Abarth 600e Scorpionissima review

August 8, 2025 Matt Allan

We discover if the Abarth 600e can carry its test-track charm onto the best British B roads

Abarth is famous for taking fairly plain Fiats and adding some spice to them.

It’s been doing it since the 204 A Roadster of 1949 and in 2025 it’s continuing the tradition by adding its scorpion’s sting to the Fiat 600e.

In its regular guise, the Fiat 600e is a fairly ordinary compact SUV that doesn’t seem an obvious choice for Abarth’s attention. But as the tuning division looks to stay relevant in the age of electrification, it’s one of two EV models it has to play with.

I first drove the Abarth 600e late last year and loved it. But that was within the tailor-made confines of Fiat’s Balocco test track. So does it hold the same appeal on the more varied roads of the UK, especially with newly arrived rivals such as the Mini John Cooper Works Aceman and Skoda Elroq vRS snapping at its heels?

In a word, yes.

One of the criticisms that’s been levelled at EVs in the past is that they’re quick without being ‘fun’. There are plenty of examples of that and Abarth could just have slapped a bigger motor and silly body kit on a Fiat 600e and declared its job finished.

It certainly has slapped a bigger motor in. The top-spec Scorpionissima gets a 276bhp/221lb ft unit that means 0-62mph takes 5.9 seconds. But it’s also done more than that. Abarth’s engineers have taken the time to develop an EV that stays true to the Scorpion badge and behaves like a proper hot hatch.

The Abarth 600e sits lower than the regular Fiat on specially tuned sports suspension. Its track has also been widened to aid stability, there are bigger, grippier tyres, retuned steering, a new throttle map and a proper mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential.

Obviously, that should bring fun on the track where the car was developed, but there’s a risk it could lead to disappointment in the ‘real world’. However, a week spent on familiar A and B roads around the UK only served to shine a light on how much fun the Abarth really is.

The combination of a usable amount of power and surprisingly well-sorted chassis in a relatively compact car makes an ideal match for our more challenging roads. They make the Abarth a proper little toy that shows not only can EVs be fun, but you don’t have to have stupid power or be doing irresponsible speeds to enjoy them.

The steering is razor-sharp and accurate and lets you dive into corners where the 600e tucks in, chasing the apex before hauling itself out with enthusiasm thanks to that Torsen diff. The throttle is sharp enough to give instant punch when you need it and if you’re heavy with the right foot there’s a playful amount of old-school torque steer. I’m sure this could be engineered out with software but the fact it hasn’t is symbolic of the Abarth’s fun-first philosophy.

The Abarth 600e lives up to the lairy legacy of the Scorpion badge

In Track mode (where the 600e should live) the regenerative braking is deactivated and you’re in complete control of the four-pot Alcon brakes for a more engaging drive. The stability systems are also turned down, allowing for a degree of misbehaviour if you’re too heavy on the throttle or lift off at the wrong time. It all combines to give a very analogue feel to this very digital car and elevates the Abarth above key rivals. Neither the Mini or Skoda has the same liveliness or sense of fun.

The Abarth also rides far far better than the Aceman, although not as well as the Skoda. Compared with a regular B-SUV it’s a bit firm but it’s perfectly acceptable in hot hatch terms and delivers remarkable levels of body control. The fact it’s on sports suspension and 20-inch wheels makes that all the more impressive.

Beyond the driving experience, the Abarth has fully embraced the showy side of hot hatches. Rather than Golf R subtlety it has gone for Civic Type R in-your-face lairiness and it’s all the better for it. From the 20-inch alloys with their spinner-style centre caps to the massive gloss black spoiler and boxy front splitter, this is a car that screams “look at me”, especially in Hypnotic Purple. There are scorpions everywhere, including on the roof spoiler and littered around the interior – on the dash, seats and steering wheel.

Scorponissima models get special Sabelt hard-shell bucket seats clad in Alcantara. These rob the 600e of almost all rear legroom and look outrageous, but they’re actually surprisingly accommodating and comfortable.

The 600e’s interior is a mix of Abarth-specific touches and some cheaper Fiat elements

Those seats and the Alcantara steering wheel with leather centre line are about the only truly unique Abarth elements to the interior. Elsewhere, there are some performance-related read-outs available via the central touchscreen and metal pedals but other key elements are lifted straight from the Fiat. That means a 10.25-inch infotainment system that’s neither particularly quick nor intuitive, and some materials that don’t feel a match for the Abarth’s £40k price tag. Both the Skoda and the Mini look and feel better quality and the Mini in particular is more interesting and innovative. They also feel marginally more spacious than the shorter Abarth.

And they’ll offer more range between charges. The Abarth’s 54kWh battery is a little meagre compared Elroq’s 79kWh and even the smaller battery in the Mini offers more range. Officially the Abarth manages around 200 miles but drive it keenly and that drops well below 150 miles.

But who ever bought a hot hatch for efficiency?

Like all good hot hatches, the Abarth 600e is a heart-over-head purchase where old fashioned charm and character make up for a meagre range and some dodgy interior quality.

I wasn’t sure that I’d still love the Abarth as much on a second encounter but, if anything, it won me over even further. The unapologetically over-the-top looks combine with a genuinely well developed and engaging platform to offer the kind of fun naysayers claim EVs can’t deliver.