First Drive: Fiat 500X

Fiat’s given the 500X a tech-filled makeover, bringing the city crossover into the modern age.

What is it?

Whichever Fiat board member suggested expanding the 500 range beyond the cute city car is a genius. Though the iconic 500s two larger siblings – the 500L and 500X – aren’t best-sellers in the UK, they lead their respective segments on the continent and make the Italian brand a tidy packet.

But the 500X has always been slightly old-fashioned, trading on its retro appeal rather than its modernity, so Fiat has seen fit to give it a substantial mid-life facelift.

What’s new?

On the outside, the fundamentals are virtually identical, but reprofiled bumpers front and rear give a neater aesthetic. Of more appeal are the new lights – standard LED daytime running lights and taillights, with optional full LED headlights. They bring the car well up to date, and look rather slick – especially the 500-aping ring-shaped taillights.

Of the three engines on offer, two are all new – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder and a 1.3-litre four-cylinder. They join a new suite of safety tech as well as an interior that’s been updated with smartphone connectivity and a new, more legible instrument panel.

What’s under the bonnet?

We tried both of the new petrol engines, of which the 1.0-litre will likely be the biggest seller. We’re glad to report that it’s an excellent unit. It’s very refined for a three-cylinder engine, refusing to sound strained even at higher rpms. It’s also decently powerful, with 118bhp on tap and a 10.7-second 0-60mph sprint. It means there’s plenty of punch for town driving.

The 1.3-litre doesn’t feel quite so pleasant, despite being fundamentally the same as the 1.0-litre but with an extra cylinder. Its metallic rasp sounds harsh and is rather obtrusive when revved, and it doesn’t mate too happily with the six-speed automatic gearbox, making for jerky changes and some hesitation when pulling away.

With 148bhp, the 1.3-litre is ostensibly a rival for the likes of the VW T-Roc’s 1.5-litre TSI EVO engine – but the lack of refinement means we’d struggle to recommend it.

There’s also a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol carried over from the previous model, which will be at its happiest in city driving conditions.

What’s it like to drive?

Key to the 500X’s appeal will be how it handles rutted surfaces and tight city streets. It dealt with the tight confines of Turin with aplomb, thanks to quick steering, good visibility and an easy manual gearshift.

However, we would have appreciated a little more cushioning in the ride – the 500X thuds over bumps that a Citroen C4 Cactus would have ironed out.

That firm ride does pay dividends on faster roads where the 500X corners very tidily, though mid-corner bumps can unsettle it. There’s plenty of grip, but the light power steering doesn’t really give much indication of what the front wheels are doing – and it’s a little twitchy on the motorway.

How does it look?

The retro-pastiche looks of the standard 500 translate far better onto the 500X than they do on the 500L mini-MPV. This is a really appealing small crossover, with two distinct ‘flavours’.

Urban models feature body-coloured bumpers and fewer trim additions, while City Cross and Cross Plus trims get beefy faux skidplates, black cladding around the wheelarches and an altogether more rugged aesthetic.

There’s no doubt a Volkswagen T-Roc or Renault Captur feature a more premium look both inside and out, but the 500X takes a different route and profits from it. It certainly seems to work – Fiat claim that 64 per cent of the 500X’s buyers are attracted from other brands, and haven’t owned a Fiat before.

What’s it like inside?

A wide swathe of body-coloured material across the dashboard brightens up this interior, which can feel a little dark and dingy in other places. It’s showing its age, too – most of the new switchgear is clustered on the steering wheel, making it feel rather crowded.

Material quality is good though, as is space – four six-foot adults can travel in reasonable comfort. At 350 litres, boot space is less than you’d get on a family hatchback such as a Volkswagen Golf, but it’s reasonable.

The driving position isn’t the most comfortable, as the pedals feel as if they’re set rather far forward, but visibility is good and the new instrument panel is clear and easy to read. There’s also an updated Uconnect touchscreen, set high on the dash for ease of sight – though it’s rather far away and you’ll need to lean forward to operate it.

What’s the spec like?

Those new LED daytime running lights and taillights are standard across the range, though full LED headlights are only standard on top-spec Cross Plus models. Mercifully standard are alloy wheels and Android Auto and Apple Carplay connectivity, accessed through a 7-inch Uconnect touchscreen.

