Being a comparatively reasonably priced EV, the 500e evidently wasn’t the form of automobile developed with a lavish finances to spend on soft-touch supplies and expensive-feeling switchgear. Nonetheless, its designers have struck some good compromises right here. Plenty of the surfaces are onerous plastics, however the design is pleasingly retro, with brilliant body-colour panels within the dashboard, cloth inserts within the doorways and full of life seat upholstery.
The row of local weather management buttons slightly below the infotainment touchscreen is exclusive for the 500e, and the bodily controls are welcome however do really feel flimsy and, being gloss black, are simply as prone to fingerprints as that display is. The heated seats (non-compulsory however key to maximising vary in an EV) are managed via the display, although.
The seats are upholstered from recycled plastic. They’re agency and fairly slender however comfy sufficient, and so they don’t trigger too many aches on longer journeys. The cushion is a bit quick and flat and there is not any adjustable lumbar help, however we’ve skilled a lot worse on this section.
We do have some critical quibbles with the 500e’s driving ergonomics, although. First, base peak adjustment is non-compulsory on the driving force’s seat however actually should be commonplace. Our check automobile didn’t have it and had a seat that felt set far too excessive, creating fairly a compromised, perched-up driving place.
Head room is definitely superb, however you find yourself trying via the highest third of the windscreen, and imaginative and prescient is additional hindered by the inside mirror. So for those who’re tall, it’s tempting to hunch, inflicting again ache on longer drives.
Extra irksome nonetheless is that Fiat’s RHD conversion is especially poor. The pedals are positioned comparatively centrally however there is a massive centre console that intrudes into the footwell, making little or no room on your left foot. There’s a tokenistic effort at a footrest, a slender little bit of plastic trim on the wall of the footwell; your foot usually slides off it after which beneath the brake pedal, which may be very annoying.
Inside area is fairly restricted, even by the requirements of small vehicles. This can be a three-door-only automobile. With the entrance seats in a typical place, adults couldn’t actually sit within the again on account of each the restricted head room and leg room and the upright angle of the rear seatbacks. For youthful kids, although, the second-row seats are usable sufficient, and so they have an Isofix level every.
Rear seats that fold in a 50:50 are commonplace on higher trim ranges and go away fairly a step within the automobile’s loading space when folded down.
The small boot no less than has a flat flooring in any other case and is a usefully sq. form, however it incorporates the smallest and possibly the least helpful parcel shelf you’ll discover in any manufacturing automobile.
Multimedia
The Italian manufacturers aren’t usually thought of leaders in infotainment techniques, however Fiat has pulled out all of the stops for this one.
The interface can appear barely overwhelming initially, because it tends to throw a variety of data at you unexpectedly, however as quickly as you get used to the format, it’s fairly logical and responsive sufficient.
There is a everlasting column of shortcuts on the left of the display, and there is wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto performance, which labored easily throughout our check and goes properly with the wi-fi charger that’s out there on most variations (you get solely two USB ports within the automobile).
It’s a disgrace, nevertheless, that Fiat doesn’t match all the bodily menu buttons on the 500e that it does within the 600 crossover, which make deactivating ADAS options simpler.
