Abarth 600e review

Abarth doubled its UK model line-up in one fell swoop when it introduced this hot version of Fiat’s 600 SUV to complement its extremely high-vis 500e.

In similar style, this larger hatch has been given more bling over the Fiat 600e upon which it’s based (aggressive styling updates on the outside, some bright paint options and a warmed-over interior), and the numbers have been ramped up accordingly – 237bhp, 254lb ft of torque and 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds en route to 124mph flat out. Warm hatch territory.

But that’s only if you go for the base-level Abarth 600e Turismo. There is also a hotter version with 278bhp that drops the 0-62mph time to 5.9 seconds and was previously only available as a special edition Scorpionissima.

After some tweaks to the regular UK line-up in early 2026 though, that one is now available to all as the Competizione. Worth noting that’s the one that gets the really racey bits, including a Torsen limited slip differential, Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, Alcon brakes, Sabelt bucket seats and an artificial sound generator.

Fiat's 600e is a bit boring isn't it?

Harsh, but fair. It’s a shame Abarth's had to start with a rather dull base vehicle – the 600e suffers from the modern plague of platform sharing that’s made cars cheaper to build and more profitable for carmakers but homogenous and lacking in personality when it comes to driving.

The bumpers and huge rear spoiler do all of the heavy lifting in terms of making the 600e stand out, along with the lurid shades you can order it in.

Underneath though, it’s the same car as the Vauxhall Mokka Electric, Peugeot e-2008, Alfa Junior Elettrica and Jeep Avenger EV. Each offers a touch of surface design flair but the same bland drive. A bit of a tall order then for Abarth to work its tuning magic.

Has Abarth managed to make it fun?

Surprisingly, yes... mostly. The 600e packs more punch than the 500e (the smaller hatch is almost a second slower than the entry 600e to 62mph), and the LSD in the Competizione does a lot of the hard work getting the car through a bend. It’s crazy how much speed you can tip into a corner with – any initial understeer is quickly defeated, and you can feel the car dragging you through and out the other end.

You’ve got to be on top of your drive modes, mind – you’ve got Turismo, Scorpion Street and Scorpion Track to choose from. In the Turismo you start with 146bhp, rising to 201bhp in Scorpion Street, then 237bhp in Scorpion Track mode.

The Competizione model starts with 195 horses, turns the wick up to 224 in Scorpion Street, then bumps you all the way to 276bhp in track mode for max performance. Makes a big difference when you want the oomph.

The range must be dreadful then…

Well, it’s not great. Over a hundred miles on mixed UK roads in warm weather, we got 3.1 mi/kWh out of the Competizione, which works out at just over 158 miles from its 51kWh usable battery. That included some ‘brisk’ driving on country roads, but this is a hot hatch (well, kinda a crossover) after all. Have too much fun or dare to take it out in wintry weather and you’ll see vastly diminishing returns.

The official WLTP range is 198 miles for the hotter Competizione, and that only improves to 200 miles in the Turismo.

What about rivals?

Well, there are plenty even within Stellantis. The Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce, Vauxhall Mokka GSE and the upcoming Peugeot E-208 GTI all use the same bits underneath, and there’s a couple of options from Cupra now that you can get both the Born and smaller Raval in hot VZ forms. Then there's the Volkswagen ID.3 GTX, and the upcoming ID. Polo GTI.

Otherwise you’ll be looking at the Alpine A290, which is less sharp to drive but more fun over a B road, and is a better basic car but smaller inside. The hotter version of the Alpine starts at roughly the same as the entry-level 600e Turismo, which is £32,495. Including its Government grant. The Competizione is a punchy £36,495.

Abarth has done a lovely job spiffing up the Fiat 600e’s driving experience, particularly for the top trim Competizione, it’s just a shame it had so little to work with in the first place. What does it have to do to be allowed to make its own bespoke car?

Most impressively, the best of the drive comes from mechanical upgrades, not slick EV trickery and software tweaks – sometimes the old ways are the best. It is rather firm for UK roads, though.

But the big issue is that the best version of the car is seriously pricey with very limited range. It offers more performance and a significantly better interior, while the Turismo doesn't differentiate itself enough from Fiat's original blueprint. Come on Abarth, bucket seats should be for the many, not the few.