LOOKS
First things first, I tip my hat to the FCA staffers who chose the banana yellow color of the vehicle that I tested (officially called “giallo tristrato”, and also used on some Ferraris). Think bright yellow, like the hat worn by Curious George’s friend. I don’t think I saw another vehicle with this hue the entire week I had it, to be honest. Young buyers might be drawn to these kind of unique looks and European styling, which I’m sure is Fiat’s bet.
One of my favorite exterior design functions is the 500X’s bubble headlights and taillights, which are very VW Bug-esque (that car seems to be a bit of an inspiration here).
As its name indicates, the Fiat 500X is bigger than a regular Fiat 500, but don’t get your expectations too high -- it’s just a small SUV. For families with small children, there is room for a car seat in back, and a couple other children or small adults, but it’s a tight squeeze for any full-size grownups. Front seats are quite comfortable, so grown folks can stay up there and not be cramped. Again, this isn’t a huge car -- but compared to other Fiat offerings, it’s a boat.
As to be expected with a car that starts at $20,000, the materials are pretty basic, plasticky and lower-end. You’re not going to get luxury at this price level, so just go in with realistic expectations and see if it's up to your standards.
ENGINE, HORSEPOWER
The 500X I tested featured a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine and a 9-speed automatic transmission. There is also an option for a manual transmission on the 500X, and the base offering features a 1.4-liter engine with less power. You’ll get 160 hp on the base engine, and 180 hp on the upgraded engine.
My test vehicle was upgraded to all-wheel-drive (front-wheel drive is standard), and overall the car handled well in a variety of situations. It even has a snow mode for northern climates that offers extra traction, which came in handy during my winter testing.
The only major downside of the 500X that I found was the inability of the car to get up to speed in a timely fashion. You have to work pretty hard to get moving, so don’t expect to win any drag races.
TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY
There were some nice creature comforts on the 500X, which don’t always come at this price point. It featured remote start and push-button ignition.
The vehicle also offered rear park assist and backup camera, blind spot and cross-path detection. These are relatively inexpensive add-ons, and greatly enhance safety on the road (the rear camera and blind spot protection especially), so I would recommend including them.
My test vehicle had the optional UConnect system with Navigation and a 6.5-inch touchscreen display. This is one of the best tech systems in the industry, the system works smoothly both via voice and touch controls, and the steering wheel controls were also well-placed and easy to use.
MPG
Official numbers on the Fiat 500X Trekking AWD model that I tested were: 21 city/30 highway/24 combined. Not the greatest numbers for a vehicle this size, but the base 500X POP trim level with manual transmission comes in at 25 city and 34 highway.
PRICE, BOTTOM LINE
The Fiat 500X is among the least expensive small SUVs you can buy, with a starting price of $20,000. My test vehicle was among the highest-end offerings and came in at $28,795.
Even though it has its shortcomings in the engine department, the overall look of the Fiat 500X is something that will draw people looking for something unique from what most people drive in this country, and the affordable price may be what they need to get on board with Fiat as it works to grow -- both in sales and vehicle size -- in the United States.
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Matt Myftiu can be found on Twitter @MattMyftiu.
