons or seat-height adjuster. Add a weird push-button shifter with no enhanced EV regen mode to our list of gripes.

Getting in/getting out

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

Roominess

There is good head- and legroom up front, but the rear seat isn't something you'd want to depend on unless the driver is short.

Visibility

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.

Utility

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.

Compare 2018 FIAT 500e trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2018 FIAT 500e models

The 2018 Fiat 500e is a two-door, pure electric hatchback sold in a single, well-equipped trim level (the gasoline-powered Fiat 500 is reviewed separately). The 500e is powered by an 83-kilowatt electric motor (111 horsepower, 147 pound-feet of torque) channeled to the front wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission. A rechargeable 24-kWh lithium-ion battery pack powers the motor. The EPA estimates the 500e can travel up to 84 miles on a full charge. Fiat claims a 24-hour charge time from empty using a typical 120-volt outlet, while a Level 2 charger will do the job in about four hours.

Standard features for the 500e include 15-inch alloy wheels, foglights, heated mirrors, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, remote locking and unlocking, automatic climate control, a driver information display, full power accessories, cruise control, manually adjustable heated front seats with driver-side height adjustment, premium vinyl upholstery, a leather-wrapped and tilt-adjustable steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, 50/50-split folding rear seats, floor mats and a cargo cover. Standard technology features include Bluetooth, navigation, voice commands, a 5-inch touchscreen, and a six-speaker Alpine audio system with satellite radio, a USB port and an auxiliary audio jack.

The only options are a sunroof and the eSport appearance package, which includes darkened exterior lamp bezels, orange exterior trim pieces, and special 15-inch wheels for a more customized look.

2018 FIAT 500e EV Insights

Trim:

500e Battery Electric

Estimated Range Based on Age

73 miles

EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 73 miles.

Estimated range mapfrom

Charging

4 hrs

240V Home Charging

EV batteries should be kept at 30-80% charged to extend battery life.

When can I use NACS/Tesla charging stations?

EV Battery Warranty

8 yrs or 100,000 miles

According to GeoTab’s data, if the observed degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle.

Estimated battery warranty remaining is 1 year or 2,000 miles for this car.

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

$4,225

Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

See All EV incentives

Cost to Drive

$58/mo

500e

$164/mo

Car Avg.

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

Am I Ready for an EV?

EV ownership works best if you can charge at home (240V outlet)
Adding a home charging system is estimated to cost $1,616 in
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FIAT 500e Owner Reviews

4.2

38 reviews

5(61%)

4(16%)

3(10%)

2(5%)

1(8%)

See all 38 reviews Write a vehicle review

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Just drive it

SJ Mathews, 10/20/2015

2015 FIAT 500e Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)

Great commuter car, also a total blast to city drive. Regenerative brakes are sweet and seem better than conventional, great acceleration, amazing that they make vehicles like this. The only real downside I noted (aside from a limited range) is that going uphill really drains the batteries fast shortening the range. That aside, it is really roomy in the front, the back clearly not …

A real-world 500e review

Chris Ginsburg, 09/14/2017

2017 FIAT 500e Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)

We just bought a used 2014 500e with 28k miles. Dealers are currently offering nice pricing as many 2014's are coming off-lease and being turned in. We paid $7500 + tax. which seems very cheap for car that cost $30K a few years ago. The limited market and relatively high production volume keep the current resale value low. The car is blast to drive at lower speeds... It's very quick …

My Favorite car out of dozens!

Jon Sanserino, 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 …

Quirky but Cute EV

Mikel, 01/15/2016

2015 FIAT 500e Battery Electric 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)

Lease terms are great when combined with rebates from California State and Central Valley. Car is a hoot to drive: fast and responsive with great handling. It also is cute and sophisticated looking. Range is about 100 miles in the relatively flat Central Valley. This car works great as a city commuter and carries our shopping purchases easily in the "trunk" and the extra space …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 FIAT 500e, so we've included reviews for other years of the 500e since its last redesign.

See all 38 reviews of the FIAT 500e

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2018 500e Highlights

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$32,995
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,225 Based on income
Engine Type	Electric
EPA Electric Range	84 miles
Cost to Drive	$58/month
Total Charging Time (240V)	4.0 hours
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	7.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles
EV Battery Warranty	8 years / 100,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the 500e models:

ParkSense Rear Park Assist System: Sounds an alert as the Fiat 500 approaches an object behind the car.
ParkView Rear Backup Camera: Displays an image of the area directly behind the car in the central touchscreen.
Hill Start Assist: Keeps the brakes applied even after you let your foot off the pedal while on a hill to prevent rolling backward.

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