Abarth 500E: the return of the hot hatchback? EV rivals rated
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- Опубликовано: 7 июн 2024
- The petrol-powered hot hatchback is an endangered species.
Once, if a manufacturer wanted to make an affordable sporting car, it put a big engine in its family hatchback and stiffened up the suspension.
Ever tightening emissions and fuel consumption limits means that's no longer an option. You can't buy a Ford Fiesta ST, any Peugeot GTI, a Renaultsport Clio or Megane, and even since filming this video Hyundai has stopped production of the i20N and i30N.
And there hasn't been an EV hot hatch to take up the mantle ... until now?
We've got the Abarth 500E, arguably (and it's an argument our tester Matt Prior is prepared to make) the first proper EV hot hatch.
So much the first that there isn't yet an obvious rival: so we've taken four other fun alternatives to test alongside it. Join us for the ride. The full specifications are below.
Edited by Shreyans Chordia. Prices correct at the time of filming.
Abarth 500E Turismo
Price £38,195
One permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power 153bhp
Torque 173lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, FWD
Kerb weight 1410kg
0-62mph 7.0sec
Top speed 96mph
Battery 42.2/37.8kWh (total/usable)
Range, economy 157 miles, 3.4mpkWh
Cupra Born 58kWh V2
Price £38,395
One permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power 201bhp
Torque 229lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, RWD
Kerb weight 1736kg
0-62mph 7.3sec
Top speed 99mph
Battery 62.0/58.0kWh (total/usable)
Range, economy 262 miles, 4.0mpkWh
Honda E
Price £37,395
One permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power 152bhp
Torque 232lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, RWD
Kerb weight 1520kg
0-62mph 8.3sec
Top speed 90mph
Battery 35.5/28.5kWh (total/usable, est)
Range, economy 131 miles, 3.5mpkWh
MG4 EV XPower
Price £36,495
Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Power 429bhp
Torque 443lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, 4WD
Kerb weight 1800kg
0-62mph 3.8sec
Top speed 124mph
Battery 64.0/61.8kWh (total/usable)
Range, economy 239 miles, 3.3mpkWh
Renault Megane E-Tech
Price £39,495
One permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power 214bhp
Torque 221lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, FWD
Kerb weight 1708kg
0-62mph 7.5sec
Top speed 99mph
Battery 65.0/60.0kWh (total/usable)
Range, economy 280 miles, 3.8mpkWh
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00:00 Introduction
00:47 Cupra Born
04:00 MG4 EV X Power
05:59 Renault Megane E-Tech
08:00 Honda E
11:03 Abarth 500E 
Авто/Мото
I know you can't test "everything" but the e-208 should have been here. A small car. Lighter than the Honda-e but with a bigger battery (46.5 kWh useable). Cheaper!. FUN to drive! Quick steering. Handles very well. Hopefully the latest version continues this with even more range. It definitely has hot hatch vibes to drive.
Agree, I daily an e208 GT, and enjoy it a lot!
What IS is hot hatch?
I'm going to suggest it's fundamentally a very practical car but one that pushes driver enjoyment (note, not performance!) up the attribute list. So what we need is a smallish car on the outside, that is big inside, that is fun to drive, and critically puts a smile on your face every time you drive it. And good news there is an BEV that's exactly like this and has been for around 5 years or more. The odd thing, is that it has a carbon fibre body shell keeping it's overall mass at around 1,200kg only, it is rwd, sprints to 62 easily under 7 sec, and is simply hilariously good fun to drive. It also has a BMW badge on the bonnet and you can no longer buy a new one.
So if you actually want a BEV hot hatch, you need to get into the classifieds and buy a second hand BMW i3s. A the best news, is its rarity and loyal followig mean it almost certainly is a sure fire future classic, so look after it and it's resale should be very very good indeed 🙂
Just such a shame they look absolutely horrendous!
Abarth 500E is soooo much fun for short drives and great fun. For me the only EV that is not just pure straight-line speed and you giggle and laugh about it. I would love to buy one once it is 3 years old and like 66% down in value..
