Abarth 500 114kW 42.2kWh 2dr Auto

Ten Second Review

The Abarth 500e is perhaps at its most endearing in this pricey convertible form. Range is limited. So is the extent of open-topped motoring it can offer. But fun is high on the agenda.

Background

Are we having fun yet? That is, after all, what an Abarth 500e is supposed to be all about, an ethos double-underlined by the open-topped Abarth 500e Convertible version of it that we're testing here. You probably know the basics here but just in case, we'll tell you that this Abarth is a sporting, re-badged version of the electric Fiat 500e, so like that car can be had with the fabric folding top that features in this case. There's quite a premium to get open-air motoring in this smallest Abarth. Is it worth it? Read on.

Driving Experience

As you'd expect, everything here is just as in the fixed top version. Sound is what sells an Abarth. Always has. So to be successful, the 500e has to sound like no EV ever has. It does. The brand has installed a set of speakers beneath the car to faithfully reproduce the engine note of one of its rorty petrol powerplants. And the speakers are linked to the throttle so that as you accelerate, the sound builds, just as it would in a 595 or 695. It sounds remarkably realistic too - and you don't have to take our word for it; a sound generator on the Abarth website will play the powerplant to you. You might dismiss that as a gimmick, but you can't argue with the performance facts here. Namely that the 500e is an all-round faster car than the 595 petrol model it replaces - which doesn't initially seem very likely given that it's much heavier and has 20bhp less in total output. Set against that though, is that the full 152bhp output is of course available immediately, rather than hampered by the turbo lag you'd get in the petrol versions. That instant torque (234Nm of it) propels the car from rest to 62mph in just 7 seconds flat. Even more significant is the 25 to 37mph overtaking increment time of just 1.5 seconds (a full second faster than the 595). 12 to 25mph takes only a second (50% faster even than the 695). Abarth says the car is a second faster around Alfa Romeo's Balocco test track than the 695. There's the usual single-speed EV auto transmission and you work it through three drive modes - 'Turismo', 'Scorpion Street' and 'Scorpion Track' - which can alter brake regen strength and power output.

Design and Build

If the roof is up, it'll need a doubletake to clock that this is indeed the Convertible version of this little Abarth. 'Convertible' is actually a bit misleading. As with every open-top Fiat 500, combustion or electric, the top in question is actually more an extended fabric sunroof, though it does go all the way back in its efforts to create the illusion of cabriolet motoring. Still, because the side frames and B-pillars of the car always stay in place, there's little of the potential scuttle shake you'd normally get over bumps from a small convertible. Supposedly buffeting is reduced too, though we found plenty of it when driving with the roof partly open, a state in which the electric switches for it won't work when you're up near the legal limit. Those switches sit on the header rail and require just 14 seconds for activation. As with the fixed-top model, this drop-top Abarth 500e is surprisingly different from its Fiat 500e Convertible donor model. Even under the skin, where it has a wheelbase 24mm longer and a track 60mm wider. As you'd expect, stuff you can see looks more aggressive too - lights, diffuser, skirts and bumpers are all of course Abarth-specific. Inside, there's a sportier take on the donor Fiat model. If you stretch to the plusher 'Turismo' spec we tried, there's scorpion branding everywhere, lots of Alcantara trimming and a satisfyingly chunky 3-spoke sports steering wheel. Plus you get dedicated 'Performance Pages' for the 10.25-inch central infotainment screen. This display runs Fiat's 'U connect 5' media system and can deliver navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot and 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Those condemned to a seat in the rear will be predictably cramped. Out back, there's a compact 185-litre boot - same as the fixed-top.

Market and Model

There are two Abarth 500e Convertible variants - the 500E (which at the time of this review cost around £33,000) and the plusher 'Tursmo' version we tried (which at the time of this review cost around £37,000. Either way, you're looking at needing to pay a substantial £3,000 premium over the fixed-top Abarth 500e, though on finance schemes (because of this Convertible model's better residuals) the difference in monthly payments won't be that great, so you might feel that you might as well have the drop-top model. With base trim, standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, plus the usual Abarth graphics. Inside, there's a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Media kit includes a 10.25-inch 'Uconnect' centre touchscreen, with wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and 'android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Plus there's the emotive 'Sound Generator' that'll audibly make this like no other EV. The 500e also gets an Abarth-branded version of the 'MyFiat' app, through which you can remotely interact with your car. Via this app, you can also schedule charging, find a public charger and check battery status. 'Turismo' trim includes an alcanatara-trimmed dashboard, sports pedals, a sports steering wheel and heat for the front windscreen and seats.

Cost of Ownership

Don't expect the driving range figure to quite match the best-possible 199 mile figure of the Fiat 500e donor car - given the racier electric motor and the weight of all those bodywork add-ons. The Abarth fixed-top manages just 164 miles - and that figure falls even further to just 150 miles in this Convertible version (though we couldn't get it to charge to more than 143 miles). So you'll be stuck with suburban-only motoring most of the time. All Abarth 500e models feature an 85kW DC rapid charging system that can recharge from empty to 80% capacity in 35 minutes and can provide the car with 31 miles of driving range in just 5 minutes. Buyers can also get a wall charging box that offers 3kW charging and apparently doesn't need to be professionally installed. This wallbox can be upgraded to allow for 7.4kW charging at home. That 7.4kW wall box allows you to fully charge this electric Abarth in just over 6 hours. The car also comes with a mode 3 cable for charging at up to 11kW from a public charging point. It can be charged via AC or DC power points. As usual with an Abarth, this car is covered by a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty and there's 36 months of breakdown cover included as well. Should you have a problem on a journey, you can use the 'Uconnect' infotainment system to contact roadside assistance. What else might you need to know? Well, servicing intervals are every year or every 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. Owners can keep up to date with their car's maintenance schedule via the 'My Car' section of that 'MyFiat' app, which briefs you on the time of your next service and various maintenance issues.

Summary

If you've decided to treat yourself to an Abarth 500e, it's easy to see why you might decide to go all-in and get this Convertible version. You'd have to be a fan of the strange, urgent sound it makes though because obviously, that's even more difficult to ignore in this open-topped model. To criticise this car for its feeble operating range, its cramped rear cabin or its tiny boot is pointless because likely customers probably won't need or be seeking any of those things. Whether they'll think £3,000 a fair premium for a convertible top that isn't really a convertible top is another question. Fun, it seems, comes in many forms. Perhaps this is one of them.