Compare the2024 Subaru SolterraVS 2024 Fiat 500e

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Solterra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Fiat 500e doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Solterra are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Fiat 500e doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Solterra are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 500e doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Subaru Solterra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The 500e doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Solterra has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The 500e doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Solterra has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The 500e doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Solterra has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The 500e doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Solterra Limited/Touring has a standard 360-degree Surround-View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 500e only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Solterra has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the 500e’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Solterra has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Fiat charges extra for Rear Cross Path Detection on the 500e and the 500e’s Rear Cross Path Detection does not include automatic braking.

Both the Solterra and the 500e have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The Subaru Solterra weighs 1402 to 1534 pounds more than the Fiat 500e. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

The Subaru Solterra has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The 500e has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Solterra 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Fiat covers the 500e. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 500e ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 81 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Fiat dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Solterra’s warranty.

Engine

The Solterra’s electric motors produces 98 more horsepower (215 vs. 117) and 87 lbs.-ft. more torque (249 vs. 162) than the 500e’s electric motor.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Solterra can travel longer on a full charge than the 500e on a full charge:

		Miles
Solterra
	Premium Electric Motors	227 miles
	Limited/Touring Electric Motors	222 miles
500e
	Electric Motor	149 miles
	All Season Tires Electric Motor	141 miles

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Solterra’s brake rotors are larger than those on the 500e:

	Solterra	500e
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	11.06 inches
Rear Rotors	12.5 inches	7.99” drums

The Subaru Solterra has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the 500e. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Solterra has larger tires than the 500e (235/60R18 vs. 205/45R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Solterra Premium has standard 18-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the 500e. The Solterra Limited/Touring has standard 20-inch wheels.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Subaru Solterra has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Fiat 500e has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Solterra’s wheelbase is 20.8 inches longer than on the 500e (112.2 inches vs. 91.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Solterra is 5.1 inches wider in the front and 5.7 inches wider in the rear than on the 500e.

Chassis

The front grille of the Solterra uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The 500e doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Solterra has standard seating for 5 passengers; the 500e can only carry 4.

The Solterra has 18.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 500e (95.7 vs. 77).

The Solterra has .3 inches more front legroom, 4.6 inches more front hip room, 6.7 inches more front shoulder room, 2.6 inches more rear headroom, 5.8 inches more rear legroom and 8.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the 500e.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Solterra’s rear seats recline. The 500e’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Solterra Limited/Touring has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The 500e doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Solterra Limited/Touring, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The 500e doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 500e doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Solterra’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. Fiat does not offer a locking feature on the 500e’s standard power windows.

The Solterra’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The 500e’s power windows’ switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Solterra the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Subaru service department.) The driver of the 500e can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Solterra Limited/Touring has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The 500e doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Solterra has standard extendable sun visors. The 500e doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Solterra’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Fiat charges extra for heated mirrors on the 500e.

When the Solterra Limited/Touring is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The 500e’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Subaru Solterra and Fiat 500e offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Solterra offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the 500e’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Solterra has standard heated front and second row seats (second row heated seats on Limited/Touring) extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the 500e.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Solterra Touring keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The 500e doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Solterra Limited/Touring’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The 500e doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Solterra has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The 500e doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Solterra’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The 500e doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Solterra has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The 500e doesn’t offer rear vents.

Compared to the Fiat 500e, the Subaru Solterra eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The 500e doesn’t offer an automated parking system.