Used Fiat 500e (2020-date) buyer’s guide: funky, fun and less than £10k

Insurance costs should also be reasonably palatable, with all 500es in groups 16-18, which compares with groups 7-15 for the petrol-powered 500. Since April 2025 all electric cars have been subject to the standard rate of road tax (currently £195pa), but here there’s no expensive car supplement to pay, because even the most expensive 500e is well under the £40,000 threshold.

The 500e needs servicing every 12 months or 9,000 miles. Services alternate between Minor and Major, which are priced at £95 and £160.

Recalls

The 500e has been recalled three times so far, with each campaign affecting only a handful of cars. The first came in September 2022, for 500es made between June and October 2021, some of which were fitted with faulty driveshafts; replacement parts were the fix.

A few 500es made between September 2021 and November 2023 were recalled in December 2024, because a crucial nut was missing from the high-voltage battery, which could lead to the car failing to start, or even a fire.

The most recent recall came in April 2025 and was aimed at 500es made between March and June 2024. Some of these had faulty software for the traffic-sign recognition system, but all that was needed to put things right was an over-the-air software update.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

While the electric 500 hasn’t appeared in any Driver Power surveys, the ICE model has, most recently in 2024 when it finished 49th out of 50; it previously came 67th out of 75 in the 2021 survey.

Forums suggest that owners generally like their 500es and this is borne out by the three owner reviews on carbuyer.co.uk. One gives five stars and loves everything, one gives four stars, saying the range should be better, but the final one gives one star because of endless problems.