You’ll need to step up to City Cross trim to access the two new engines, which also brings a colour screen in the instrument panel, dual-zone climate control, cruise control and 17-inch alloy wheels. Cross Plus brings heated front seats, the aforementioned LED lights, lane assist, a rear parking camera and 18-inch wheels.

If style matters and you’ve outgrown a regular 500, the 500X is a great choice thanks to its retro charm – but the welcome tech boost and excellent new 1.0-litre engine ensure there’s some substance to the style. It’s decent to drive, spacious enough for a young family, and well-priced. Those after a more modern aesthetic may also be served by the latest Jeep Renegade, which offers the same engines wrapped in a beefier bodyshell.

Facts at a glance

Model as tested: Fiat 500X City Cross 1.0 Turbo

Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol

Power: 118bhp

Torque: 190Nm

Max speed: 117mph

0-60mph (secs): 10.7

Fuel economy (combined): 48.7mpg

Emissions: 133g/km

 

​Updated features include:

• New front and rear bumpers
• New daytime running lights and rear light clusters with LED technology
• New techno leather steering wheel with integrated audio controls
• New instrument panel with TFT 3.5" display
• Uconnect™ 7" HD touchscreen DAB radio with Bluetooth, USB and Aux in
• Apple CarPlay™/Android Auto™ connectivity
• Cruise control
• Lane assist with intelligent speed assist and traffic sign recognition

 

Trim levels for the 500X URBAN LOOK:

Urban- features includes:

• 7" HD Touchscreen Radio with Bluetooth, USB, Aux-in, DAB
• Apple CarPlay / AndroidAuto connectivity
• Air Conditioning

120th- features includes:

• 16" Alloy wheels
• Cruise Control
• 120th Special Edition Badge

Trim levels for the 500X CROSS LOOK:

City Cross - Features include:

• 7" HD Touchscreen Radio with Bluetooth, USB, Aux-in, DAB Radio
• Automatic Dual Zone Climate Control
• 17" alloy wheels

Cross Plus - Features include:

• 3D Navigation
• Cruise Control
• Parkview Rear Parking Camera

S-design - Features include:

• Apple CarPlay / AndroidAuto connectivity
• 60 / 40 Split Folding Rear Seats
• Lane assist with Intelligent Speed Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition

 

Exterior design

The new innovative LED headlights in the 500X enable you to see the town like you've never seen it before! New levels of brightness can be found and what's more, they save up to 66% of energy compared to regular halogen lights and last much longer. At the rear, the new LED rear light cluster has a background in matching body colour and is a nod to the unmistakable Fiat 500 family style. They are also noticeably LEDs so there's no missing you even on the darkest of nights.

Interior design

Inside the new 500X, every detail has been created to guarantee you the best comfort, such as the new ergonomic techno leather steering wheel with integrated audio controls and also the new redesigned instrument cluster for improved readability. 

The seats also feature techno leather inserts and the dashboard comes in matching body colour with the 500X logo.

Performance

The New Fiat 500X introduces a new direction in injection petrol engines designed to strike the right balance between the driving performance and economy. Euro 6D compliant and fitted with Gasoline Particle Filter (GPF), the new turbo engines provide quick acceleration and are also much quieter.

The FireFly Turbo 1.0 Litre engine provides 120hp achieving 0-62mph in 10.9 seconds whilst the FireFly Turbo 1.3 Litre DCT Auto engine provides 150hp reaching 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds.

Technology and Safety

An excellent technology upgrade in the 500X range is that they now feature Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ thus simplifying access to your content, apps, music and phone calls whilst you're in the car and without putting your safety at risk. 

Experience the next-generation high-resolution 7" touchscreen enabling Bluetooth hands-free, audio streaming, text reader and voice recognition function. Thanks to this simple and intuitive interface, everything is organised into easy-to-read pages and Google Maps couldn't be made easier.

Intelligent speed assist allows you to maintain your current speed along with the traffic sign recognition system. Lane assist helps to keep you in your line with flashing alerts and sound being activated if you were to move out of your lane without activating the indicator.

The 500X Cross Look also features adaptive cruise control, city brake control, blind spot detection and rear cross path detection to give you peace of mind with every journey.