Nuova Lancia Ypsilon Goes on Sale With a Staring Price of €24,900 in Italy

Revealed with much pomp in February 2024, the all-new Ypsilon is a subcompact hatchback that costs €24,900 back home in the Italian Republic. That's a little under $26,600 at current exchange rates in a country where there's no statutory minimum wage. Said price can go down by a cool €1,000 with the scrapping of an older vehicle.

Prospective customers are further presented with a leasing option that comprises a down payment of €6,710, monthly installments of €150, plus a large sum of money after that. All of the aforementioned prices apply to the Ypsilon Ibrida, whereas the Ypsilon 100% Elettrica is a staggering €35,399.

Although Lancia slots above Fiat in what used to be Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, these prices are pretty darn prohibitive for the vast majority of Italian motorists in the market for a subcompact. It's even drearier once you glance over the list of trim levels, which starts with the Basic. The mid-range specification is dubbed LX, referencing a trim level introduced in 1966, as in 60 years after Vincenzo Lancia and Claudio Fogolin founded the automaker in Turin. Three years later, in 1969, Fiat entered the scene and slowly but steadily messed things up.

Cassina Edition is the moniker of the best-equipped trim, a grade codeveloped with high-end furniture manufacturer Cassina. A limited-run model that will spawn precisely 1,906 examples to celebrate Lancia's founding year, the Cassina Edition's cockpit is pretty swell. However, €28,900 for the hybrid or €39,500 for the zero-emission powertrain are ridiculously high prices for a subcompact.

The question is, what are you getting for your euros? In the hybrid's case, which is actually a mild hybrid, the answer starts with a three-cylinder turbo connected to an e-DCT gearbox with six forward gears. The full-electric version sweetens the deal from 100 metric ponies to 156 or 154 mechanical ones. It offers a WLTP-rated autonomy of 402 kilometers (250 miles) on a full charge of the 54-kWh battery, which is shared with the likes of the Citroen e-C4, Opel Corsa-e, and Peugeot e-208.

Moving over to standard equipment, parking sensors and keyless entry open the list of doodies. Forward collision warning, lane departure warning, cordless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for the touchscreen infotainment system are featured as well. The LX stands out with the help of gloss-black touches here and there, diamond-cut alloys, textured velvet seats, a special dashboard material that comprises marble dust and fabric, a wireless phone charger, adaptive cruise control, front and rear cameras and sensors, and a drive mode selector.

The Cassina Edition is rocking a multifunctional table in the area where the center console meets the infotainment system, an exclusive paint color, and cannelloni-motif velvet seats, among other special touches that seem a bit excessive in a supermini.