Fiat goes al fresco with 500X Sport
ROAD TEST/ The little Italian is one of the most affordable open-topped cars on the market, writes Denis Droppa
In 2015 Fiat entered the burgeoning crossover segment with its 500X, a much larger and more practical car than its tiny 500 two-door stablemate. Based on the Jeep Renegade which is also part of the Stellantis family, the more family-focused 500X lost some of the 500’s puppy-dog cuteness but laid on a lot more leg room and luggage space plus two extra doors.
In 2021 the 500X received a facelift and updated trim levels, and for 2023 Stellantis has given it further upgrades including the Fiat badge on the front replaced with a “500” logo, and the introduction of a topless version for the first time.
THREE MODELS
The three-model Fiat 500X range sells in Cross (R509,900) and Sport (R560,900) hard top models, with the R580,900 Sport Extended Soft Top (EST) getting a fabric roof that slides open or closed electrically in 15 seconds at driving speeds up to 100km/h. It isn’t a full cabriolet as the car retains a roof frame, but the wide opening provides ample opportunity for all passengers to get a suntan.
When closed the cloth top lets in more external noise than a regular hard top car while driving, but the sound isn’t too intrusive and you can listen to the audio system without having to crank up the volume too loud.
Both the open- and closed roof variants of the 500X Sport have athletic design cues to differentiate them from the cheaper 500X Cross, in the form of body-coloured wheel arch mouldings, side skirts, 19-inch wheels and dual chrome exhaust tips. The Sport’s cabin is jazzed up with a techno leather and Alcantara steering wheel and a titanium styled dashboard finish.
Spec levels are high in the Sport and standard fare includes automatic dual zone air conditioning, simulated leather upholstery and a multifunction steering wheel. The seven-inch touchscreen is small by modern standards but has all the necessary connectivity including Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while there are front and rear charging ports. Navigation is also part of the deal, as is voice recognition.
At 4,248mm in length the 500X is substantially roomier than the two-door 500 which makes do with just 3,546mm. The boot is larger too at 245l versus 185l, and expands to a useful 910l with the back seats folded down.
It all makes for a far more practical family car, though rear leg room in the 500X is still rather tight for tall adults unless front seat occupants are charitable about moving their seats forward.
The Fiat 500X flits around the suburbs with decent pace. The 1.4 turbo engine delivers adequately perky performance but the dual-clutch auto gearbox sometimes became confused and made jerky up- and downshifts, especially right after starting. It was an intermittent problem and sometimes the transmission worked fine.
There’s a stop/start feature to improve economy, but the car averaged a fairly thirsty 9.6l/100km which was substantially higher than the 5.7l factory claim.
The 500X has only a slightly higher ride height than a regular car, which helps it handle cleanly and sweep through turns with hatchback-like agility.
The ride is a little on the firm side and the low-profile 225/40 R19 tyres are partly to thank for this. Bumps and potholes unsettle the ride more than you’d like in the urban commute, and the car is not ideally suited to gravel expeditions. For this, the 500X Cross model will make a better option with its higher-profile 18inch tyres.
Fiat refers to the 500X as keeping everything that is cool about the Fiat 500 and combining it with the practical trend towards crossover vehicles.
A large part (ahem) of the two-door Fiat 500’s charm is its small size. The stretched 500X loses some of its “little car that can” chutzpah due to its extra size but still retains some charisma — especially if you like to drive al fresco.
Its main selling point is that it’s one of the most affordable open-topped cars on the market, but if you’re looking for a practical crossover there are better ones out there in terms of cabin space and price.
The 500X EST has no direct rivals with opening roofs, but rated against crossovers of similar size and spec the Fiat is on the expensive end of the scale.