Fiat's Next European City Car Has A Name: Koala

It will be called Fiat Koala and will be produced in Italy alongside the new Citroën 2 CV

Fiat Koala preview

Photo by: Motor1 Italia visual (AI-assisted)

By: Massimo Grassi

Translated by: Mini

Published by: Mini

Oct 21, at 7:26am ET

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Fiat's new electric city car was expected to make its debut at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, but it was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the automaker showcased the Multiplay, a concept hinting at what a potential successor to the Multipla could look like, along with the Grizzly and Grizzly Fastback, which are getting ready to hit dealerships.

However, we now have some new details about Fiat's upcoming small electric car. Set to arrive in 2027, it will be called the Fiat Koala, according to Arnauld Belloni, Fiat's new CEO, who revealed the name in an interview with Autocar at the 2026 Paris Motor Show.

Almost Ready

“We are working on some cars based on the E-Car platform. We are preparing a small car that will be based on the 2CV, and it will be truly surprising,” Belloni said.

"We are working on some cars based on the E-Car platform. We are preparing a small car that will be based on the 2CV, and it will be truly surprising," Belloni said.

François Leboine, Fiat's head of design, also explained why the new car was missing from the Paris show. According to him, "it wasn't the right time to show what we were working on." As Autocar points out, Fiat may have wanted to avoid stealing the spotlight from the debut of the new Citroën 2CV.

Citroën 2CV Concept (2026)

Photo by: Citroën

The Koala will use Stellantis' E-Car platform, which will underpin the group's upcoming electric city cars. These models will target a new vehicle category being developed by the European Union to encourage the production and sale of electric cars measuring less than 4.2 meters (165.4 inches) long.

The idea draws inspiration from Japan's kei cars, although the European models will be considerably larger.

An Expanding Fiat Family

The Fiat Koala will join an increasingly diverse lineup of small cars. With the Pandina, Grande Panda, and Grizzly already part of the picture, Fiat's city-car family is set to grow even further.

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The new model's design could take inspiration from a concept shown during Stellantis' industrial plan presentation. The concept featured a boxy shape and angular styling, with headlights integrated into the front fascia.

Production is expected to take place at Stellantis' plant in Pomigliano d'Arco, Italy, where the Koala will be built alongside the Citroën 2CV. An Opel-badged version could also join them on the production line.