Abarth 600e review: Sports SUV is more than just a Fiat in a tracksuit

The Abarth 600e is more proof that you can have serious fun in an EV. Considerably cheaper than a Hyundai Ioniq 5N – our favourite EV hot hatchback – the 600e follows a similar theme, not least with its attempt to engineer an exciting ‘engine’ note as you enjoy the acceleration.

The 600e lacks some of the engagement of the Hyundai, but uses clever tech to boost the handling. The car can be hustled through corners with meaty-feeling steering and quick spurts of acceleration that will put a smile on your face. The styling looks the part, too, with Abarth’s trademark scorpion graphics dotted around along with a beefy body kit.

But while the 600e looks good value against the Hyundai, it’s still pricey, even though a recent price drop means the Scorpionissima version now drops beneath the £40,000 threshold for the expensive car supplement. If you do want a Scorpionissima, they are limited to just under 2,000 models.

Abarth works with some big names in the racing world to give the 600e its sporting credentials, including Michelin, Sabelt, JTEKT, and Alcon. Yet some of the basics for an all-electric family SUV seem to have been forgotten in the race for performance.

Primarily, the ride. Our passengers soon complained about the bumpiness, especially in the back. The fun I had driving the car with three others on board was soon offset by their complaints. Then there’s the range. A maximum claim of 207 miles is nowhere near what you’ll get if you enjoy the Abarth’s performance to the full, or spend a while on the motorway. And although the interior of the 600e has been spiced up, the quality on offer isn’t what I’d want in a car at this price – there are too many cheap plastics around.

But if passengers are a rarity, you don’t tend to travel too far and have regular access to cheap charging, there are few EVs that will make you smile as much as this Abarth.

How we tested

We had a blast driving the Abarth 600e around streets and lanes in the south of England – we even took it into London where the look and sound created quite a stir. As it’s an SUV we also put the family on board and checked out the boot.

Independent rating: 7/10

Abarth 600e specs

Battery, range, charging, performance and drive

Whether you go for the standard model or the Scorpionissima, you get the same 54kWh battery in Stellantis’ Perfo eCMP platform. If you go for the Eco tyre option, Abarth claims a maximum range of 207 miles – that drops to 199 mile in the Scorpionissima with Perfo track-orientated tyres.

Either way, you’ll struggle to get anywhere near those figures, especially if you enjoy the 600e’s performance to the full – 0-62mph takes just 5.85 seconds in the Scorpionissima but not much less in the standard car – or if you spend a lot of time on the motorway.

The Scorpionissima offers up to 276bhp and the standard car 237bhp. We say ‘offers up to’ because you’ll need either car in the most aggressive (in terms of accelerator, steering and electronic intervention) setting that Abarth calls Scorpion Track. There are also Scorpion Street and the most gentle Turismo modes – the latter meaning a reduction in power (and performance) down to 146 and 195bhp.

Charging speeds aren’t especially quick, though – something to note if you do decide to take your Abarth on a track, where it will use battery power pretty quickly. With a maximum rate of 100kW it’ll take 27 minutes to get from 20 to 80 per cent charge.

That’s all the price you pay for the fun the 600e offers, which you may enjoy even more in the Scorpionissima model thanks to its sound generator. It produces a fruity sounding burble that’s audible outside of the car as well as inside – and yes, I did find a tunnel to check it out.

The sound generator does a reasonable job of mimicking a petrol-engined Abarth, with the noise getting louder the quicker you accelerate and easing off on a cruise. You can even ‘rev’ the car by blipping the accelerator when the car’s in park or neutral, while there’s another burble when you turn the car off – although it sounds a bit too much like a tummy rumble. If you don’t like the fake noises, you can turn them off completely, too. It’s a shame the standard car doesn’t get that feature for the added fun it brings, though.

The 600e handles impressively, putting its roster of tech to good effect, including a racing-style mechanical limited slip differential which enables the car to perform better during acceleration and braking, especially into and out of corners.

The steering is impressive, too, with good feedback and swift reactions, as you’d expect from something that looks so sporty.

Unfortunately, the sporty setup of the suspension is just way too firm. It’ll be fine on a super-smooth track, but our UK roads are anything but super-smooth and the constant jiggling and jolting can get really wearing, especially for passengers.

Interior, practicality and boot space

Using the Fiat 600e as a starting point means reasonable practicality for the Abarth version. Space in the back is okay, but not exactly generous, thanks partly to the larger than average specialist sports seats in the front of the car. The 360-litre boot isn’t exactly huge, either, but probably big enough for most people most of the time, too.

However, things are also very dark inside, including the back, where the shadow of the big sports seats looms large. That’s heightened by the black that’s used pretty much throughout the entire cabin, plus dark privacy glass in the rear windows.

There are plenty of sporting touches inside, with the Abarth scorpion symbol popping up here and there as expected. There’s a leather and Alcantara-clad steering wheel and aluminium pedals, while the driver’s 7in digital instrument panel gets a sporty Abarth makeover, too. The Scorpionissima model also gets a fussy folding cover for the centre console which is more trouble than it’s worth.

Despite the sporty trimmings inside, the quality is more Fiat than Abarth. Considering the price hike in the transition from mainstream to sporty model, nothing happens to the quality of the plastics inside, which feel a bit cheap in places; certainly too cheap for a car at this price.

Technology, stereo and infotainment

Other than the technology under the skin that makes the 600e drive so well (or sound exciting in the Scorpionissima model), there are a reasonable amount of creature comforts inside the car.

There’s a 10.25in infotainment touch screen with plenty of Abarth extras giving you dedicated performance pages and fancy graphics to play with, including a G-force measurement. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, although Abarth’s own navigation system is reserved for the Scorpionissima model.

You also have to choose the more expensive model for that sound generator (shame) and features like 360-degree parking sensors with a rear-view camera, blind spot protection, traffic sign recognition, automatic high-beam, power-folding door mirrors and heated seats.

Both models get adaptive cruise control, plus other safety features like autonomous emergency braking and drowsy driver detection.

If you’re not listening to the Scorpionissima’s sound generator, the audio system only offers six speakers and the sound from that is distinctly average.

Prices and running costs

Abarth has just dropped the price of the 600e Scorpionissima by £2,100 to £39,875 meaning it won’t be hit by the expensive car supplement that applies to EVs from the second year of ownership. At that price it’s still expensive, though. With the cheaper £36,975 standard model you don’t get many of the nicer features, including the fun sound generator.

Of more concern is the car’s efficiency. The claimed 207 mile range is fanciful at the best of times, let alone if you enjoy the car’s performance to the max. And then charging speeds aren’t that great. If you use the car on a track and there’s a fast charger handy, you’ll have to wait nearly 30 minutes to get a 20 to 80 per cent charge at 100kW.

Skoda Elroq rivals

FAQs

How long does it take to charge?

Find a fast charger that will go at speeds of 100kW and either of the two Abarth 600e models will get from 20 to 80 per cent charge in a claimed 27 minutes.

How much does it cost - is it worth it?

Prices range from £36,975 for the standard car to the Scorpionissima at £39,875, which is the model you’ll probably want although it’s limited to 1,949 models

Does Abarth replace batteries for free?

If you should have a problem with your battery, Abarth will replace it for up to eight years after purchase, or 100,000 miles.

The verdict: Abarth 600e

There’s no doubting the amount of fun you can have behind the wheel of an Abarth 600e. It’s fast, it handles superbly, looks as outrageous as you’d expect and even sounds interesting. But that’s not without compromise when it comes to range, ride and price.