Fiat 500 electric reliability & safety rating
As this is Fiat's first pure-electric model, it's hard to comment on reliability just yet; it does have a reasonable four-star Euro NCAP safety score, though
| Euro NCAP | Adult protection | Child protection | Safety assist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 stars (2021) | 76% | 80% | 67% |
Historically, Fiat hasn’t had the strongest reputation for reliability, with the Italian brand coming in dead last place in the 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. However, electric cars are in general more reliable than petrol models, so we expect this 500 to help Fiat turn a corner for customer satisfaction.
All cars get an industry-standard three-year warranty, so if you buy new and something does go wrong, you should be covered.
Fiat 500 electric reliability & problems
It seems unfair to cast judgement on the electric 500’s reliability before any hard data is available. This is the brand’s first pure-electric model, which means much of the technology is new – with little real-world feedback on its long-term dependability just yet.
Historically, Fiat’s reputation for reliability hasn’t been great, and recently the manufacturer came in last place in the 2022 Driver Power survey – down from 26th position the previous year to 29th. Electric cars in general tend to be more reliable than their petrol or diesel siblings, however, largely due to their reduced complexity and fewer moving parts. For this reason, we expect the electric 500 to be a pretty reliable small car.
Safety
The electric Fiat 500 was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in December 2021 and received a reasonable four-star rating out of a maximum possible five. Individual scores for adult and child occupant protection were 76% and 80% respectively, while safety assistance technology was rated at 67%. Every Fiat 500 comes with automatic emergency braking, while top-spec models get adaptive cruise control, plus lane centring and traffic-jam assistance.
