We had the opportunity to meet the Fiat 500x among the first in the world as part of the international press presentation, which took place in the vicinity of Turin. It is a different product of the Fiat brand, which in many ways indicates the changed philosophy of Fiat, which returns to emotions and seeks its Italian X factor. The car, which was planned, designed and built entirely in Italy, will be sold completely unchanged in more than 100 countries. With Fiat, they are looking for that real X factor, that is, the Italian X factor that the whole world loves.
Reincarnation of the model 500 it happened a long time ago 2007 and since then fiat has achieved good sales results with it in the global market. A car that in many ways imitates the iconic one 500 from the year 1957 he got a bigger family during this time; brothers 500L and XL and 500c. This time the Italians presented us with an urban crossover with field genetics and five hundred added another letter X.
500X
Fiat 500x enters the extremely dynamic and rapidly growing segment of city SUVs, or crossovers as it is nissan juke, renault captur, Peugeot 2008, Opel Mokka, the new Honda HR-V and of course its direct natural competitor mini countryman. In the segment, according to Fiat executives, it brings more forms, technologies and substance.
It is a completely new product that is technologically redesigned and with predecessors model lines 500, doesn't have much in common. In the segment next to Italian charm it also brings technological excesses, which we see especially in pogonu 4×4, where there is a majority mechanics borrowed at the brand, respectively cousin with which it shares mechanics – jeep renegades. Judging by the first impressions, it will easily sweep the competition in this segment.
Italian cut
The designers have created an extraordinary nice bodywork, which in many details still summarizes the lines of the legendary 500 and thereby preserves its Italian x factor.
500x is concrete in its appearance on the road and when placed next to the mini countryman, it does not appear any smaller or less premium. This feeling of "worth" 500x it gains through many small details on the body itself and excellent overall design. Little things like that Mrs raise to a higher level. When we put the vehicle next to our brothers 500 and 500L, seems to have X not only The X factor, but something more. The story continues inside the vehicle, which is full of interesting things shaped candies, which they do so very urban and in some way different from class average. The materials are better to the touch, and the combinations of structures and materials are of higher quality than their brothers from the model family 500.
A blue pill under the bonnet
V 500x no joke under the hood. 500x under no circumstances will the car be underpowered with "horses". It is available 8 engines. Four petrol and four diesel units with a range of power from 95 horses to interesting ones 187 horses in Tigershark MultiAir2 variant. The engines are updated old acquaintances of the fiat concern, which, according to first impressions, perform their task perfectly in the 500x.
READ MORE: Fiat 500X – The Italian story of an urban SUV
The first kilometers we collected with two engines, which in all probability will be the most interesting globally and also on our market.
So we drove a gasoline engine with a tag 1.4 Turbo MultiAir2, which he squeezed out of himself 140 horsepower and transmitted the power to the road via manual transmission 6 degree gearbox. The engine is extremely responsive and has plenty of torque at relatively low engine speeds. 230 Nm torque reaches already at 1750 rpm in a minute. In practice, this means exceptional engine elasticity and good performance, which are also expressed in numbers, because with this engine 500x accelerate from 0 km/h to 100 km/h in a pinch 9.8 seconds and reaches terminal velocity 190 km/h. In doing so, he should spend on average 6 liters fuel. And the 2.0 Multijet II engine with 140 horsepower and 350 Nm, which he reaches already at 1750 revolutions per minute. The engine worked in combination with a 9-speed gearbox, which is standard on the most powerful versions of the engines and achieves exactly the same preform numbers as 1.4 Turbo MultiAir2.
Driving dynamics it's interesting 500x it leaves extremely good feelings, which can be described as playful and which infuse the driver with an extraordinary amount of confidence. The 2.0 Multijet II engine worked in cooperation s 4×4 pogonom and the driving dynamics left no doubt that the engineers had done their job outstanding work in the field of driving characteristics. Only these are definitely at the highest possible level and, on a comparative level, even better than the direct competitor mini countryman. Of course, this is a matter of individual taste, which leaves room for interpretation. Mechanics 500x when driving 4×4 leaves a positive impression even on a field test, where the vehicle leaves no doubt that it is related to the brand Jeep.
Dolce vita
Italians known for their hedonism, they prepared a car that with the expression "dolce vita” is best described as a way of life. A case of an urban companion to all those who want and demand an emotional product in your garage. 500x indicates fiat's desire to become emotional commodity brand at a higher level. Therefore, it is not surprising that the price strategy is set higher than expected, but still logical, because 500x bounces off the class average at all levels. Prices 500x start at 17,500 euros and for the best-equipped version, they end up with good ones 30,000 euros. Definitely a different class for a brand that we have always known as one of the most accessible brands. But, it's always like that in life good things are never cheap. Fiat is thus rightly betting on the well-known one the italian x factor, who is loved by the whole world and is often prepared for him to pay something more.
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More information:
fiat.si
At the start of sales, fiat is preparing a special sales promotion of 2,000 cars 500x with a discount of 3,500 euros. Sales and reservations should take place exclusively online.
More information: 500x.fiat500.com/it-IT/
