Fiat 500X review
The Fiat 500X is a modern SUV with comfortable seats and good visibility of the road. It’s easy to drive, has plenty of practical space for people and luggage and comes with essential equipment as standard.
Pros
- Stylish design
- Lots of room
- Decent standard equipment
Cons
- Not as premium-feeling as some rivals
- Can be uncomfortable on larger wheels
- Automatic gearbox can be noisy
Summary
“Ideal as a family car, the 500X drives well and offers good value for money.”
Based on the hugely popular Fiat 500, the Fiat 500X offers functionality, space and versatility. It’s stylish like the Fiat 500 but much more practical thanks to its bigger interior.
This car has the fun factor with a range of bright colours to liven things up. These vibrant touches are a nice addition to this family runaround.
It has a high-driving position which is great if you like sitting higher up and want a decent view of the road ahead. It’s also good value for money.
What's the interior like?
“Combining contemporary styling with comfort and space, the 500X has a well thought-out interior.”
The 500X is a comfy car to drive. There’s plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment, while an optional ‘Comfort’ pack adds an armrest and electrically adjusted lumbar support.
Head and legroom is good in the back and the large side windows offer a great view out.
The chunky dashboard is where you’ll find the speedometer, rev counter and other important information, while a centre console offers a seven-inch high quality TFT touchscreen radio with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It also has a DAB radio and USB ports. Some of the controls are accessed via the thick-rimmed steering wheel. The gear lever is nicely placed for ease of use and it has a chrome-look on most models.
A large boot area of 350 litres is easily accessible and has a moveable floor so you can increase the boot space. Fold down the 60/40 split rear seats and the available space rises to 1000 litres.
What's it like to drive?
“The 500X feels quite nippy and lively in town.”
Because of its design, with its wheels very near the corners of its chassis, the 500X handles city streets and country roads easily, cruising over bumps well.
Light steering and good visibility make tight space manoeuvring and parking easy while the clutch is light and the brakes are firm.
There’s a good range of petrol and diesel engines and even a four-wheel drive version. A good option is the excellent three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol which is ideal for urban driving, as well as faster A-road and motorway journeys.
It’s quite a relaxing drive with very little wind noise considering its size and shape. The only time you’ll hear any of the engines is when you accelerate hard.
Is it cost-efficient to buy and run?
“Good value as a used buy with low running costs.”
The 500X is a good looking car which has been improved since earlier versions thanks to some updates. Depreciation is usually quite high for Fiat cars and the 500X will be no exception, which is good news when you’re buying used.
The engines are reasonably fuel efficient, with the three-cylinder petrol returning around 47 mpg and the diesels capable of up to 68 mpg. Servicing at Fiat dealers is quite good value with fixed-price options available.
How reliable and safe is it?
“The 500X is generally very reliable with few issues reported. Safety is also good.”
Fiat has recently finished about average among 30 or so manufacturers in independent reliability surveys and there are no major issues reported about the 500X. The car comes with a good three-year warranty so any problems should have been sorted early on.
The 500X received a four-star crash test rating the last time it was tested by Euro NCAP and comes as standard with Intelligent Speed Assist and Lane Assist driving systems, plus other safety equipment as standard on all versions.
Which one is best for you?
Best for economy - City Cross 1.0 120hp
Best for family - City Cross 1.0 120hp
Best for fun - Cross Plus 1.0 120hp
There are five versions to choose from in the most recent 500X range – Urban, Lounge, City Cross, Cross Plus and Sport. City Cross comes packed with lots of standard kit ideal for families, including driver and passenger curtain airbags and parking sensors. There’s a special City Pack and a Safety Pack plus several customisation options, which make many 500X cars feel unique.
The 1.3-litre and 1.6-litre diesel engines will be the most fuel efficient but to make them work, you really need to be driving more than 12,000 miles a year. The 1.0-litre or 1.3-litre petrol engines will suit most people.
