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The modern era version of Fiat's cheeky little 500 city car got an extension to its life in 2020 with the addition of mild hybrid electrification to its little 1.0-litre three cylinder engine. Otherwise, this stylish package wasn't fundamentally changed - but then loyal buyers didn't really want it to be. On the used market, these people will like the smart look, the various media options and the very individual feel. You can tell that Fiat knows its market.
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History
If ever a car built its brand, it's the modern-era Fiat's 500 first launched in 2007. There have been three generations of this car over the years and all have been pivotal to Fiat's existence as car maker. This MK2 version though, is the 'Cinquecento' though, that you'll probably most easily recognise, the second generation model, which after 13 years on sale received its most significant update in early 2020 with the introduction of mild hybrid power.
It was all part of a move towards electrification which also bought us a more significant milestone in Fiat 500 history: introduction of a completely new third generation full-electric battery-powered version. But that 'New 500' took the brand into a completely new and much pricier market segment that abandoned most of the folk that for the last half century have made the 500 the enduring success story it is. Which is why in 2020, to serve these people, this second generation model not only continued alongside its newer stablemate but was also rejuvenated with a completely new mild Hybrid powertrain.
It's a little strange thinking of this 21st century MK2 model as the 'basic' 500 series alternative. Back in 2007, it seemed such a technological marvel in comparison to the 'cinquino' original, the so-called 'Bambino' model which back in 1957 was conceived as an alternative to a scooter. This second generation 500, styled by Frank Stephenson and derived from a 'Trepiuno' concept car first shown in 2004, was, like the Volkswagen Beetle and the Mini, a Fifties peoples' model reinvented as a New Millennial fashion trinket. To great effect. Fiat of course tweaked this second generation design over the years. In 2011, we got a clever TwinAir two cylinder engine that sounded great, but never got near its quoted fuel stats. There was a 1.3-litre diesel variant that was introduced, deleted, then re-introduced again. And in 2015, there was a facelift with over 1,900 changes, most of which you couldn't see, feel or touch.
Throughout, buyers were offered the option of either the fixed-top three door hatch model or a '500C' open-topped variant of the same body shape that stopped short of being a full convertible but offered a fabric folding section in its roof. Both body styles were also offered with 1.4-litre turbo petrol power by the Abarth brand - which continued in 2020 but in ever-decreasing numbers.
Otherwise, by 2020 the only combustion-powered engine you could get in either the three door 500 hatch or 500C was the mild hybrid unit we look at here, the previous and rather ancient old mainstream 1.2-litre four cylinder petrol unit replaced by this 1.0-litre three cylinder motor paired with a 12-volt belt-integrated starter generator and a separate 11Ah lithium battery, all of which develops a modest 70hp. What's on offer here isn't any sort of full-Hybrid - the car can never drive solely under battery power - but Fiat reckoned this powerplant's clever 12V electrified architecture could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 30%. This car sold until 2024, when it finally had to be deleted due to being unable to meet EU cybersecurity regulations. A 500 Hybrid based on the third generation model was introduced in 2026.
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What you get
In an age where little hatches often tend to have become rather less little, this one remains appealing small, still measuring in at just 3.5m long, 1.6m wide and 1.5m high, which means it can fit into spaces even a MINI Hatch would have to avoid.
If your experience of this car dates to a much older version of this model, it's at the front that you'll notice most of the changes that were made as part of the 2015 facelift. Perhaps most notably, the 'lipstick-kissing' theme of the LED daytime running lights that graphically reproduce the zeros of the '500' name and frame lower corner lamps that take care of dipped-beam headlamp and turn signal duties. Underneath, as before, this car is based on the aging underpinnings of a previous model Fiat Panda, but potential owners rarely know this - and rarely care if they do.
Inside, delicious details are everywhere, the coloured fascia panels featuring iconic '500' badging and colour-matched against the bodywork. Nothing changed as part of the evolution into mild hybrid power - unless you count the increased use of recycled plastic to create the restyled seats. It can still feel pretty up to date if the car you're looking at has the initially optional 7-inch TFT instrument cluster and the top version of the 7-inch 'Uconnect' centre-dash touchscreen. Not much changed in terms of getting comfortable. It's still disappointing to find that there's no reach adjustment on the steering wheel, that seat height adjustment is only standard on a top-spec model and that the rear parking sensors you'll really need were optional on many models. It's impossible to be irritated with this car for long though. It's just so engagingly designed; the pool ball-style gear stick mounted high on the dash, the art-deco silver door handles, the ear lobe-style vents around the infotainment screen, the Bakelite-style fitting surrounding the ventilation controls; all of it's fun, trendy and reasonably ergonomic.
