Abarth 600e Review & Prices

Hot hatchbacks have always held a special place in car buyers’ hearts for taking something that’s affordable and usable everyday and adding just a bit of performance sparkle. That’s exactly what Abarth has done with the Fiat 600e to create the Abarth 600e - and in doing so, it may have come up with the first genuine electric hot hatchback. It’s also improved tremendously on its first effort, the extremely flawed Abarth 500e.

It’s like when a new actor takes over playing James Bond - all the core ingredients are there, but nothing’s quite the same.

Electric performance cars are a funny bunch at the moment, and so the Abarth has a wide range of alternatives. There are ‘normal’ cars that simply have tons of power but aren’t specifically meant to be fun - such as the MG4 XPower or Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance. If you want to spend more, you can get something rather more serious, such as a Tesla Model 3 Performance or the incredible Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. And don’t forget petrol hot hatchbacks of similar price and performance - cars such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI or Mini Cooper S.

Abarth 600e: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 207 miles
Efficiency: 3.8mi/kWh
Battery size: 54kWh
Max charge speed: 100kW
Charge time AC: 8hrs, 0-100%, 11kW
Charge time DC: 32m, 0-80%, 100kW
Charge port location: Right side rear
Power outputs: 240hp/280hp

The Abarth 600e is based on the Fiat 600e electric SUV. But it’s been given a sporty makeover. Striking 20-inch alloy wheels get Abarth signature bright green highlights, and there’s a dramatic bodykit covering wider axles and tyres.

The 600e also gets a fantastic rear spoiler, cross-hatched detailing on the bumper and a selection of paint colours that includes a positively violent acid green as well as a very cool pearlescent purple. And not only is the Abarth 600e visually arresting, your ears are also assaulted by the ‘Sound Generator’ - a whopping great speaker that sits underneath the rear of the car and generates a fake engine noise, complete with revs and a throbbing idle.

Under the skin, new suspension and uprated brakes help you to make the most of the performance on offer. There are two models - the regular 600e and the limited-edition ‘Scorpionissima’ - both get a generous power uplift from the Fiat they’re based on, but you’ll want the 280hp Scorpionissima for the most fun.

The real trick is that the Abarth gets a limited-slip differential at the front, and this helps it to avoid the understeer that most heavy, front-wheel drive cars suffer from. Instead of washing wide when you enter a corner quickly, the 600e grips tenaciously, allowing you to carry a tremendous amount of speed. Added to the peppy performance and artificial engine note, it’s really fun to drive.

The 600e’s firm suspension does make it a bit less enjoyable when you’re driving around town or doing a long trip on the motorway, though, and it’s much less efficient than the standard Fiat 600. That means that, thanks to the car’s relatively small battery pack, real-world range between charges is a bit of a letdown at around 140 miles.

Other than some very supportive sports seats on the Scorpionissima model, the Abarth’s interior is a disappointment too, with not much space on offer and a glut of hard, shiny plastics on most surfaces. At least what technology there is does work quite well.

As a daily driver, then, the Abarth 600e is pretty difficult to recommend. But if you don’t need a car that can go long distances and doesn’t have to be especially practical, you’ll have a great deal of fun in the Abarth 600e - at a surprisingly reasonable price.

Remember that Carwow is the destination for car-changing - you can see our best Abarth 600e offers, other offers on Abarth cars, or find a great Abarth leasing deal. You can also see our used Abarth models for sale, and remember that Carwow can even help you to sell your old car when the time comes.

The Abarth 600e enjoyed a price cut shortly after going on sale and as a result all models cost less than £40,000, keeping it neatly underneath the threshold to pay the expensive car supplement. That also makes it several thousand pounds cheaper than the mechanically-similar Alfa Romeo Junior, far less than the Volkswagen ID3 GTX and not even in the same ballpark as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Only the MG4 XPower is cheaper and even slightly comparable.

Two grades are available. The regular 600e gets a 240hp electric motor, while the Scorpionissima has a 280hp version. The standard model also misses out on the sound generator, a selection of driver assistance kit and the grabbier bucket seats. The Scorpionissima model is ostensibly limited to just 1,949 examples in the UK, but we’d expect Abarth to launch an equivalent as a full-time model in the range.

