Fiat 600 1.2 100HP Hybrid La Prima Review

Introducing the 1.2L 3-cylinder Mild Hybrid Powertrain

The Fiat 600 boasts an endearing design, with cute headlights that evoke a sense of familiarity. Its front mask bears a striking resemblance to the car character from the Pixar movie Cars. The car’s windshield serves as its eye, adding to its charming appearance.

Initially launched in the UK market as a battery-electric model called the 600e, the Fiat 600 has since been introduced with a hybrid powertrain due to slowing demand. This decision is largely driven by the need to comply with CO2 emissions regulations, which even major car manufacturers cannot ignore.

The Fiat 600 shares its platform with the Jeep Avenger, as well as its powertrain, which is also found in small cars from Stellantis Group’s Citroën and Peugeot. This powertrain consists of a 1.2L 3-cylinder gasoline turbo engine combined with an electric motor that runs on a 48V voltage and a small 0.9kWh drive battery.

This mild hybrid setup produces a maximum output of 100ps, with a more powerful version boasting 135ps scheduled for release later. The electric motor contributes 28 PS, which does not affect the maximum output but assists the torque at low range, resulting in a maximum torque of 20.8 kg-m in total.

A Lively Driving Experience with Powerful Regenerative Braking

Despite its modest power output, the Fiat 600 delivers a more lively driving experience than expected. It accelerates smoothly before the engine speed increases, with strong mid-range acceleration that makes it hard to doubt its 0-100km/h acceleration time of 10.9 seconds.

However, at highway speeds, this impression fades away, revealing a turbocharged three-cylinder engine that isn’t particularly refined and can be a bit rough under load.

The car features front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission, which sometimes struggles to choose the best gear when accelerating.

The regenerative braking system is particularly noteworthy, with powerful deceleration when the accelerator is released. This feature contributes significantly to energy efficiency, as evidenced by the average fuel efficiency of 20.4km/L achieved during the test drive.

The steering wheel is light to turn and feels snappy on twisty city streets, although it lacks feel. The brake pedal could also benefit from being a little firmer.

The ride is generally good, making the Fiat 600 a competitively sized crossover with a lively ride.