Abarth 500e Review 2024

May 2023

Abarth 500e priced from £34,195

Abarth has unveiled two new additions to the Scorpion family with the launch of the Abarth 500e and Abarth 500e Turismo. Both new models are available to order in hatchback and cabrio versions in the UK. The “Scorpionissima” launch edition is no longer available to order thanks to significant customer demand.

The new Abarth 500e marks the brand’s entrance into a new era and offers performance and character thanks to new design elements and sporty details.

On the exterior, several design features make the new 500e unique and eye-catching. Starting from the new front bumper, which makes the car even more aggressive, taking inspiration from the past.

Its 17-inch alloy wheels with a new design also give the new Abarth a bolder look, together with the exclusive and sporty lines of the lateral skirt, cool white front DAM, rear diffuser inserts and new Matt Grey mirror caps.

The sporty character is signified by the new Abarth lettering in Dark Titanium Grey on the front and rear. In addition, a new electrified Scorpion signature logo resides on the side of the car.

Sportiness is fully expressed within the cabin. The dark ambience of the pillars and headliner, unmissable sport seats with scorpion stripes embossed on fabric, double stitching and steering wheel wrapped in black vinyl, make the driving environment the most sporty and comfortable in the sector.

In front of the driver are two large screens, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system – Uconnect radio NAV - with new Performance Pages and a 7-inch TFT cluster and dedicated Abarth graphics, as standard. The Performance Pages have been specifically designed for the new electric Abarth and allow customers to keep track of their performance as they unleash the excitement of the drive.

Exclusively for the UK market, the new 500e comes with the Abarth Sound Generator and JBL Premium Audio System as standard.

The new Abarth 500e also creates a specific sound which reproduces a rock guitar chord inside the cabin every time the car is turned on or off.  Even the AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alert System) gets a recognisable sound for Abarth fans that reflects the transgressive and unconventional soul inherent to the brand.

The new 500e also combines the Scorpion’s pure sportiness with the typical ingredients of open-air driving, thanks to its Cabrio version, delivering a unique, exciting, and exclusive driving experience for those who crave the feeling of freedom.

New Abarth 500e Turismo: sportiness, style, and the unmistakable Abarth roar

The Turismo is at the top of the new line-up, offering – as always – great performance, a unique style and the original Abarth sound. The interior and exterior details reflect the passions of driving enthusiasts and fulfil the dreams of modern-lifestyle seekers.

The eye-catching exterior is enriched with exclusive 18-inch diamond-cut Titanium Grey alloy wheels which bring the driver closer to the road with their holding performance and aggressive design.

Inside, premium Alcantara provides a dark sporty look and feel. The Alcantara and leather steering wheel and Alcantara embossed dashboard fascia add a further touch of sportiness. The sporty seats with an integrated headrest bring the Acid-Green Scorpion - lasered on the Alcantara – inside and the sporty double stitching provides visual continuity from the seats to the door panels.

Abarth’s signature, the unmistakable Abarth “roar”, accompanies every trip with the 500e Turismo thanks to the Abarth Sound Generator – a standard feature across the new Abarth 500e line-up which faithfully reproduces the sound of an Abarth petrol engine inspired by the famous Record Monza exhaust. Designed to offer all the emotions that every Abarthisti and sportscar enthusiast seeks when driving an Abarth by perfectly combining performance and sound, this innovative sound system enhances the Abarth driving experience.

Furthermore, the new Abarth 500e Turismo comes with a full set of comfort and safety features such as heated front seats, a wireless charging pad, a rear-view camera with 360-degree sensors, heated mirrors and windscreen, keyless entry and go, and a blind spot warning system. A fixed glass roof is standard on the hatchback version of Abarth 500e Turismo.

JBL Premium Audio system

To complete the 360° sound experience of the new Abarth 500e Turismo, JBL is bringing its award-winning sound to the top-of-the-line version.

The vibrant and powerful JBL premium audio system delivers immersive and dynamic sound with clean highs, roaring bass, and well-defined mids to satisfy the most passionate and discerning music fans who love to drive. It features seven optimally placed high-performance speakers including two tweeters, two midwoofers, two rear door full-range speakers, and one trunk subwoofer, plus an eight-channel amplifier.