Given that the external dimensions of this car are so short, you won't be expecting to find much room in the back - and there isn't. Taller folk will find their heads brushing the roof. Larger adults will need to make full use of the elbow cut-outs indented into the side panels. Most though, will find the space provided just about sufficient for two people on short to medium journeys - and it'll probably be fine for kids, who of course are provided for with ISOFIX child seat fastenings.
Out back, the boot has a high lip and a narrow opening and remains one of the more compact offerings in the segment. Once you get your stuff in past this tiny parcel shelf though, the 185-litre space provided is no smaller than an ordinary mainstream city car like Toyota's Aygo would give you. If you need to carry more, then you can push forward the rear bench, which split-folds in all but the entry-trim level variant. This frees up 550-litres in this standard hatch model.
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What to look for
The 500 has earned a decent reliability record but there are some things to look out for here. We've heard of issues with the 12V battery, which will drain quickly if the car isn't driven regularly or the system isn't charging itself properly through engine braking. Otherwise, the issues you'll come across are normal ones with this era of 500. So trim rattles and problems with the coolant reservoir. The start and stop system can sometimes fail to engage correctly due to low battery charge. We've heard of misfiring due to a faulty coil pack. And the door handles can break, the light clusters sometimes crack and allow moisture inside and the alloy wheels are prone to oxidation. Make sure the tailgate microswitch works because it's expensive to replace. Check the steering wheel on older models which can wear quickly. We heard of failing dashboard warning lights and faulty gauges.
Thoroughly check the Uconnect media set-up too. Check for upholstery damage caused by child seats in the back, wheel scratches and typical supermarket dints and scrapes. The 500 isn't bad on consumables like brake pads and most people should be able to park it without nerfing the extremities.
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Replacement parts
[based on 500 Hybrid - 2020 - autodoc.co.uk - ex-VAT] Expect to pay around £4-£12 for an oil filter, around £7-£21 for an air filter and around £5-£23 for a wiper blade. Front brake pads vary in price between £15-£50 for a set. Front brake discs cost in the £25-£56 bracket. A radiator costs in the £65-£147 bracket. A water pump is in the £40-£80 bracket; a thermostat is around £22-£55.
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On the road
The big news here was the introduction of a mild hybrid 70hp 1.0-litre three cylinder petrol engine to replace the aging 69hp 1.2-litre conventional four cylinder unit this car was previously soldiering on with. This 'Firefly'-series unit lacks a turbocharger but gains a 12V Belt Starter Generator (known as a 'BSG'), along with an 11Ah lithium-ion battery, the major components of the mild hybrid system that the badging of this car loudly trumpets. The Belt Starter Generator harvests energy during braking and deceleration and stores it in the system's little integrated battery so that it can be used in two ways. Either to aid acceleration. Or to power the car's auxiliaries as the engine stop/start system activates when you're waiting at the lights or in a traffic queue.
There'll never be enough charge generated to power the car without the aid of its combustion unit; and even if there was, the battery wouldn't be big enough to store it. What this is then, is less a Hybrid powerplant and more an embellishment to combustion engineering that boosts efficiency - by up to 30% in terms of CO2 emissions, according to Fiat. Which brings us to the WLTP-rated figures, 53.3mpg on the combined cycle and up to 119g/km of CO2. On the move, a few areas betray the age of this design - notably the ride, steering feel and the shift quality of the manual gearbox (which now has 6 speeds). But potential customers will forgive this car much for its trendy demeanour, cheeky engine note and its turn-on-a-sixpence manoeuvrability.
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Overall
This modern era Fiat 500 breezed into its third decade on sale with as much self-confidence as it had back in 2007. If you're to want one though, you need to be clear about what you're getting here. As ever, it's unapologetically small, so all the same issues in areas like boot space and rear seat accommodation remain. And the engine here provided, for all its 'Hybrid' badging, isn't actually really very electrified at all.
We're OK with both those things - and we think many likely customers will be too. The diminutive size continues to make this Fiat perfect for dinky city motoring. And because there's just a light dusting of electrified tech here, prices were able to remain pretty much as accessible as they had been before - which was just as well, given the premium price tag applied to the alternative 'New 500' full-battery-powered model.
In summary then, this car remains as likeable as ever. Choosing a 'fashionable' little runabout can often be a risk. Here though, is one you can enjoy without a worry.
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