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
Ergonomics

Safety

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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.

Both the Solterra and the 500e have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. 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 97 more horsepower (215 vs. 118) 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

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.

The Solterra has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The 500e doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

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 .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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.