I am one of those lucky people who's life fits the Honda e and I absolutely adore it. After three years I still haven't lined up a replacement yet. Normally I've done that after a few months. However I haven't lived with another EV, so maybe I need to.
If you're not looking at new cars, then the BMW i3 would give you much the same quality feel of your Honda e, plus match the rear-wheel-drive drivetrain. 😎
@@jonathantaylor1998 Only if it has adaptive cruise and wireless CarPlay.
@@jonathantaylor1998 I tried the i3S at the same time as the e. It's not got the same handling, although it's brisk. The tall thin tyres and stiffness made it skittish on poor roads, in my opinion. The Honda's suspension is very very good.
if the Abarth was £20k they'd have a winner
The problem is it isn't.
I'd rather get the new Duster for £16k and fit some track day tyres and simply not slow down for any corner and plant the foot to keep all 65bhp on the boil. ie drive it like a hire car.
The depreciation on these is going to be huge as soon as battery tech goes solid state.
Dark days for car enthusiasts.....
Don’t agree, it’s a golden age of what if. Innovation and change should be welcomed.
Can't agree either. Had plenty of fast cars, but have used an Abarth 500e for a week, and it's a total blast.
@@darrendavies1208it is a 35k 500 that has less power, more weight than before and has very short range. It misses the point of what it is.
@@nicksokolis6343You should drive one before you make your mind up. I agree the list price is way too high, but I'd much rather drive the EV version over the petrol version.
I actually don't think it misses the point. These are not long range grand touring cars. They are for fun short blasts, and this fits perfectly.
@@darrendavies1208 every EV I've driven (cars and motorbikes) are fantastic commuter but they are inspiring and feel very heavy when driven hard.
It misses the point because it is a very small city car that costs a fortune.
No mini seems a big miss.
yeah it should have been there instead of the MG which though fast is not really a driver's car.
Its because of the magazine bias-the mini e beats the abarth on handling ,acceleration & price.However the reviewer here makes his mind up on the slightest whim with a healthy dose of cognitive dissonance.
@@mikej4532 tbf to him the Abarth probably is the most fun of the cars there but it is expensive compared with the Mini, which starts at £30k (which is already much more than I would pay for a car with about 120mile range!)
So, the motor vehicle manufactures took the fun, affordable class of vehicle, and made it far less fun and far less affordable? This was done because hot hatches were responsible for polluting the earths atmosphere, and the sea turtles ate some plastic straws. Okay. Got it....
Does the Ioniq 5 N count as a hatch? 😅
I'm guessing availability because that was my first thought as well :)
I drive a Cupra Born as a company car. Its a great car, roomy and practical. Its great on the highway; quiet, comfy and frugal.
But I would say the suspension and weight combo is its weak point, its too stiff to be comfy on a less pristine surface yet too heavy to feel agile. I prefer the ID.3's suspension setup.
why Mini Cooper SE was not considered?
For me is Cupra Born, can't wait for VZ version ❤😊❤,. also would love to see someone make proper hothach from MG Xpover, take it as platform and build on it😊😊
Where’s the Mini 🚙
Be nice to see the new Renault 5 Alpine
As someone in GenX, hot hatches are to us what musclecars and roadsters are to Boomers. So, I'm inclined to want this. But -- the current range and cost make this a tough proposition; it may be somewhat affordable (for an EV) but it's expensive for what it does.
I'm glad it exists, though. Look forward to subsequent generations with either more power density and/or much faster charging. I love that it's relatively small and light and doesn't focus define fun simply as eyeball flattening acceleration.
As a Gen X you were born at least 4 years after the Golf GTi was born. The hot hatch age belongs to us Boomers I am afraid. We'll let you enjoy it though..... Apart from that I agree with everything you said.
@@vorny1966 I'm in Canada. Here GenX is considered those born from 1965 - 1980. I'm on the earlier side of that (old!). And, we didn't get the Rabbit GTi until the early 80s, which really started the hot hatch trend here. Europe was way, way ahead of us on that one!
@@tonyflorio3269 I will take that then, I am a GenX after all
No mini ????