Not comfortable for long trips, but the Abarth 600e is an electric car that can really put a smile on your face on the right road

In town

The Abarth 600e’s electric powertrain is smooth, with instant response so nipping out into gaps at roundabouts or junctions is effortless.

It’s also silent - that is, if you have the Sound Generator turned off. With it on, the 600e throbs at idle just like one of Abarth’s older petrol cars, and buzzes away from the line. It’s not obnoxiously loud, but you’ll probably want it turned off when you’re schlepping through heavy traffic.

The steering is quick and the turning circle reasonably tight, but the rock-hard sports suspension does mean you’ll feel every lump and bump in the road.

On the motorway

The 600e has plenty of power for the motorway, with strong acceleration right up to the speed limit. The suspension smooths out a little at speed, but you’ll still notice things like potholes or expansion joints more keenly than you would in a Volkswagen ID3 GTX.

The Sound Generator in the older 500e would buzz irritatingly at high speed - for the 600e, Abarth’s tuned it to settle right down at a cruise, so you can leave it on without feeling like there’s a bee in your skull. There’s a fair amount of wind and tyre noise, though.

Adaptive cruise control and auto lane keeping aids help take the sting out of longer journeys, but these are reserved for the Scorpionissima model - the regular car only gets standard cruise control. However, neither model is particularly good at extended road trips due to their dismal range - expect to get around 140 miles from them on an extended motorway trip, meaning perhaps 110 miles between charge stops if you’re only topping up to 80%.

On a twisty road

The Abarth 600e comes alive on a twisting back road. There are three drive modes - Turismo is the eco setting, providing less power and a top speed of 93mph. Scorpion Street is the default, and unlocks more power and a 120mph top speed. The Scorpion Track mode gives the full extent of the motor’s capabilities, and brings with it more aggressive settings for the throttle, steering and stability control.

Even the most powerful setting strikes a great balance, being less hyperactive than super-quick EVs with 400+hp that you feel terrified to put your foot down in.

Key to the appeal of the 600e is the mechanical limited-slip differential on the front axle. In a nutshell, this allows the car to more effectively put down its power in the corners - keeping a tighter line and preventing understeer, which can happen when heavy, front-wheel drive cars just want to keep going straight instead of changing directions.

The result is wonderful - the 600e corners astonishingly well, allowing you to carry a frankly silly amount of speed through bends. If you put your foot down mid-corner you can feel the car pulling itself in. It’s a setup that flatters inexperienced drivers and delights experienced ones, and it means the Abarth is a cut above most other small, quick EVs. It’s the same solution as you get on the much more expensive Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce, for example.

The firm suspension means there’s very little body lean in the corners, and the steering is quick - plus, grippy Alcantara on the seats means you won’t be thrown around too much. It may absolutely muller your available range, but the Abarth 600e is tremendous fun in the bends.

Tight back seats and a dinky boot, but just about practical enough for a small family

The front-seat occupants are the best treated in the Abarth 600e. Both models get sports seats, but the Scorpionissima gets really aggressive items from Sabelt. They’re covered in grippy Alcantara fabric, and have big vents in the rear to help with back sweat. They’re quite huggy, though, so if you’re of larger build you should try before you buy to make sure you can get comfortable.

Storage for smaller items is okay - the door bins are a bit slim, only accommodating a 500ml bottle, and the glovebox is only half-sized. There are useful modular cupholders in the centre, though, plus a big covered storage bin with USB ports, a 12V socket and a wireless phone charger, though the flap to access it is fiddly.

Space in the back seats

Space in the back seats isn’t huge even in the regular Fiat 600e, and it’s not helped in this Abarth model by its bulky, hard-backed bucket seats in the front which eat further into rear kneeroom. If you’re feeling particularly annoying, though, you can very easily reach through the vents to poke the driver in the kidneys.

