Can the electric Fiat SUV do better than the 500X?
Exterior – Front
So, the styling from the outside is best described as a swollen 500e. we get the same headlight design as the 500e but slightly bigger. The central grill is also the same, but we have the 600 badging. Lower down we get a body-coloured central air vent which I’m not too sure about as it shows the black radar sensor which really should be hidden. We also get some side vents connected to the central air vent and these house the fog lights.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side and we can clearly see a 500 silhouette. We also get an extra door and a lot of mat black plastic body cladding to make it look off-roader like. We also get the door handles and wing mirrors from the Mokka. The wheels are quite stylish though and there is a lot of tyre on the wheels therefore making it harder to curb the wheels. It will also make the ride more comfortable too.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back and just like the front the rear is based on the 500e. I do find the taillights on the 600 more stylish though . the boot is also slightly different and has a different rear bar that isn’t integrated like the 500. The bumper is also rugged looking with the black plastic. What I will say though on this red edition model it does look quite plain. The badges are all in red hiding them there isn’t any silver effect skid plates at the front and back. That would make this car look better as at the moment it just feels that bit plain. If you don’t go for the red edition then the badges will be chrome and that is better. Let’s have a look at what battery and motor options you can have with the new 600e.
Car and engine specs and price
The range of the 600e consists of an electric drive option or a petrol mild hybrid drive option. The electric option uses the Stellantis 153 bhp electric motor. This is mated to a 54 kWh battery pack giving you 254 miles on a full charge but in the real world expect it to be around 190 on an average day. 0-62 is delt within 9 seconds so it isn’t that bad but it isn’t the best. So, for the petrol models there is the usual 1.2 litre hybrid turbo that we know very well from the Peugeot range. This is the 99 bhp model and this is mated to a 6 speed e-DCT gearbox. 0-62 is delt within a slow 11 seconds though which isn’t the best in my opinion. The price of the new Fiat 600 starts at £23,975 whilst the 600e starts at £32,995 which is a lot considering what the car actually is. Ill get on to that later. Right lets have a look at the interior.
Interior – Design
So, climbing inside and you feel like you are getting in a Peugeot parts bin. Now I know that fiat is Stellantis, but they could be more creative. The indicators are from Peugeot, as too are the steering wheel controls and infotainment system which isn’t the best one on the market. Thankfully you can do wireless android auto and wireless apple car play. You also get a digital instrument cluster taken from the Corsa but has its own fiat design. The climate control switches, and gear selector is all from a Jeep avenger which this car is closely related to. It also inherits the centre console from the Jeep too which I am not a fan of. You get this iPad style flap which hides a huge storage area, but this flap can be removed. To me this feels too cheap and tacky and for the price this car is it really shouldn’t. the seats aren’t that bad, and the overall dashboard design is snazzy and retro with the bar dashboard, but I just wish some of the switches and software could be a bit better than what they are. Anyway, let’s have a look at the rear seats.
Practicality
So, getting into the back of the 600e and the door opening isn’t wide enough like the rest of the Stellantis group. Legroom is also tight behind a 6-footer, but headroom isn’t that bad. You don’t get an armrest or even storage in the back which is a big disappointment. Let’s have a look and see if the boot can make up for this
Boot Size
So, opening the boot and we are welcomed with not the biggest boot in its class. It is 360 litres with the seats up and compared to its sister car the 2008 it is small as the 2008 has 435 litres. The cheaper and better in my opinion MG ZS EV has 480 litres. It is more though than the Mokka and EX30 though. Folding the rear seats down you get 1,231 litres which isn’t that bad for the type of car it is.
Summary
So, what do I think of the new Fiat 600e then. Well, it could be better in many areas. The styling inside and out is great. The Peugeot parts bin is too obvious for me and that’s what really ruins the car. The practicality issues are also because of the platform. The previous 500X was a batter car but that isn’t to say it is a bad car. If you want a bigger version of the 500e then this is the version. It is also the quirkiest out of the Stellantis range but there are better and cheaper options available.
Exterior 3/5
Interior 3/5
Practicality 3/5
Total 9/15
Model | Fiat 600e LaPrima |
Engine | 54kWh Battery Pack, Single Motor, 153bhp, 0-62 = 9.0 Seconds 254 Mile Range, Front Wheel Drive |
Transmission | Single Speed Automatic |
Price | £36,995 |
On Sale | Now |
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