Fiat 600 long-term test
Fiat hasn't traditionally focused on building SUVs, but the 600 is its latest small SUV offering. We're living with one to find out how it stacks up with everyday life...
The car Fiat 600 1.2 Hybrid 48V La Prima Run by George Hill, Used Car Writer
Why we’re running it To find out whether this small SUV can be a successful urban commuter car
Needs to Be easy to drive, comfortable and cheap to run, but also practical on trips out of town
Mileage 2412 List price £27,350 Target Price £24,742 Price as tested £28,000 Official economy 57.6mpg Test economy 47.0mpg
9 April 2025 – Control freak
Let’s face it, no one likes a back-seat driver. They can be bossy and annoying, with the main culprits often being a parent who’s trying to keep a close eye on the speedometer. I can hear my Dad reminding me now, “It’s thirty here, George”, just as the needle rises towards 30mph. It’s a built-in feature that most parents can’t shake off.
Similarly, my Fiat 600 has taken a liking for back-seat driving – and the first instance it has done this is with the regenerative braking system, which generates charge for the hybrid battery when slowing down. When coming to a stop at, say, a red light, the car slows quite suddenly as you lift off the accelerator, negating the need to press the brake pedal. In some cars, this can be quite smooth, but here it can make for quite a jerky driving experience and unfortunately you can’t turn it off (or, at least, I haven’t figured out how to yet). On the plus side, it is good for efficiency.
The second instance is a bit more concerning. As with a lot of new cars, my 600 has lane-keep assistance to make sure you don’t drift out of lane unintentionally, and for the most part it’s very unobtrusive. This is exactly how it should be; a back-stop for when you truly need it.
However, recently I found an instance where it was interfering when it shouldn’t have been. Specifically, it was when I was driving on the motorway while trying to change lanes. Of course, I always follow the highway code and indicate when manoeuvring, but even with this clearly signalling to other road users and to the car itself what I was doing, the lane-keep assist kicked in and it tried to pull me back into the lane I was trying to leave. Luckily, I counteracted it by pulling harder on the wheel, but this caused a hesitation and a little squirm on the road, which felt rather alarming.
Oddly, it only happened a couple of times on my journey. However, that inconsistency means I now always switch the system off before I begin every journey. At the end of the day, it’s me that should be in control of the car and not the imaginary back-seat driver – even if it does have good intentions.
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