Do not be fooled by appearances!
Under its name "hybrid", the Fiat 500 has a much lighter hitch than true hybrid city cars such as the Toyota Yaris.
Exit the Fiat 69 hp 4-cylinder and make way for the new atmospheric 1.0 3-cylinder 70 hp from the Firefly family, here combined with a 12V starter-alternator.
Powered by a small lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 11 Ah, this 3.6 kW "electric boost" is certainly not powerful enough to animate the crisp Italian alone, but this system makes it possible to recover energy at the same time. deceleration, to support the petrol engine during the next acceleration, to cut the latter as often as possible (under 30 km / h and in neutral) to reduce its consumption and to restart it immediately.
In practice, these operations carried out instantly are carried out in full transparency.
The 500 Hybrid is also available in a Cabrio version.
Fiat
If the 500 Hybrid perhaps does not steer as short as a Twingo and its driving position is not a model of ergonomics, its ease of evolution in the city gives a smile.
In the urban jungle, its compactness (3.57 m), its wide field of vision and its soft controls - the City button lightens the steering when maneuvering - are sacred allies.
However, we regret the imprecision of the control of the new six-speed gearbox and the percussion of the suspension.
Its 70 hp and 92 Nm of torque are sufficient in town, even if the contribution of the electric boost from the alternator-starter is hardly noticeable.
The 3-cylinder is docile, but not very demonstrative, in any case less than the old 1.2 with 69 hp and 102 Nm. On the other hand, the higher engine braking due to regeneration on deceleration is really felt.
By anticipating driving, braking is often superfluous.
In fact, we were able to note an average consumption of less than 6 l / 100 km all routes combined (5.3 l / 100 km and 120 g / km of CO2 announced by Fiat) during our test.
Fiat
Displayed from € 15,290, or € 1,000 more than the old 500 4-cylinder 1.2 69 hp, already not given and now only offered in a Dualogic robotic gearbox (from € 16,290), this Hybrid is the solution for the manufacturer. the cheapest to lower consumption and CO2 emissions (all 500 Hybrids are exempt from the penalty).
As for the wealthy city dwellers, they will be able to turn to the new 100% electric 500.
In the La Prima version, they will have to pay a minimum of € 27,900, including a bonus of € 7,000.