Fiat 500 Ibrida driving report: Made in Italy again at last
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
The prodigal son is back in his homeland. The Fiat 500 is now back in Turin. The new edition of the Cinquecento, built at the Mirafiori plant until 1975, rolled onto the market in 2007 and came from exile in Poland, but that time is now over. The new 500 Ibrida is once again being manufactured at its parent plant. It is the hybrid version of the electric model. The combustion engine was not originally planned, but it is not only Fiat that is adapting to market developments. An annual production of 100,000 vehicles is planned in Mirafiori. The price list starts at 19,990 euros for the Pop variant.
The small Fiat is one of the last representatives of its kind. The A-segment is under particular price pressure. "Prices for small cars have risen by 60 percent in recent years, and at the same time production volumes have fallen by 90 percent. Of the 70 models that once existed in Europe, only six have survived," Gaetano Thorel, European head of Fiat and Abarth, drew a sober conclusion at the presentation of the new Fiat 500 with hybrid drive.
For the new variant, the developers combined a 65 hp one-liter three-cylinder engine with an electric motor, which supports the combustion engine when moving off and accelerating. Power is transmitted by a manual six-speed gearbox, which, like the 500, is also manufactured in Turin. The three-cylinder engine comes from a Fiat plant in southern Italy, and so the little Fiat fulfills the sometimes strange Italianita expectations of the government in Rome.
When developing the hybrid model, the engineers were faced with the special task of modifying the platform developed purely for the electric drive for a combustion engine. "We had to adapt the floor assembly in order to find space for the six-speed gearbox and the exhaust system," says Fiat and Abarth manager Francesco Morosino, describing the challenge faced by the developers. The company's creative minds took the design from the electric 500 and refrained from changing the classic lines of the small car.
The 500's traditional territory is the city, and its manageable performance is also suited to this environment. It takes 16.2 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, and top speed is reached at 155 km/h. That's enough to hold its own in the urban jungle. The gearbox shifts surprisingly smoothly - that used to be different, and with a manageable length of 3.60 meters, the Fiat fits into small parking spaces. The turning circle is also city-friendly. On a first drive through lively Turin, the little Fiat showed its qualities as a "street fighting boy". The steering is precise, the chassis absorbs the shortcomings of the infrastructure and the powerful three-cylinder engine is pleasantly quiet.
Given the cost pressure in this segment, the materials are simple but cleanly finished, creating a thoroughly pleasant atmosphere. The information center in front of the steering wheel is easy to read. The most important settings can be operated via the central 10.25-inch screen. Below this is a bar with analog switches. However, the screen is difficult to read in intense sunlight. Above this is the area for charging the smartphone, which is framed by the silhouette of the city of Turin. According to Morosino, the 500 Hybrid is "smartphone-friendly", which means that navigation is carried out via the cell phone.
The Fiat 500 is being launched on the market in three equipment versions. The Pop comes with steel wheels, black fabric seats and manual air conditioning. The Icon version (21,990 euros) rolls onto the market with alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch screen and cruise control. In the top-of-the-range La Prima version (24,990 euros), the driver and passengers sit on leatherette seats that can be heated, and a complete assistance program rounds off the equipment. The introductory version 500 Hybrid Torino is also available at dealerships for 21,990 euros. In addition to the saloon, a convertible (surcharge 3000 euros) and the 3 plus 1 variant with a rear door on the passenger side round off the range as before. (aum)
Fiat 500 Hybrid data
Length x width x height (m): 3.6 x 1.68 x 1.53
Wheelbase (m): 2.32
Drive: R3 petrol engine, 1000 cc, hybrid, FWD, 6-speed gearbox
Total power: 48 kW / 65 PS
Max. Torque: 92 Nm
Top speed: 155 km/h
Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h: 16.2 sec.
WLTP average fuel consumption: 5.3 liters
CO2 emissions: 119 g/km
Unladen weight/load: min. 1066 kg / max. 400 kg
Price: from 19,900 euros
More info for topic: Fiat 500 Hybrid
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Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
Download:
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
Download:
Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid Convertible.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid 3 plus 1.
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Fiat 500 Hybrid Torino in the body color "Sun of Italy".
Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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Photo source: Stellantis via Autoren-Union Mobilität
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