A small car with a big personality, the Fiat Seicento is back after a 13-year hiatus. Other than the name, the new 600 has nothing in common with its predecessor. Gone is the three-door hatchback shape in favor of a more practical five-door crossover body style. Mechanically related to the Jeep Avenger, the new B-segment model rides on the same e-CMP2 platform developed by Stellantis, which will also spawn an equivalent Alfa Romeo model in 2024.
The reborn Fiat Seicento is 4.17 meters (164.1 inches) long and can be had with wheels as large as 18 inches. As you can easily see, it heavily adopts the 500 city car’s styling on a larger scale. The “600” logo proudly stands front and center, and you’ll notice there’s no Fiat badge at the front as only the tailgate carries the company’s name. Overall, the styling is instantly familiar, using the same recipe adopted by MINI while developing the Countryman from the Cooper hatchback.
Fiat touts 360 liters (12.7 cubic feet) of cargo volume with the rear seats in place and an extra 15 liters (0.5 cubic feet) inside the cabin courtesy of various storage compartments. The new 600 seats five people and aims to deliver more than 400 kilometers (249 miles) of range in the WLTP combined cycle thanks to the 54-kWh battery pack. Driven in the city, it should have enough juice for over 600 kilometers (373 miles).
Once the battery is depleted, it can be charged at up to 100 kW, in which case it’s going to take less than half an hour to replenish the battery to 80 percent. Power comes from an electric motor rated at 154 hp (115 kW), enough for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) run in nine seconds. Touted as being the Fiat 500e’s big sister, the new crossover will also come with a hybrid powertrain from mid-2024.
The interior also draws heavily from the hatchback version and comes nicely equipped with a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch infotainment, and a six-speaker sound system. To sweeten the pot, Fiat throws in an electric tailgate, automatic climate control, adaptive cruise control as well as rain and light sensors.
In Italy, the new 600 in pure electric guise costs from €35,950 for the Red version and €40,950 if you step up to the La Prima with all the bells and whistles. Production starts this month at the Tychy plant in Poland where the Jeep Avenger will also be made. While the latter has been presented as a concept in an all-wheel-drive flavor, the Fiat 600 will come strictly with a front-wheel-drive setup.
