Electric SUV takes styling cues from the cute 500 and promises up to 254 miles of range On sale Now Price from £32,995
Neil Winn neil.winn@haymarket.com
FIRST DRIVE
NON-IDENTICAL TWINS may not look the same, but they share a good proportion of their genetic make-up. Similarly, while the new Fiat 600e has its own, unique look, it’s actually twinned with several other electric SUVs under the surface. In this case, that’s a good thing, because the Jeep Avenger and Peugeot e-2008 – with which the 600e shares its underpinnings, 50.8kWh (usable) battery, electric motor and decent, 250-mile-plus official range – are well-proven four-star cars that have impressed us in many regards, not least their sensible pricing.
Now, 154bhp might not sound like a whole lot of grunt, but the 600e delivers a decent turn of pace in town, picking up nicely when you need to nip into a gap in the traffic. It certainly feels punchier than its 0-62mph time of 9.0sec suggests. And while the more powerful Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV are even quicker, you’ll have no issues keeping pace with fast-moving traffic in the 600e – even on the motorway.
Don’t expect the 600e to feel particularly sprightly on a twisty road, though. Its suspension is soft, resulting in noticeable body lean, and its steering is overly light and doesn’t inspire confidence. These points, combined with a somewhat spongy brake pedal, mean there’s little fun to be found in trying to gee the 600e along on your favourite country road.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a car that takes style cues from the smaller, city-friendly 500 hatchback, the 600e feels most at home in an urban environment, where its light steering and relatively tight turning circle make it a doddle to drive. You can even mitigate the sponginess of the brake pedal if you select ‘B’ mode; this increases the level of regenerative braking (energy that’s put back into the battery when you lift off the accelerator) and means you rarely have to touch the brake pedal when pootling around town.
The 600e’s ride is a touch more comfortable than the Avenger’s and does an impressive job of smoothing out broken urban roads, yet it retains tighter body control than the soft but bouncy DS 3 Crossback E-Tense. Factor in a quiet motor and well-suppressed road noise and the 600e is a comfortable and relaxing travelling companion.
Given the 600e’s retro exterior styling, you might be surprised by the relatively modern and conventional look of its interior. In fac
