Review: Fiat Series I 500X (2015-17)

Overview

Released in Australia in December 2015, the Fiat 500X was a five-door hatchback. Manufactured in Melfi, Italy, the Fiat 500X was powered by 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engines that were mated to either six-speed manual, six-speed dual dry clutch (DDCT) or nine-speed automatic transmissions. As per the table below, the Australian 500X range consisted of Pop, Pop Star, Lounge and Cross Plus variants.

MultiAir engine

The 1368 cc ‘MultiAir’ turbocharged petrol engine had a 72.0 mm bore and 84.0 mm stroke, a cast iron block, an aluminium-alloy bedplate and cylinder head, a single overhead camshaft and four valves per cylinder. Furthermore, the engine featured Fully Variable Valve Actuation (FVVA) – Fiat’s ‘Multiair’ – which used electro-hydraulic variable valve actuators for variable valve intake valve timing and lift. The exhaust valves, however, were not variable and were actuated by mechanical cam lobes.

The MultiAir engines had a ‘Start & Stop’ function which enabled them to shut down when the vehicle was stationary in traffic to reduce fuel consumption.

Fiat Series I 500X specifications
Engine	Variant	Drive	Trans.	Peak power	Peak torque
1.4-litre turbo petrol I4	Pop	FWD	6sp man., 6sp DCT	103 kW at 5000 rpm	230 Nm at 1750-3250 rpm
1.4-litre turbo petrol I4	Pop Star	FWD	6sp DCT	103 kW at 5000 rpm	230 Nm at 1750-3250 rpm
1.4-litre turbo petrol I4	Lounge, Cross Plus	AWD	9sp auto	125 kW at 5500 rpm	250 Nm at 2500-4000 rpm

AWD (all-wheel drive) system

For Australia, the Fiat 500X Lounge and Cross Plus have an automatic all-wheel drive system which, in normal conditions, drives the front wheels. In the event that the front wheels begin to rotate faster than the rear wheels, however, torque can be progressively transferred to the rear axle. The all-wheel drive system also has a rear-axle disconnect function – when four-wheel drive capability is not required – that minimises fuel consumption.

Body and dimensions

Sharing Fiat Chrysler’s ‘Small US Wide 4×4’ platform with the Jeep BU Renegade , the Fiat 500X was 4248 mm long, 1796 mm wide, 1600 mm tall (1612 mm and 1620 mm for the all-wheel drive Lounge and Cross Plus, respectively) and had a 2570 mm long wheelbase. Cargo capacity for the Fiat 500X was 350 litres, though this increased to 1000 litres when the ‘Fold&Tumble’ rear seats were folded down (910 litres if the 500X was fitted with a spare wheel).

Kerb weights ranged from 1295 kg for the 500X Pop with the manual transmission to 1405 kg for the Lounge and Cross Plus. Furthermore, the Fiat 500X had a drag co-efficient of 0.34 Cd.

Suspension and steering

The 500X had independent MacPherson strut suspension front and rear, and rack-and-pinion steering with electric power assistance.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the Fiat 500X included dual front airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters.

The Fiat 500X Pop Star, Lounge and Cross Plus were also equipped with:

Blind Spot Monitoring: could detect if vehicles were in the driver”s blind spot and warn the driver by flashing a light on the door mirrors; and,
Rear Cross Path Detection: an extension of Blind Spot Assist, Rear Cross Path could detect oncoming traffic that could cross the vehicle’s path as the vehicle was reversing.

Furthermore, the 500X Lounge and Cross Plus had:

Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning-Plus: used radar and video sensors to monitor the relative speed of the vehicle ahead and warn the driver if they were approaching too quickly. If the driver failed to respond, the brakes would be applied automatically (i.e. autonomous emergency braking) to minimise the likelihood and severity of a collision; and,
LaneSense Lane Departure Warning-Plus: a lane departure warning system that would warn the driver – by a visual indication on the instrument panel and increased steering resistance – if they were about to exit their lane without using the indicators.

Euro NCAP testing

In Euro NCAP testing , a left-hand drive Fiat 500X received a four star safety rating which included an 86 per cent adult occupant protection rating and an 85 per cent child occupant protection rating.In the frontal offset crash test, occupant protection was generally rated as good, though protection of the driver’s lower left leg and the passenger’s chest were rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury). In the side impact test, occupant protection was rated as good for all areas. In the more severe pole test, however, chest protection was rated as adequate.

Features: Fiat 500X Pop and Pop Star

Standard features for the Fiat 500X Pop included 16-inch aluminium wheels with dark chrome effect gloss finish, 215/60 R16 tyres, a four speaker sound system and auxiliary inputs (3.5 mm/USB), ‘Uconnect’ connectivity system with 5.0-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and audio streaming, air conditioning, cruise control, a rear view camera, 60/40 split rear folding seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote central locking, power adjustable mirrors, power windows, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, a height adjustable driver’s seat, 3.5-inch TFT instrument cluster display, 12 volt power socket and an immobiliser.

For models with the dual clutch transmission, steering wheel gearshift paddles were also fitted as standard.

The Fiat 500X Pop Star was further equipped with 17-inch aluminium wheels with matte silver painted finish, 215/55 R17 tyres, 6.5-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, a proximity key and push-button start (Fiat’s ‘Keyless enter ‘n Go’).

For the 500X Pop Star and above, the ‘Mood Selector’ enabled the driver to select from the following drive modes:

Auto: calibrated for optimal fuel efficiency, early gearshifts and a high level of steering assistance;
Sport: provides greater throttle response and less steering assistance;
All Weather: designed to enhance traction in low-grip conditions; and,
For the 500X Cross Plus, All Weather was replaced by a Traction mode which sought to maximise low-speed traction by providing additional wheel slip.

Features: 500X Lounge and Cross Plus

Relative to the 500X Pop Star, the 500X Lounge added 18-inch aluminium wheels with gloss silver painted finish, 225/45 R18 tyres, a 560 watt BeatsAudio sound system with eight speakers and subwoofer, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, two-tone interior premium trim, automatic high-beam headlights, privacy glass and interior ambient lighting.

The Fiat 500X Cross Plus was distinguished by its 18-inch machined aluminium wheels with matte chrome shadow finish, xenon projector headlights, roof racks and unique dashboard. The 500X Cross Plus could also be identified by its satin chrome exterior highlights and unique bumpers with enhanced ramp angles.

Paint colours

The Fiat 500X was available in the following paint finishes –

Pastel: Ice White, Cinema Black, Art Grey and Passione Red;
Metallic: Argento Grey, Fashion Grey, Venezia Blue, Magnetic Bronze and Toscana Green;
Tri-coat: Amalfi Yellow and Amore Red; and,
Matt Metallic: Matt Magnetic Bronze.

Specifications

Specifications: Fiat 500X (December 2015)