New Fiat 500 gets 64bhp hybrid set-up, manual ’box, fresh look

The new Fiat 500 will arrive in the UK next summer with a 64bhp hybrid powertrain.

Sold alongside the visually identical 500e EV, the new 500 Hybrid will be offered in both hatch and convertible forms, like its predecessor. 

At the heart of the Hybrid is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine and 12V battery – a similar set-up to the previous car's but downrated by 5bhp. In the new model, the power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

With just 64bhp on tap, the new 500 Hybrid hatch needs 16.2sec to reach 62mph from standing and the convertible takes 17.3sec . Top speed is rated at 96mph. 

The new 500 has a claimed fuel economy of 53mpg, similar to the car it replaces. Fiat says it has been designed for "efficient, urban motoring”.

The new hybrid model is otherwise very different from its predecessor because it uses the same platform as the 500e.

The move to new underpinnings was made because the old model, which was mechanically 17 years old, fell foul of new EU cybersecurity laws.

Upgrading the old car to comply with the new EU regs would have meant a costly re-homologation effort, so the unprecedented move to retrofit an electric car platform with a combustion engine was seen as the most cost-effective solution.

Visually, the new 500 Hybrid looks identical to the electric 500e except for a reworked front grille to feed more air to a petrol engine.

It also adopts the 500e's interior, which includes Stellantis's 10.25in touchscreen. Alongside this, the dashboard features a larger and squarer new storage cubby and the gearlever is elevated alongside the steering wheel – as in the old petrol 500.