The latest Fiat 500 arrived back in 2020 as a pure-electric model to be sold alongside the mild hybrid-powered edition of the previous generation. However, that older 500 Hybrid has now gone off sale in the UK, and it will be replaced by an all-new model due later this year.
We say ‘all-new’, but the forthcoming 500 Hybrid will look very similar to the old one – and indeed the electric 500e, too. We know this because Fiat has just shared images of the first pre-production units rolling out of its Mirafiori plant in Turin – ahead of a November launch.
The name ‘Hybrid’ also looks set to change to ‘Ibrida’ (Italian for ‘hybrid’) – a move shared with fellow Stellantis brand Alfa Romeo with its new mild-hybrid Junior Ibrida.
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The 500 Ibrida will probably use the same mild-hybrid technology that Fiat’s parent company Stellantis has been installing in numerous models recently, including the Fiat 600 compact SUV, Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Corsa.
While those cars use a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine paired with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with an integrated electric motor, Fiat’s images clearly show a six-speed manual gearbox, just like the old 500 Hybrid. They also reveal the Ibrida will use a 10.25-inch touchscreen, though it has a different dash layout to the current 500e.
