2025 Fiat Topolino Review: Experiencing a Beach Cabana on Wheels

      Jerry Perez

      The most important car news and reviews, no nonsense.

      Our free daily newsletter delivers the crucial stories directly to you every weekday.

      Is bigger always better? I’m not sure; just ask the millions of Americans who purchase towering trucks and SUVs each year. And for fun, pose the same question to the Europeans who bought compact cars last year that fit in carry-on luggage. I suspect their responses would reveal more about their cultures than any inquiries about religion or cuisine.

      I enjoy a big dog and spacious yard like any other American, but sitting behind the snug dashboard of a Fiat Topolino, I'm beginning to appreciate the virtues of smallness.

      Topolino translates to "little mouse" in Italian, signaling its pride in being diminutive—quite the contrast to American preferences. This little Fiat is designed primarily for navigating bustling cities like Milan, Paris, or London, offering an advantage during rush hour, simplifying parking, and saving on fuel costs, especially since it’s electric.

      Another aim of the Topolino is to make you appear stylish and trendy since this compact car doubles as a fashion statement. Or perhaps it’s the other way around? I believe so—especially with the “Dolcevita” variant I drove around southern France this summer, featuring door handles made of braided rope, a roll-up tarp roof, and water-resistant seating.

      The Essentials

      The Topolino is an electric city vehicle classified as a quadricycle in Europe. It’s based on the Citroën Ami, which you might recognize from the viral video showcasing it speeding into the Fairmont hairpin in Monaco and dramatically tipping over. Its 5.5-kWh battery, located beneath the floor, provides a driving range of 46.6 miles (according to the WLTP cycle), powered by an 8-horsepower electric motor that drives the front wheels.

      Due to its quadricycle status, most European countries permit anyone aged 14 and older to operate it without a driver's license. There are three available trims: the standard Topolino, featuring full doors, windows, and a solid roof; the Dolcevita, a nostalgic nod to the charming open-air Cinquecentos from the Italian and French coasts of the ’60s and ’70s; and a new Vilebrequin Collector’s Edition created in collaboration with a luxury swimwear brand.

      Although compact, the Topolino is bold in design. Its curvaceous and angular features, paired with an approachable front end, create a look that’s hard to resist. The cheerful shape brings a smile, while its round headlights elicit awe, and the faux hood line and bumpers pay homage to its predecessors. Plus, the retro-style metal luggage rack at the back is definitely a must if you plan to carry more than just a backpack.

      Jerry Perez

      Although sold in fewer markets and in significantly lower quantities, the original Fiat Cinquecento enjoys popularity and recognition comparable to the Volkswagen Beetle. While the classic Beetle is considered a national emblem in Germany, it holds the same status in countries like Mexico and Brazil, where production continued into the 2000s. The Cinquecento, however, embodies Italian culture, making it a true representation of Italy on wheels, and the Topolino cleverly taps into that nostalgia.

      Inside, there's not much to speak of. The dashboard is a plain black plastic surface stretching across the cabin, complemented by a rolled-up striped tarp tucked beneath the windshield for added visual appeal. To the right of the steering wheel is a clamp-style smartphone holder, with the “shifter” positioned below it, consisting of just four push buttons labeled R, N, and D. There’s no Parking gear; you simply come to a halt, twist the key as if turning off the ignition, and the parking brake engages automatically. The fourth button is for hazard lights.

      Behind the steering wheel, mounted on the steering column, is a digital gauge cluster that shows speed, driving range, charge level, selected gear, and odometer. It’s worth noting that this non-color display is significantly inferior to even the most basic passenger cars available. It resembles what I encountered while riding a snowmobile earlier this year. There's also a cupholder/cubby located behind the display. The seats are more decorative and functional than comfortable, crafted from two-tone panels of somewhat soft rubber, making them easy to clean and maintain while at the beach.

      Jerry Perez

      Driving the Fiat Topolino

      Unlatch the door… or rather, the rope… and step into the cabin. Even for someone with a larger frame like mine, getting in was quite simple. Despite its small size, the Topolino has more interior space than you might expect. Measuring just over 7 feet long and 3 feet wide, most of this EV's footprint is cabin area, resulting in impressive legroom and headroom. The driver’s seat is adjustable manually, as is the telescoping steering column, although the passenger seat is fixed.