Compare the2025 Volvo EC40VS 2024 Fiat 500e

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EC40 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Fiat 500e doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The EC40’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The 500e doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EC40 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 EC40 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 EC40 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The 500e doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The EC40 has standard Post-impact braking, which automatically apply 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 EC40 has standard CTA Auto 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 EC40 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The 500e doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The EC40 Plus/Ultimate has a standard 360° 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 EC40 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 EC40 has standard Cross Traffic Alert and Braking Intervention 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 EC40 and the 500e have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, 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 Volvo EC40 weighs 1818 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.

Warranty

The EC40’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the 500e’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the EC40 for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Volvo will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Fiat doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the 500e.

Engine

The EC40’s standard electric motor produces 131 more horsepower (248 vs. 117) and 148 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 162) than the 500e’s electric motor. The EC40’s optional electric motors produces 285 more horsepower (402 vs. 117) and 332 lbs.-ft. more torque (494 vs. 162) than the 500e’s electric motor.

As tested in Car and Driver the Volvo EC40 electric motors is faster than the Fiat 500e:

	EC40	500e
Zero to 60 MPH	4.3 sec	7.8 sec
Quarter Mile	12.9 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	108 MPH	85 MPH
Top Speed	115 MPH	93 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The EC40 can travel longer on a full charge than the 500e on a full charge:

			Miles
EC40
	FWD	Electric Motor	298 miles
	AWD	Electric Motors	268 miles
500e
	FWD	Electric Motor	149 miles
		All Season Tires Electric Motor	141 miles

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the EC40’s brake rotors are larger than those on the 500e:

	EC40	500e
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	11.06 inches
Rear Rotors	13.4 inches	7.99” drums

The Volvo EC40 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.

The EC40 stops shorter than the 500e:

	EC40	500e
70 to 0 MPH	178 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the EC40 has larger tires than the 500e (235/45R20 vs. 205/45R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EC40 Core has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the 500e. The EC40 offers optional 20-inch wheels.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Volvo EC40 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 EC40’s wheelbase is 15 inches longer than on the 500e (106.4 inches vs. 91.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the EC40 is 5 inches wider in the front and 5.4 inches wider in the rear than on the 500e.

Passenger Space

The EC40 has standard seating for 5 passengers; the 500e can only carry 4.

The EC40 has .1 inches more front headroom, 4.9 inches more front hip room, 5.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 6.6 inches more rear legroom, 9.4 inches more rear hip room and 8.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the 500e.

Cargo Capacity

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the EC40’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The 500e doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the EC40’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The 500e doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The EC40 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The 500e has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the EC40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The 500e doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the EC40, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver and front passenger’s seat positions, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The 500e doesn’t offer a memory system.

The EC40’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat 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 EC40’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 EC40 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the 500e can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the EC40 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The 500e doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The EC40 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The 500e doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the EC40 offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The 500e doesn’t offer cornering lights. The EC40 also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The EC40’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 EC40 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.

The EC40’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The 500e offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Volvo EC40 and Fiat 500e offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The EC40 features standard 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 EC40 has standard heated front and optional heated rear seats extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the 500e.

On extremely cold winter days, the EC40’s optional 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 EC40 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 EC40’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 EC40 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 Volvo EC40 Plus/Ultimate eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

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