That fat pudding? Gone cold and has got a skin on it
I have a petrol Abarth 595 which is brilliant fun, not that practical but that`s not why i bought it, this new Abarth 500e looks superb, i could maybe forgive the fake sounds and no gears BUT the near 40k price is just ridiculous... However looking in the Autotrader only 6 months after its launch you can get one with little over delivery mileage for 26k, not so good for whoever paid new price but maybe a 2nd hand thought?
so, one hot hatchback (MG4X), plus two regular cars with hot hatchback look (Born, 500e), plus two regular cars, and that's it (megane, Honda)
£38k for a 500e or £2k more for a Model 3. Who would buy the fiat/abarth?
Hopefully no one. Model 3 is so much more if a car.
I would buy, because a funny citycar. In convertible version of course…
Still not seen a single one on the road. Fiat haven't realised that overpriced EVs were leased as company cars due to the tax benefits. No private buyer is buying the 500e 🤣 and seeing as 500s are only bought by private buyers they have got it so wrong 🙈
Great topic for a video/review. The 500E sounds intriguing. Thanks for still quoting torque in lbs/ft so we actually know how much torque the motor(s) produce instead of a meaningless Nm figure. Not a fan of the stats being shown separately from the dialogue as it is too hard to focus on both. Please include those stats in dialogue with context of how they feel or relate to the driving experience. The internal camera seemed to have too wide a field of view producing a slightly weird fish eye lens effect.
Would be interested to see a direct comparison between a petrol 500 and this one, and criticisms made where the power train shouldn't really impact the driving experience e.g. steering, ride comfort etc. More reviews of interesting/exciting EV's as they are produced please! Thanks.
The biggest opportunity missed was to use speed limiters to emulate a sequential transmission. That could actually be used to limit speeds depending the environment and getting some fun of it.
Like 1=40kph, 2=60, 3=90, 4=120 and 5 as top speed. It would work perfectly in almost every EV to improve it's usability and also it's energy efficiency due to limiting the power input and output to the system.
Shaky af camera. Gimbal? Bueller?
where is zeeker X？
Don't think they even make the Honda E anymore. I have only ever seen one on the road. Which is a shame as with more range it would have been a contender.
Your videos are still the best 😊
No Mini EV? Not a proper comparison 😅
Where’s the Volvo ex30, Ioniq 5 N, or the Mini Cooper S E?
I'm sad Honda does not continue the E.. thats the best looking, cutest and all of these. Would be happy for a RWD or AWD version of that with bigger fresher battery.
Rarely hear about the Honda e I absolute love it but shame about the range
where is smart hashtag 1 and 2？
Take ev's for what they are. Cars are so mega efficient that even a novice can feel like a hero as ICE car (we seem to forget) is electronically programmed to take the edge off , and trim the car around corners. Over bumps, and breaking. That's why as an older driver I want efficient. comfortable, and reliable transport (not an EV....yet ! Maybe never). My last 3 cars when I was single were MK1 VW golf GTi's. If any youngsters get the chance experience a car from the 80' or 90's. You will get a shock ! ANALOGUE ! You now have to learn yours, and the cars limitations, but you will discover the cars SOUL, and character via mostly mechanical means. Accept what the latest cars are....Uber efficient, but an engineered character !
where is BYD dolphin？
I’m not sure I’d describe any of these as affordable. Overpriced, overweight and underwhelming. 😅
where is GWN funky cat？
Except the XPower is twice as quick.
The XPower can't go around corners...so no fun
@@marantamil459 Funny because mine can.
Honda e as a 2nd only city/suburban car. Main car being a petrol.
Did i just hear that.... Fiat Abarth 500 E affordable at £38,000. What is going on. None of these cars are hot hatches. All boring. We are being taken for mugs .
So, the Puma EV will be way more fun than all of this lot, because of course it will.
And a boggo Puma will be more fun than that. And a boggo Fiesta st-line is more fun than that.
And the Puma will be 35k+ not 20k.
Not much for the budget limited car enthusiast to look forward to, is there?