Extremely refined in both build and performance, the premium audio system is simple and intuitive to use and is equipped with a multitude of advanced technologies. Highlights include Virtual Center technology: an algorithm which ensures that each passenger, regardless of the position in the vehicle, enjoys a coherent sound stage, and Speed Adjusted Volume to maintain the perceived music reproduction level and low-frequency balance at any vehicle speed. The volume and sound spectrum automatically adjust as the speed increases, delivering one more thrill for the driver and passengers.

The 320-watt amplifier lets the intense JBL sound flow through customers’ veins. The JBL premium sound system is perfectly integrated into the car without any major impact on the interior or trunk space.

The new Abarth 500e: more Abarth than EVer

Combining performance, electric power, style and a new powerful sound, the new Scorpion turns advanced technology into adrenaline, and sustainability into performance. Thanks to its electric architecture along with improved weight distribution, instant torque, and a wider wheelbase, the new Abarth 500e is faster than its petrol version and more exciting in both urban and suburban driving, ensuring the best performance.

It is one second faster in urban environments with 50% faster acceleration from 12-25mph than its gasoline-powered counterpart. Outside of city driving, for example on hairpin bends, from 25-37mph it can reach the target speed in just 1.5 seconds - much faster than the petrol version, which lags behind by 15 metres, reaching 37mph a second later.

On the open road, the 500e performs overtaking manoeuvres faster than its petrol version, reaching a speed of 62mph from 37mph one second quicker.

Furthermore, the new Abarth 500e offers great handling and driving dynamics, with a quicker response, better corner entry, and a higher cornering and exit speed. In short, it is more Abarth than ever.

Equipped with a 42-kWh battery coupled with a powerful e-motor, it combines the performance of the Scorpion with the innovation of electric mobility. It features best-in-class acceleration, and, simultaneously, ensures zero emissions. In the end, the new Abarth 500e is thrilling and fast precisely in the conditions where you can really have fun.

With a battery range of up to 164 miles (WLTP) and a supporting fast charging of up to 85kW in direct current (DC), the new Abarth 500e ensures plenty of driving excitement.

Customers can choose from five colours for both the 500e and the 500e Turismo: Antidote White, Venom Black, Adrenaline Red, plus the brand-new Acid Green and Poison Blue, which make the new Abarth 500e stand out from the crowd.

Driving modes

On both the Abarth 500e and 500e Turismo, three exclusive driving modes are available: Turismo, Scorpion Street and Scorpion Track, giving drivers total freedom to fully enhance the sporty set-up and unleash the power of their Abarth.

• Turismo mode allows for smoother acceleration and uses less power for an efficient yet exciting driving experience.
• Scorpion Street mode offers top performance while maximising regenerative braking.
• In both Turismo and Scorpion Street Mode, one-pedal driving is offered. The car decelerates every time you lift your foot off the throttle, making it possible to slow down without even touching the brake pedal while recovering kinetic energy which is converted into electricity to recharge the battery.
• Finally, the Scorpion Track mode is designed for those who are looking for maximum performance without the one-pedal driving function.

Technological and fully connected

The new Abarth 500e is the first vehicle of the Abarth range to offer a fully connected experience thanks to Uconnect Services, which gives customers a complete driving experience with real-time information and onboard security.

All connected services can be also managed offboard through a dedicated app (Fiat app). On board, customers can enjoy the constantly connected and updated navigation system and receive real-time information on traffic, parking, and weather.

Moreover, thanks to Dynamic Range Mapping, it is possible to check the map for the maximum range that could be driven with the residual charge and look for the nearest charging station. The onboard Wi-Fi ensures safety and fun for all passengers, and, thanks to Amazon Alexa, drivers can stay informed and control their smart devices at home without taking their hands off the wheel.

Away from the car, the connected experience continues with the dedicated mobile app. Through a smartphone, it is possible to monitor the vehicle remotely, open and close the doors in a few taps, always know where the car is parked, and find public charging stations. The app also provides direct access to eSolutions Charging services provided by Free2Move eSolutions, where customers can pay for public charging, check their charging history, and remotely manage their private home charger.

Fast recharging speed to quickly go back to fun

To minimise charging time, the new Abarth 500e is equipped with an 85-kW fast-charging system to charge the car’s battery very quickly and guarantee never-ending fun. For example, all it takes is less than five minutes to build up a sufficient energy reserve for daily mileage requirements (around 25 miles), which is less than the time it takes to choose your next destination. When in a hurry, the fast charge reaches 80% of the range in only 35 minutes.

UK Pricing