FIAT 500 Hybrid: returning to combustion engines was the right decision

Gareth J. Hargreaves • August 26, 2026 22:46

The FIAT 500 Hybrid brings back the combustion engine. It was the right decision.

The third generation of the FIAT 500 was launched as an electric-only model. When it arrived in 2021, the new Italian city car was warmly welcomed - but it quickly collided with reality: not everyone can live with an electric car.

After a strong start, sales of the 500e (electric) collapsed and never recovered. The brand’s leadership took the hint from customers: the combustion engine is still needed.

That realisation produced the FIAT 500 Hybrid. It returns to the “old faithful” combustion engine and, in one move, tackles two issues: it lowers the price and removes the reliance on charging.

We travelled to Italy, its homeland, to see it and drive it first-hand:

What changes on the FIAT 500 Hybrid?

Compared with the 500e, the differences are extremely subtle. Up front, there’s a small extra air intake just beneath the “500” badge, designed - unsurprisingly - to cool the combustion engine that now “lives” under the bonnet.

At the rear, the only visible change is the “Hybrid” emblem that flags the FIAT 500’s hybrid system. The exhaust outlet isn’t on show: it’s tucked behind the bumper and points towards the ground.

Inside, the biggest shift is the return of a manual gear lever for the six-speed gearbox and, yes, a third pedal - the clutch.

Cabin space does the job

Beyond that, the FIAT 500 Hybrid sticks closely to the original “formula”. Its compact size makes it easy to place around town - roughly 3,6 m long, 1,68 m wide, 1,53 m tall and 2,32 m in wheelbase - and the cabin, while not class-leading for space, meets expectations.

With four seats, the rear ones are best suited to anyone under 1,70 m. Access could also be easier, but with only two doors into the cabin there are no miracles. For that, the 3+1 version - which adds a small door on the passenger side - may make getting in and out simpler.

Further back, the boot matches the 500e for capacity: 183 litres. It doesn’t sound like much, but for day-to-day use it works perfectly well.

In the driver’s seat, the FIAT 500 Hybrid falls short on adjustability. The driving position is suitably upright for a city car, yet the driver’s seat doesn’t offer height adjustment - only fore-and-aft movement and backrest angle. The steering wheel, however, adjusts for both height and reach.

On the technology front, this hybrid version mirrors the 500e’s kit: a 7″ digital instrument display and, on better-equipped trims, a 10,25″ central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

In its natural habitat

In town, the new FIAT 500 Hybrid feels completely at home. Its small footprint gives it impressive agility and manoeuvrability, and the suspension is a pleasant surprise in the way it deals with the typical bumps and broken surfaces that dominate urban routes.

That point matters even more when you compare it with the electric 500, which carries an extra 264 kg: 1066 kg versus 1330 kg (24 kWh version). Add to that the light, easy controls - notably the steering, the clutch pedal and the gearshift - and it becomes a very user-friendly city car.

Are 65 cv and 92 Nm enough?

As I mentioned in the featured video, the centrepiece of the “new” FIAT 500 Hybrid sits under the bonnet: the comeback of the combustion engine.

It uses the Firefly 1.0 three-cylinder petrol unit from the previous generation of 500, paired with a 12 V mild-hybrid system. Output is slightly lower than before, though: 65 cv and 92 Nm of torque - 4 cv less than previously.

In practice, that reduction doesn’t really show, and according to the brand’s engineers it’s explained by the need to meet emissions regulations.

And because this is a model designed mainly for city driving, I can assure you 65 cv is sufficient. At a quicker pace, less so. Still, this system was engineered with efficiency as the priority and, on that front, it seemed to do the job very well.

Across a route covering several kilometres of town driving, dual carriageways and motorway, I recorded an impressive 5,0 l/100 km - and I’ll admit I wasn’t always gentle with the accelerator.

7000 euros cheaper

As I said in the featured video, the FIAT 500 Hybrid is substantially cheaper than the fully electric version - around seven thousand euros - which is one of the biggest surprises here. Pricing for the hybrid 500 starts at 20 850 euros for the entry-level Pop.

The test car, however, was in Torino trim, which moves the base price up to 21 350 euros. Here are all the prices:

Expensive for a city car? Absolutely - but the 500 has never been cheap, and its higher price has never stopped it being a success.