Imagine being young and looking for a car and all you have are ugly E.V Hatchs and overpriced Performance Hatchs, what world are we living these are not Cars but Laptops with benches, what happened to the Clio RS, Fiesta ST
I don’t really understand this comment. Is it EV’s as cars you don’t like or is it the idea of a car being powered by electricity? This is an age of innovation for the car, it’s fascinating.
Current petrol hot hatches have 300-400BHP. These EV hatches are warm tepid hatches at best. 😂
Yeah the Abarth only has 153hp! If it wasn't called 'Abarth' people wouldn't be thinking it was a hot hatch. The MG is faster than most hot hatches in the straight line but it's not much of a drivers car.
I think we need an Ioniq 5N Review ASAP!
Great to see you’ve got the in-car sound sorted now, but there’s no excuse for a loose camera wobbling around all over the place as in the Cupra. Why can’t we have proper quality sound AND video? You have no excuses for such poor quality, sort it out.
The Cupra Born with DCC and 77kw battery and Michelin EV tyres is better
the fake sound in the abarth is just tiresome. after 5 mins i just pulled over and switched it off. It always sounds like you need to change up a gear so just silly. that aside it is a thoroughly lovely little car to drive and it is fun to drive.
Renault 5 is here, 500 is dead in the water, Panda carefully presented might be the thing.
I am a big fan of electric cars. But they are still heavy luxury goods. I wonder if we will ever have a nice spartan car with just enough power and range. I definitely don't need a self driving dragster. Also because we are trying to polute less and the solution is not 2 tons of garbage that does 0-60 in 3 sec.
❤❤🎉🎉
cupra easily the best value
I rode a bike 🚲
Cheap drivers cars "still coming through" sounds a lot like, "DOES NOT EXIST.". The only time an EV is hot is called thermal runaway, EV hot hatch will forever be a mythological beast. 🤣
Whatever you guys are using to mount the interior camera is clearly not well supported. The shakiness is almost uncomfortable to watch.
Ill stick with my honda fit😂 sure its not manly but its never let me down bought it brand new in 2007
There has to be a joke about HOT hatches and electric cars catching on fire here somewhere 🤔
Do petrol ones not do that too.
@@AdrianMcDaid Not like electric ones! Have you seen a spontaneous electric car fire/explosion and how difficult (not to mention dangerous) they are to put out?
I’m not anti-electric per-se, the comment was firmly tongue in cheek… but Elon will be happy you’re looking out for him 👍🏻
@@Mockle07 I totally get the "tongue-in-cheek" sentiment behind your comment - I do...
The trouble is that Society has GOT to do something to counter the ever-worsening local air quality in our towns and cities that's having a major negative impact on our children's health and, while EVs will play a big part in that, it's 'trope' statements like that, adding to the never-ending anti-EV rhetoric spewed out daily by the UK media which potential buyers then start believing.
When, in fact, it has been statistically proven by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (who have absolutely zero to gain by their results) that EV car fires are 20x less likely to occur than combustion-engined car fires.
I agree that they are, currently, harder to extinguish but that's just a matter of fire-service technology and training catching up.
But, what would you rather have?
Better air quality for our kids to breath or 20x the number of car fires?
Pointless article. May as well compare fruit.
looks like fiat lol
hard pass no matter cost
4000lb 'hot' hatches with ≈200hp ?!? I'm gonna puke. EVs aren't about saving the environment with their planned obsolesnse and toxic batteries. they're about breaking the soul of the enthusiast. Just like modern art and forced diversity.
I'm italian, i love ev, but the 500e abarth is the worst car on the market, the price is crazy, bad performance. Is only a 500e with a different brand, they only sold 14 in italy
Couldn’t care less about this bunch of EV crap boxes… 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Get used! 🤓
@@alferro3149 used EV… perfect… 🥳🥳🥳🤣🤣🤣
EVs are at best a temporary solution and any current owners will lose their shirts over time. Buy ICE whenever and wherever you can.
Pure shite .
Each and every one .
This is a load of rubbish. Missed cars and poor cars on show.
Another Snorefest ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
what a bunch of shitboxes, no thanks!
EV cars are so bloody ugly
No one wants EV's anymore.