Robust and very mature looking, the Fiat 500X complements its smaller 500 sibling by offering added space and versatility while still retaining its classic Italian style.
Has anyone seen the advert on TV? The newly launched Fiat 500X literally looks like a pumped up 500, all muscled up and ready to participate in the forthcoming Mr Universe bodybuilding contest. The car must have spent ages in the gym, getting ready for its transition into the real world.
As a small hatchback that resembles a 4x4, the Fiat 500X is certainly going to be a stiff rival to its big-selling competitors. It’s got lots of attitude and has been designed to appeal to those who have just started to raise a family and have therefore grown out of their dinky city cars.
The Fiat 500X comes in three versions – Pop, Pop Star and Lounge. The marque is offering the 500X with two diverse looks: one that closely mimics the city car and another that’s more aggressive. And the latter isn’t all about show; four-wheel drive is an option on these versions.
The 500X which MOTORING tested was the Pop Star. The car came equipped with a 1.6 120cv diesel multi-jet engine with a smooth and efficient manual gearbox. Apart from this version, the 500X is also available with a turbocharged 1.4 litre petrol engine which is also very impressive.
Precise pedals and a reasonably slick gearshift contribute to the 500X’s great ride, and both the 1.4-litre petrol engine and 1.6-litre diesel make it easy to keep up with the general ebb and flow of traffic.
Unlike some of its rivals, the Fiat 500X has a steering wheel that adjusts for reach as well as height, so it can be set to suit all types of drivers. The car’s driving position is ideal and visibility is very good all round. You sit quite high so you end up getting a very good view of the road ahead. In fact, visibility is good all-round. This is combined with light steering and parking sensors to make parking a relatively easy task.
Irrespective of what speed you’re driving at, occupants are treated to a smooth ride thanks to the combined effort of the car’s suspension and plush interior
Most versions of the 500X come with a driving mode selector knob which when shifted to Sport mode, adds weight to the steering. This tends to make the steering slightly heavier, but it nonetheless remains very communicative, so you can place the car in corners with any great accuracy.
There’s no shortage of grip too, with the 500X resisting body lean pretty well.
The 500X’s suspension provides lots of comfort. Irrespective of what speed you’re driving at, occupants are treated to a smooth and silky ride thanks to the combined effort of the car’s suspension and plush interior... needless to say, Maltese roads permitting!
The 500X offers plenty of space for the driver and front passenger, and headroom is good for all. Most adults will find no problem fitting into the rear seats of the car.
The car’s storage is even more impressive; not only do you get wide door bins and a good-sized glovebox, but there are also lots of useful and clever storage cubbies between the front seats.
What’s more, the boot is big enough to take a rather large suitcase, and the rear seats lie almost flat when you fold them down. The only problem is that the boot floor is quite high, which can make it tricky to load heavy items... but I guess that’s just a minor snag.
There’s a decent amount of standard safety equipment on the 500X too, with every version getting six airbags, electronic stability aids and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
All Fiat 500Xs come with a touchscreen entertainment system that works well. The screen itself might be a bit on the small side, but it doesn’t cause problems because the icons you press on it are chunky, while the menus are intuitive and the software reacts quickly.
All three versions boast of a very smart and stylish interior. Of note are the glossy, body-coloured dashboard inserts.
You also get big, user-friendly rotary dials to control the car’s air-conditioning and heater functions… truly sublime!