FIAT 500X ADDS FLAIR TO A GENRE 

KNOWN MORE FOR ITS ECONOMY

Subcompact cars are usually more about functionality and fuel-saving than they are about style. Not that they are all inherently ugly, but style is not the first thing that comes to mind about them.

Fiat’s 500 series, however, is one exception.

With its Italian lair and carefree air — the front fascia even has a rather impish look about it — the Fiat 500 series adds a little chicness to a segment that tends to lean toward “cute” when it comes to appearance.

The first Fiat 500s landed in the U.S. about five years ago with the 500 hatchback, convertible and performance-oriented Abarth models, and an electric version came a year later. They were all nimble two-door cars with an appeal to a young, fun-loving market.

A couple of years later Fiat added the 500L wagon and the 500X followed a couple of years ago. (You may remember 500X from the clever Super Bowl commercial in which a “little blue pill” bounced its way into its gas tank, giving the 500 hatchback bulging fenders and a couple of extra doors. If not, you can look it up on Youtube.)

My recent ride was the top-of-line Lounge model of the 2017 Fiat 500X. It comes in two other flavors, Pop and Trekking, for a total of three trims, two fewer than when it was introduced. Easy and Trekking-Plus trims were discontinued for 2017.

The Lounge trim features the larger of the two engines offered on the 500X, a 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder rated at 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. It’s also standard on 500X Trekking models and available as an option on the Pop, which gets a 1.4-liter 4-banger as standard.

Front-wheel drive is standard on all trims with AWD available as an option. The 2.4-liter gets a nine-speed automatic transmission as standard, the 1.4-liter a six-speed manual. That’s kind of a shame since I would have liked to tried out the manual with the larger engine. It would have been more fun to drive than the the automatic.

With the automatic, performance may fall short of some of its competitors, but when Sport mode is selected (accomplished by turning a knob on the console), the pace is picked up. Fuel economy is a bit on the low side for the class, however, with the 2.4-liter rated at 22 miles-per-gallon city, 30 highway, and 25 combined with FWD drinking regular 87 octane fuel. (Regular also is acceptable on the 1.4-liter, but premium 91 octane is recommended for it.)

The emphasis on design also carries over into the interior. It’s not luxury class, of course, and the dash features a wide band of plastic across the front, but the 6.5-inch display screen is nicely integrated into the flow of the dash. Overall, there is a nice ambiance about the cabin. The backs of the two-tone front seats are embossed with a “500” logo, a nice touch.

The Lounge trim comes with Fiat’s UConnect system for operation of the infotainment system with functions via the touchscreen or voice commands that responded readily, and accurately, during my week’s trial. There are also two knobs to operate the radio and three larger knobs for controlling the dual-zone air conditioner/heater.

The 6.5-inch NAV UConnect system is standard on the 500X Lounge (optional on Trekking). It includes navigation, Bluetooth handsfree phone, and satellite radio in the base MSRP of $25,150.

But to get the latest safety features you’re going to have to delve into the options. A rear-view camera is standard on the 500X Lounge (it’s only an option on the Pop and Trekking models), but to get the features like lane departure warning, full-speed frontal collision warning with active braking, rear park assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beam headlight control, and rain-sensitive windshield wipers you’re going to have to add the Advanced Safety Package for $1,295.

Adding an optional Premium Package (upgraded sound system), dual-pane sunroof, and 18-inch wheels with all-season tires plus the $995 destination and delivery charge put the final price tag of my test 500X at $28,935. That put this 500X Lounge at the higher end of the segment pricing.

What I liked about the 2017 Fiat 500X Lounge: It’s pretty spacious for passengers and even offers pretty good legroom (up to 34.8 inches) in the second row. Features such as navigation, audio, and climate control systems are very user-friendly and respond quickly and accurately to voice commands. The ride is comfortable, especially for a vehicle this size.

What I didn’t like about the 2017 Fiat 500X Lounge: Gas mileage is disappointing. Storage behind the second row is a meager 12.2 cubic feet.

Would I buy the 2017 Fiat 500X Lounge? Don’t think so. Though the 500X (and other Fiat 500 models, for that matter)) are at the top of their class when it comes to out-of-the-box styling, it gets a bit too expensive when the extra safety features are added on.

