Currently reading: Official: Fiat 500 Hybrid to arrive in November with six-speed manual

Petrol-powered city car will finally enter a new generation after 18 years, using electric 500e underpinnings

Fiat will begin production of the new 500 Hybrid in November – and the first official pictures reveal it has received an overhauled interior and a six-speed manual gearbox.

More than 100,000 examples of the new model are expected to roll off production lines each year at the company's Mirafiori plant in Turin. Both hatchback and cabrio models will be sold.

The first images of non-camouflaged pre-production models show that it will look identical to the electric 500e except for a reworked front grille to feed more air to a petrol engine.

That engine will be the same 1.0-litre three-cylinder mild-hybrid Firefly engine that powers the old 500 and Fiat Panda.

The new Fiat adopts the 500e's interior, which includes Stellantis's 10.25in touchscreen. Alongside this, the dashboard features a larger and squarer new storage cubby and the gearlever is elevated alongside the steering wheel – as in the old petrol 500.

The move to retrofit an electric car with a combustion engine is unprecedented in the European car industry. 

Several reports in March 2024 suggested that the bold measure was borne out of two key challenges. 

First was the need to up production rates at the Mirafiori factory amid slow sales of the 500e and its Abarth 500e hot hatch sibling, which led Fiat to pause production on several occasions last year.

Meanwhile, it ended production of the old petrol 500 (which accounted for the majority of 500 sales), as the 17-year-old model fell foul of new EU legislation on cybersecurity, which would have required a costly rehomologation effort.

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Fiat CEO Olivier François acknowledged the challenges, saying in a statement that the 500 Hybrid will boost production at Mirafiori "to ensure the plant’s productivity".

He added that launching a new combustion-engined 500 in response to flagging sales of the EV serves as "proof that social relevance is at the core of the brand mission".

Fiat previously said it would also invest €100 million (£85m) into the 500e, with plans to redesign its platform for new battery technologies aimed at improving its affordability.

This suggests that an update for the EV is also due around 2026.

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Will Rimell

Will Rimell Autocar
Title: News editor

Will is Autocar's news editor.​ His focus is on setting Autocar's news agenda, interviewing top executives, reporting from car launches, and unearthing exclusives.

As part of his role, he also manages Autocar Business – the brand's B2B platform – and Haymarket's aftermarket publication CAT.

Charlie Martin

Charlie Martin Autocar
Title: Staff Writer

As part of Autocar’s news desk, Charlie plays a key role in the title’s coverage of new car launches and industry events. He’s also a regular contributor to its social media channels, creating content for Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter.

Charlie joined Autocar in July 2022 after a nine-month stint as an apprentice with sister publication What Car?, during which he acquired his gold-standard NCTJ diploma with the Press Association.

He is the proud owner of a Mk4 Mazda MX-5 but still feels pangs of guilt over selling his first car, a Fiat Panda 100HP.

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shiftright 4 July 2025

Fantastic! Looking to move back to Europe to escape the insanity of the banana republic dictatorship the US has become, and this will  be on the shortlist as a second car! Well done Fiat! Now do the same with the Abarth

Peter Cavellini 4 July 2025

It was inevitable that the 500 would get bigger, going EV dictates that heavier to,we humans are getting bigger so accommodating means we need more room inside, I walk past one nearly every day and I always admire its cute looks the stylish interior, a Peter one isn't a bad shout specially if you don't do a lot of miles.

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