Fiat 600 records 368 SPH as research continues

• Fiat 600 records an average of 368 Smiles Per Hour (SPH).
• Smiles Per Hour metric continues, following its launch with the Fiat Grande Panda in May.
• Metric developed using facial-recognition technology published by Google AI to analyse genuine emotional responses during real world driving.
• FIAT plans to roll out SPH measurement across its wider model range later this year.

FIAT has applied its science-backed Smiles Per Hour (SPH) metric, to the Fiat 600, recording an average of 368.0 SPH across a study of 30 participants.

Having launched SPH with the Fiat Grande Panda in May 2026, FIAT has now turned the cameras on the Fiat 600, with compelling results. Where the Grande Panda demonstrated broad, consistent enjoyment across drivers, the 600 brings its own distinct energy to the road, with an equally impressive result.

Key Findings:

• Fiat 600 SPH: 368.0 SPH – 42% higher than the Grande Panda’s 258.1 SPH
• The highest individual score recorded reached 646.1 SPH – nearly 83 times the average UK adult’s daily smile rate of 0.88 SPH*.
• Two colours were used in the study, with those driving a blue 600 averaging 449.7 SPH vs 321.3 SPH for orange.
• Female participants recorded significantly higher scores than males: 508.0 SPH vs 200.0 SPH.

Kris Cholmondeley, FIAT UK Managing Director, said: “The Smiles Per Hour data for Fiat 600 is a clear measure of the enjoyment people feel when driving it.

“That emotional connection and how you feel behind the wheel is central to FIAT.”

About Smiles Per Hour (SPH)

Smiles Per Hour is FIAT’s new metric designed to measure driving enjoyment through real emotional response. Using facial‑recognition technology, the system tracks genuine, involuntary smiles during real-world driving and converts them into a simple hourly score.

By focusing on how a car makes people feel, SPH offers a more human way of understanding the driving experience - complementing traditional performance data rather than replacing it.

FIAT plans to roll out SPH measurement across the rest of its model range later this year.

Further information and video on Smiles Per Hour can be found here.

About the Fiat 600

The Fiat 600 brings together Italian design, everyday practicality and electrified performance in a compact crossover, combining the style of the Fiat 500 with the versatility of a five‑door family car.

The range has expanded to offer customers a broad choice of trims, including POP, Icon, Sport and La Prima, with Icon introduced as a new mid-range trim level and Sport adding a more dynamic, expressive edge to the line-up.

Fiat 600 is available with a wide selection of powertrains, giving customers flexibility according to their driving needs. This includes a fully electric and hybrid options, as well as a newly introduced petrol manual variant offering a very accessible entry point into the range.

The 600e delivers fully electric driving with over 250 miles of range (WLTP combined), while hybrid versions feature FIAT’s latest turbocharged T-gen3 technology and advanced dual-clutch automatic transmission, ensuring smooth, efficient driving with moments of fully electric mobility.

Designed to balance comfort, technology and usability, the Fiat 600 features a spacious interior, advanced connectivity and driver assistance systems, making it suitable for both urban journeys and longer trips and continues the brand’s focus on simple, enjoyable mobility designed to fit modern lifestyles.

*Source: Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland

22nd June 2026

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