Fiat 500 - Boot space, comfort & practicality
If it fits with your lifestyle, then the Fiat 500 city car should offer more than enough comfort and flexibility
The Fiat 500 retains its three-door, four-seat setup, but from the driver’s seat, this latest interpretation of the iconic city car feels much more spacious than its petrol-powered sibling. Interior storage is good, too, with decent-sized cubby holes, a glovebox, and storage bins.
Early examples of Fiat 500 reserved a height-adjustable driver’s seat for the options list, and the cars we tried without this option had a relatively high-set driving position that some found a little off-putting – even if it did help with visibility. All 500s now come with a height-adjustable driver’s seat to solve that issue, complemented by a fully adjustable steering wheel that allows the driver to find a comfortable position. Every model also gets useful practical touches, including rear parking sensors, two USB ports, electrically adjustable door mirrors, keyless entry, automatic wipers and cruise control.
However, the 500 falters once you try to get anyone into the rather cramped back seats. The wide doors are difficult to open in tight spaces, and passengers are forced to clamber past the front seats in order to get seated. For those with children or who regularly carry people in the rear, five-door alternatives like the Citroen e-C3, Ora 03, Peugeot E-208 or Vauxhall Corsa Electric might suit you better.
Dimensions and size
The latest electric Fiat 500 is slightly bigger than the petrol version, with an overall length of 3,632mm, width 1,900mm and height 1,527mm. That still makes it shorter than a Citroen e-C3 or MINI Cooper, which means parking should be a doddle.
Seats, leg room, head room & passenger space
As mentioned above, while space up front in the Fiat 500 is decent, adult passengers in the rear will find things less comfortable. Sitting behind a driver even of average height will mean that your knees are right up against the front-seat backrest, so you can rule out longer journeys with taller passengers because the headroom isn’t great, either. If that’s likely to be an issue for you, then we’d suggest you take a look at the Citroen e-C3, which has a lot more head and leg room for those relegated to the back.
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The limited amount of space in the back and awkward access are no doubt why, as with the MINI Cooper, the 500 has an ISOFIX child seat mounting point on the front passenger seat as well as the two outer rear ones, because you’re more likely to be able to fit a bulky child seat up front than in the back. Just make sure the passenger airbag is deactivated when you fit the seat on the front passenger seat.
Boot space
The 185-litre boot capacity in the Fiat 500 is predictably small given its diminutive dimensions, so you’ll often use its 50:50 split-folding rear seats to increase the luggage area to its 550-litre maximum. It’s a shame that those rear seats don’t fold completely flat, and there’s a high boot lip to contend with, which makes loading heavier items more awkward. At least the false floor allows you to store charging cables underneath.
It’s not uncommon for a small car to have a small boot, because the MINI Cooper only has 200 litres of space in its electric form, while the Ora 03 is only slightly better at 228 litres. In comparison, the 310-litre boot in the Citroen e-C3 looks palatial.
