Pros: Eye-catching Eurocentric styling; good selection of available comfort and safety features; lower trim levels are competitively priced
Cons: Ride is rather stiff; balky 9-speed transmission can be slow to downshift; some middling interior trim
CG Says: The 2017 Fiat 500X is little changed after its introduction last year. The Easy and Trekking Plus trim levels have been dropped this year. The Fiat 500X is a subcompact-sized crossover SUV that seats five. The 500X is similar in size, shape, and styling to the 500L compact wagon, but it offers all-wheel drive and a raised ride height. The 500X shares its basic platform with the Jeep Renegade, but it has a distinctly more urban, European feel. The 500X model lineup ascends through whimsically named trim levels: Pop, Trekking, and Lounge. The base 2WD Pop model has a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Optional on 2WD Pop and standard on AWD Pop, Lounge and Trekking is a 2.4-liter four with a nine-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is available only with the 2.4-liter motor. The uplevel Lounge models are a bit more luxurious, while the Trekking models have a similarly upscale but more rugged feel. The 500X offers a broad array of comfort and safety features, such as heated front seats and steering wheel, dual-pane panoramic sunroof, blind-spot detection with rear cross traffic alert, lane-departure warning, rear-obstacle detection, and forward-collision warning. The 500X offers spunky styling, a good selection of rare-for-the-class features, and laudable fuel economy, all at competitive prices. The nine-speed automatic transmission often feels clunky and sluggish, and some of the interior materials feel a little cut-rate, but the 500X still makes a decent case for itself in the growing subcompact SUV class.
Class | Subcompact SUV |
Body Style(s) | 4-door wagon |
Passenger Count | 5 |
Drive Wheels | front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive |
Manufacturer | Fiat |
Nation of Manufacture | Italy |
Base Prices | Pop: $19,995 AWD Pop: $23,890 Trekking: $23,335 AWD Trekking: $25,235 Lounge: $25,135 AWD Lounge: $27,035 |
Base Engine turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder (2WD Pop) |
Horsepower 160 |
Std. Transmission 6-speed manual |
Avail. Transmission NA |
EPA City Range (mpg) 25 |
EPA Hwy Range (mpg) 33 |
Optional Engine 2.4-liter 4-cylinder |
Horsepower 180 |
Std. Transmission 9-speed automatic |
Avail. Transmission NA |
EPA City Range (mpg) 21-22 |
EPA Hwy Range (mpg) 29-30 |