From the first reveal of the Fiat 500X in 2014, I became an immediate fan. You see, I have always liked the regular 500 but my personal dimensions never fitted with its dimensions. However, the 500X allowed me the cabin space and the cheeky retro styling in a capable crossover that fulfilled several desires.
Based on largely the same hardware as the Jeep Renegade (another favourite) and built at the Melfi plant, Turin, the 500X is Fiat’s contender in the important junior league SUV scene. Why Fiat has not explored the potential of an Abarth version of this model remains unexplained but a Sport designation allows Fiat to compete head-on with the likes of the FR variant of Seat’s equally popular Arona model and, with pre-discount prices starting from £22,500, it is pitched right into the heart of that territory.
As to the optical illusion, the test car’s brilliant red paint finish gives the body panels a more bolstered appearance, while the Botox-enhanced bumpers front and rear seem to hunker the car closer to the road surface. In fact, the ride height has been reduced by 13mm, while both the suspension and the steering geometry have been revised to gift the 500X a significantly crisper turn-in and more controlled handling characteristics…more befitting of a sportier model.
However, apart from some very attractive, 19.0-inch diameter optional alloy wheels (18s are standard) and a slightly wider front ‘grille’, the changes are more cosmetic than hardcore, almost as though Fiat was able to delve into its parts bins and create a new car without much fuss. Yet, its importance to Fiat, which anticipates the Sport model producing around 40% of total 500X sales, is abundantly clear.
The car pictured is the 1.3-litre, 147bhp four-cylinder version hooked up to a 6-speed twin-clutch, automated-manual gearbox with paddle shifters driving the front wheels. It is a sweet gearbox, not dissimilar to other twin-clutch ’boxes and can be hustled most fruitfully along the back doubles, accompanied by a slightly noisier, twin-pipe exhaust. It responds better using the paddles but cracks the 0-60mph benchmark in a modest 8.8s, topping out at around 126mph, while returning around 46.3mpg and emitting CO2 at a rate of 139g/km (all WLTP figures).
The alternative power unit is a 1.0-litre triple developing around 117bhp mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. If anything, the three-pot unit feels slightly the sportier option, even though it is a bit slower ‘on paper’. The multi-adjustable driving position is comfortable, commanding and there is good space within a darker cabin (with a practical and well-shaped boot), thanks to the use of black and grey trim materials. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is pleasant to wield and 500X Sport is well-equipped, with the full range of connectivity and drive enhancing safety features incorporated.