Three passengers would be a squeeze width-ways, though thanks to the totally flat floor there is plenty of space for feet. ISOFIX mounting points on the outer rear seats make installing a child seat easy, though you’ll need to move the front passenger seat right forwards if you want to accommodate a rear-facing unit.

Storage for rear-seat occupants is nonexistent, with no door bins or seatback pockets, but there is a USB-C slot.

Boot space

The Abarth’s 360-litre boot is smaller than the 400 litres you get in an Alfa Romeo Junior, though it’s on a par with the 363-litre MG4 XPower. You don’t get a frunk or any clever cable storage solutions, though, so these will have to hang out in the luggage space with all your suitcases.

Access for the boot is easy thanks to a low floor and no loading lip, and the rear seats fold to make a pretty flat surface. One unusual thing to note is that the beep that sounds when you’re closing the electric boot lid is ear-splittingly loud - if you’re parking up late at night, you might prefer to push the boot down manually to spare your neighbours’ hearing.

Abarth tweaks struggle to lift quite a dull and cheap-feeling interior

The Abarth is marked out from its Fiat sibling by its seats, some of its material choices, and the colour scheme. The seats are much sportier, swathed in black Alcantara with luminously green stitching. The same applies to the part-leather, part-Alcantara steering wheel.

Graphics on the centre console and dashboard remind you to ‘Mind the Scorpion’ - a reference to Abarth’s logo - but apart from that, it’s pretty well identical to the regular 600e. That comes with good and bad points.

There are some very nice touches - a full panel of physical climate controls is great, as it’s much easier to use on the move than touchscreen controls are. The infotainment screen is pretty good too, though there are a few functions buried a couple of menus too deep. There’s also a good shortcut to quickly switch off some of the more annoying safety functions.

Interior quality is a mixed bag. It feels solid enough, but the materials don’t feel great - apart from the bits swaddled in Alcantara, it’s almost totally hard, scratchy plastics. This is forgivable on a cheap car, but it’s a shame Abarth couldn’t have sprung for a few nicer materials on the door cards for example.

The Abarth 600e has a 54kWh battery pack, which is pretty modestly sized - the MG4 XPower, Volkswagen ID3 GTX and Volvo EX30 Twin Motor all have much bigger capacities. As a result, the maximum claimed range is just 207 miles - significantly lower than the 254 miles claimed by the regular 600e.

In reality, you’ll get significantly less than that - during mixed mileage we saw about 150 miles between charges, dropping to around 130-140 when more motorways were included. Part of the problem is that the Abarth is so much fun to drive quickly, you won’t really want to be economical.

The small battery capacity means that, despite fairly slow maximum charging speeds, it won’t take an age to top up. Expect a full charge on a home wallbox in about eight hours, and when plugged into a 100kW fast charger you can get from 20-80% in around half an hour.

As an electric car, the Abarth 600e pays the lowest rate of company car tax and first year road tax. Better yet, Abarth gave the range a price cut to ensure that even the most powerful Scorpionissima model skirts just under £40,000 in purchase price, so unlike the closely related Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce you’re not liable for the expensive car supplement in years two to six of ownership.

The Abarth 600e hasn’t been crash tested by safety organisation Euro NCAP, and nor has the Fiat 600e on which it’s based. The Jeep Avenger, which shares the underlying platform and safety equipment, scored just three stars when it was tested in 2024 - so it’s fair to assume that, while the Abarth isn’t especially unsafe, it’s certainly not up there with the top performers in this class.

You get all the basic safety equipment such as autonomous emergency braking, speed limit alerts and lane-keeping assists - and you can map the more annoying of these to a shortcut button in the centre console allowing you to turn them off at the start of every journey.

The Abarth brand didn’t feature in the 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, but Fiat, on whose cars Abarths are based, came second-to-last in the manufacturer rankings. Historically, Fiat and Abarth reliability hasn’t been the best, though a switch to electric power should mean fewer things to go wrong.

Abarth’s warranty is only three years long, which seems stingy compared to the seven years of cover you get with an MG4 XPower, but it is unlimited mileage so drivers who cover a lot of ground may find it gives them plenty of protection.