Used car tests

Used Fiat 500e (2020-date) buyer’s guide: funky, fun and less than £10k

Name: Fiat 500
Brand: Fiat

A full used buyer’s guide on the Fiat 500e that’s been on sale in the UK since 2020

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By:Richard Dredge

21 Sep 2025

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Verdict

The Fiat 500e appeals on many levels, from its low running costs and stylish design, to its affordable purchase costs and high-quality interior. But the 500e isn’t a car that you’ll buy for its ultimate practicality, because its range is limited and that eye-catching cabin is cramped for more than two, while it lacks load-lugging ability. But the 500 is fun to drive, cuts a dash around town and has a feel-good factor that’s lacking in so many modern cars. If the shortage of cabin space and range are deal breakers for you, there’s always the bigger and newer 600e, which isn’t as cheap to buy as the 500e, but give it time and it’ll be just as affordable.

When Fiat brought back its funky fifties favourite, the 500, in 2007, it was a genius move. Whereas the original 500 was basic transport for the masses, the second coming was all about premium urban transport.

Intended to be Fiat’s answer to the reborn and hugely popular MINI, which had arrived in 2001, the 500 proved to be a smash hit, to the point that it’s hard to see how Fiat could have survived without it. At one point it accounted for more than 80 per cent of the company’s sales, so it really was a life saver.

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2020 Fiat

500

23,000 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L

Cash £11,149

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2022 Fiat

500

16,553 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £9,800

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2024 Fiat

500

34,424 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £9,099

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2024 Fiat

500

28,854 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £9,949

When Fiat introduced the third-generation 500 in 2020, it was a pure-electric vehicle and while buyers haven’t taken to it nearly as enthusiastically as they did with previous editions of the 500, that doesn’t mean this chic pint-sized electric car isn’t worth a closer look.

History

Orders opened in June 2020, for the range-topping 500 La Prima, which came with a 42kWh battery and an 85kW charging system; it was priced at £29,995. A mere four months later the full range was announced. The cheapest option was the £22,995 Action with a 24kWh battery and 92bhp, and above this were the £26,495 Passion and £27,995 Icon, with a 42kWh battery and 116bhp motor.

At the same time the 500C convertible was introduced, in Passion, Icon and La Prima forms; this open-topped edition was mechanically identical to the hatchback. Since then Fiat hasn’t adjusted the 500e model range, although it has introduced a couple of special editions: the Red 24kWh and 42kWh (October 2021), and the 42kWh Bocelli, with a JBL premium hi-fi, in May 2022.

Prices

La Prima is the most popular trim and accounts for a third of the cars for sale. Icon is next and then Action; there are very few Passions to choose from. Of the 500es for sale, just one in five is a convertible. A used Fiat 500e is available from under £9,000 through our Find A Car service, while a used Fiat 500e Convertible can be yours for just £13,500.

Check the price of a Fiat 500e with our free car valuation tool...

Which should I buy?

The 500e with a 24kWh battery officially has a 118-mile range, while the 42kWh unit gives up to 199 miles; expect 100 and 150-160 miles in the real world respectively. We’d always favour the bigger battery for the added usability and easier resale.

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Also, the base 24kWh Action isn’t that well equipped, although it does come with 15-inch steel wheels that look like alloys, air-con, rear parking sensors, and a docking station so that you can use your phone as an infotainment system. The Passion adds a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a DAB radio, climate control and cruise control.

The Icon upgrades to 16-inch alloys, a 10.25-inch touchscreen and traffic-sign recognition, while the top La Prima edition has 17-inch alloys, LED headlights, a fixed glass roof, faux leather trim, wireless phone charging, a rear camera, a surround-view system and an automatic dipping rear-view mirror.

On the road

The 500e is a typical EV in that there’s plenty of low-down torque, but this doesn’t peter out too quickly if you buy a 42kWh model; choose a 24kWh car though, and you’ll be cursing the lack of punch at higher speeds.

Whatever you buy, it’ll be ideal for city driving with its light and direct steering, which is much less endearing at higher speeds, such as on the motorway, where the 500e becomes fidgety – which also sums up the suspension on fast and bumpy A and B-roads. In short, the 500e is at its best around town and at lower speeds, and in these conditions you’ll love it.

Alternatives to the Fiat 500e

The VW e-up is more practical than the 500e and keenly priced, while the Honda e looks the part and has a great interior, but its range is poor. The GWM Ora 03 is safe, well equipped and roomy enough, while the newer Citroen e-C3 is a great buy that’s spacious and sensibly priced. The new Renault 5 is really good to drive, user-friendly and sensibly priced, while the MINI Electric is another car that’s dynamically capable and well equipped, but has a limited range.

The Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf are affordable but lack the 500e’s style, much like the Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Peugeot E-208, which are both worth a look given their ready availability and usability.

What to look for

Key detail

Some 500es came with a wearable ‘pebble key’, which is also available as an option. It doesn’t contain a replaceable battery; it has to be charged by placing it in the cubbyhole between the two front seats.

Hot stuff

The 112bhp 500e doesn’t feel especially slow, but if you want something significantly quicker, there’s always the 150bhp Abarth 500e. Prices are a lot higher, though, and availability is much more limited.

Keep it updated

As with all modern cars, it’s important that the software is kept up to date. Early 500es could suffer from various electronic issues, especially infotainment-related, but updates seem to fix them all.

Going spare

None of the 500e trims include a spare wheel of any kind, but a space saver is available from independent traders for around £200. However, you’ll have to carry it in the tiny boot.

Interior

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Although the 500e is new compared with the 2007 car, Fiat carried over much of the cabin styling. That’s good because it works well; it’s attractive and user-friendly, with high-quality materials where it matters, although cheaper plastics are plentiful too. But the back seats are cramped and boot space is limited, even with the seats folded flat.

Running costs

The reason most 500e owners buy their cars is the promise of tiny running costs. With the ability to average 4.5 miles per kWh at lower speeds (which can drop to nearer 3.0mi/kWh in the winter), if you charge at home, your fuel bills could potentially be slashed to as little as a penny per mile.

Insurance costs should also be reasonably palatable, with all 500es in groups 16-18, which compares with groups 7-15 for the petrol-powered 500. Since April 2025 all electric cars have been subject to the standard rate of road tax (currently £195pa), but here there’s no expensive car supplement to pay, because even the most expensive 500e is well under the £40,000 threshold.

The 500e needs servicing every 12 months or 9,000 miles. Services alternate between Minor and Major, which are priced at £95 and £160.

Recalls

The 500e has been recalled three times so far, with each campaign affecting only a handful of cars. The first came in September 2022, for 500es made between June and October 2021, some of which were fitted with faulty driveshafts; replacement parts were the fix.

A few 500es made between September 2021 and November 2023 were recalled in December 2024, because a crucial nut was missing from the high-voltage battery, which could lead to the car failing to start, or even a fire.

The most recent recall came in April 2025 and was aimed at 500es made between March and June 2024. Some of these had faulty software for the traffic-sign recognition system, but all that was needed to put things right was an over-the-air software update.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

While the electric 500 hasn’t appeared in any Driver Power surveys, the ICE model has, most recently in 2024 when it finished 49th out of 50; it previously came 67th out of 75 in the 2021 survey.

Forums suggest that owners generally like their 500es and this is borne out by the three owner reviews on carbuyer.co.uk. One gives five stars and loves everything, one gives four stars, saying the range should be better, but the final one gives one star because of endless problems.