Abarth 500e first drive | fun over function

Abarth has never really made any headway in the fleet market. That’s probably because it’s synonymous with making fast, flamboyant and, ultimately, loud versions of the humble Fiat 500.

But times, and trends, are changing and for Abarth to survive into the next decade, its only choice is to embrace electrification. Thankfully, the latest Fiat 500 is already electric, so Abarth has a good starting point for its first battery-powered model.

And with the current company car tax rules favouring fully electric vehicles, the new Abarth 500e could be the brand’s first model that appeals to fleets.

Think of it as a Fiat 500e, with everything turned up a few clicks. The exterior has been overhauled, with new bumpers, a lower ride height and larger alloy wheels, giving a more distinctive and aggressive appearance.

There’s an eye-catching colour palette, too, and the sporty theme continues inside where Abarth has fitted Alcantara-wrapped bucket-style seats and given the interior a darker theme.

Powering the Abarth 500e is a 155PS electric motor, that drives the front wheels. It uses a 42kWh battery, to provide a WLTP range of 164 miles.

While it lacks the neck-snapping thrust of the latest twin-motor EVs, the Abarth 500e has potent-enough acceleration to satisfy its “hot-hatch” billing. It feels quicker than its petrol-powered counterpart, thanks to instant torque. Prod the throttle and the Abarth reacts instantly. Push too hard and it scrabbles for grip, as the front tyres are easily overwhelmed.

A firm suspension setup delivers an agile driving experience, allowing the 500e to change direction rapidly and take corners at high speed. The downside of the setup is an unrefined ride that always feels unsettled and harsh.

Still, Abarth has engineered the car to be fun and that has undeniably been achieved.

One of the car’s party pieces is its sound generator. It’s an externally mounted speaker that replicates the sound of a combustion engine.

Hit the start button and the Abarth 500e bursts into life like no other electric car. It really does sound authentic and, if you’re a bit childish, you can even ‘rev’ the ‘engine’ with the sound changing as you depress the accelerator pedal. On the move the noise increases as you speed up, peaking at about 45mph. Above which, the fun turns to misery as the noise becomes far too intrusive and unnatural.

At 70mph, it sounds like the car is stuck in second gear and Abarth has programmed the car’s settings so that the all-important menu item that disables the sound generator can only be accessed when you’re stationary.

Perhaps not many people will opt for the Abarth 500e if they do long journeys. Certainly, our experience found it to be a little inefficient at higher speeds. It’s a car that is far more at home in the city and on back roads.

Overall, our testing concluded that 3.5mi/kWh is possible – suggesting a total range of 130-ish miles. Driving style does have a big effect, though. If you’re really enjoying the 500e then don’t expect to get more than 100 miles from a charge.

Pricing for the car starts at £34,195 or £37,195 for the convertible version, making it about £3,000 more expensive than the equivalent Fiat 500e.

There’s plenty of standard equipment, including LED headlights, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, JBL sound system and rear parking sensors.

Running costs make the Abarth a less compelling choice than the new Mini Electric, at 52p per mile vs 44p per mile. For a company car driver, the 2% benefit-in-kind tax rate means monthly bills of £12.

The Abarth 500e is fun to look at, fun to drive and likely to put a smile on your face everytime you drive it. But it does come with some compromises. A limited range and hard ride mean it’s a far less practical choice than an MG 4 or Cupra Born, both of which are as quick in a straight line and comparable on costs.