FIAT ADDS 500X CROSSOVER
TO LINEUP FOR 2016

Since reintroducing the brand to the U.S. market with its 2012 500, Fiat has continued to expand its portfolio with several variants of the trendsetting subcompact coupe, often adding a letter to the "500" to distinguish the different models.

Thus we have the 500L (a slightly larger version), the 500e (electric), and 500c (convertible).

For 2016, Fiat introduces the 500X, a subcompact crossover that offers a bit more in the way of interior room than the others while still maintaining the Italian design flair and touches that set the original 500 apart from its rivals.

It may be just the solution for those who would like a smaller car not just for fuel economy but for less stressful urban driving conditions yet not so small that it brings with it a fear of being squashed between semis.

It has a pretty solid feel to it on the road, though it still retains the nimbleness typical of the segment, and when it comes to parking, it's tough to beat.

The 2016 500X comes in five flavors all with rather distinctive labels. The base model is designated Pop and is followed by Easy, Trekking, Lounge, and Trekking Plus going up the scale. Pop comes with a 1.4-liter turbo four as the base engine. The 2.4-liter naturally aspired four that is standard on Easy, Trekking, Lounge, and Trekking Plus is an option on the Pop.

Front-wheel drive is standard with all-wheel drive available on all but the base Pop model. The Pop also gets a six-speed manual transmission as standard with a nine-speed automatic, again standard on the other trims, as an option. You can manually shift gears with the automatic via the shifter on the console. Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters aren't offered.

The turbo is rated at 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque and is expected to get a respectable 25 miles-per-gallon city, 34 highway using regular fuel.

The larger engine is rated at 180 hp and 175 lb.-ft. and drinks fuel at the rate of 22 miles-per-gallon city, 31 highway with FWD. AWD versions get about a mile less in each category. Those aren't particular impressive numbers for the genre, and some critics have been unhappy with the kind of performance the 2.4L delivers.

But I found that switching the knob on the console from Eco to Sport mode does enliven the performance to a more respectable level. A third setting is Traction-plus for snow and ice, but this being South Florida, I never got the opportunity to really see how that works. Imagine that.

I left it mostly in Sport or Performance setting until I got a complaint that the ride was a bit on the "jerky" side. Sigh.

Among standard features on the Lounge model that served for my test drive were such niceties as a backup camera, keyless ignition with push-button start, remote start, the U-Connect infotainment system from Chrysler that included a 6.5-inch screen for the navigation map, voice command operation, satellite radio, an eight-way power driver's seat with four-way lumbar support (the passenger seat is manually adjusted), 17-inch aluminum wheels, and automatic on/off Halogen headlights.

That all was included in the base MSRP of $27,105 (including the $995 destination and delivery charge). The optional Lounge Collection Package (leather trimmed bucket seats, rear parking assist, and blind spot and cross path detection) added another $1,650 which ran the total MSRP up to $27,655, making the 2016 Fiat 500X competitive price-wise.

The Pop starts at $20,995, the top-of-the-line Trekking Plus at $28,095.

The 500X's cabin, by the way, is quite nice with evidence of high-grade materials used throughout. and the front seats are comfortable with nice legroom provided. The backseat is on the snug side when it comes to legroom with a little less than 35 inches offered, but it's not really cramped.

Cargo space is what you might expect from a subcompact. Only 12.2 cubic feet is offered behind the second row expandable to 32.1 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded.

What I liked about the 2016 Fiat 500X: The A/C vents on the center stack, which I regularly find end up blowing directly on my hands on the steering wheel, essentially freezing them, are mounted lower on the stack than usual so that is no longer an issue. This is a small thing, but I really appreciated it. In fact, I loved it! The UConnect system also is easy to operate and responds to voice commands well.

What I didn't like about the 2016 Fiat 500X: In Eco (standard) mode, the engine labors to get up to speed. The nine-speed transmission can be slow to respond, though neither is a major problem.

Would I buy the 2016 Fiat 500X? Yes, I would consider it for a second vehicle for sure.