The cheeky Fiat 500 has many dedicated fans, but for some it’s a bit too small. For them, Fiat has their all new 500x compact crossover – seemingly scaled up directly from the original.
The 2016 500x gets two more doors and extra ground clearance for even more adventure than the original 500. But unlike the 500L, it didn’t lose that something special that just makes you want to give it a hug.
It picks up some off-road flavored trims like black cladding along the lower body to protect against star thistle and the sands of Glamis, but still retains the humble details that make it a 500. Details in fact abound, letting you know they really cared.
While it’s a crossover, it’s less SUV with a silhouette more a sporty compact rather than enlarged wagon. This is most notable at the rear where the roofline slants in, making the cargo area much like that of any five-door hatch.
Even still, the cargo area is plentiful for most and under its rear deck is a hidden stowage area that can accommodate smaller or more precious items. And when the seats are folded, it still offers up a near-flat load space with up to 32 cubic feet of space.
Up front however is where the interior really impresses. With a design very similar to the smaller 500 model, it gets a fun and playful retro theme with body colored trim. Simplicity in form keeps it light and down to business while driving.
The seating in our 500x was cloth as this is the Easy trim grade, one up from the entry point. They come in black and gray, but can also be optioned in with red accents. The cloth is sturdy to the touch and comfortable for long drives.
Materials in general all around the cabin are of a nice quality, particularly the soft trims on the door panels and the steering wheel. They just feel good and look more expensive than this price range might suggest.
The Easy model comes with the base level Uconnect touch-screen audio system which has AM/FM, CD, and Satellite radio with full connectivity options including Bluetooth. It’s sound was adequate, but audiophiles will want to option the Beats Audio system.
Using it was easy enough through its logical and well laid out menus, and it responds well to your touch. Because it is so far away however it requires leaning forward out of your seat for most drivers to reach.
As our tester had the Collection 2 package it also had heated power seats and heated steering wheel, a back-up camera, dual-zone climate control, and driver assistance aids like blind spot warning and rear parking sensors.
Rear seat passengers will enjoy plenty of space for this size class. It’s comfortable for two, and three will fit but might be a squeeze. Headroom here is also quite generous.
Powering the Fiat 500X Easy is the Chrysler sourced 2.4 liter Tigershark engine which offers up 180 horsepower and sends it to our front-wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. A 1.4 liter Fiat turbocharged engine is offered with a six-speed manual transmission, but only on the entry level Pop model.
The chassis of the 500x is pretty straight forward in its make up, featuring MacPherson struts up front and a link type rear suspension. As it is a crossover vehicle it has raised ground clearance over a standard passenger car, at 7-inches. With all-wheel drive it has 7.9-inches.
A console mounted knob offers three drive modes including Sport, Auto, and Traction +. They are for the most part self explanatory, adjusting the steering effort, transmission behavior, engine response and traction control depending on your selection.
The EPA rates our front-wheel drive 2.4 liter model at 22 mpg city, 31 mpg highway with 25 mpg combined. In our week with the Fiat 500x we managed 28 mpg combined in a balanced mix of highway and in-town driving.
As our report is done just before the 2016 Fiat 500x goes on sale, crash test safety ratings have not yet been released from either the IIHS and Government.
Special thanks to CarMiniatures.com for providing the 1:64 scale Rosso Brilliante Fiat 500 which also stared in our review today.
