Photo: CarPix
Once a mighty automaker that enjoyed a tremendous market share in the Old Continent, Fiat is currently reinventing itself. On the one hand, it’s completely focused on small vehicles. But more importantly, EVs are the company’s biggest priority for the time being.
Fiat’s unceremonious fall from grace is all the more obvious in the United States, where the 500X crossover is listed for the 2022 model year with a starting price of $27,965 sans destination charge. No 500, no 124, nothing else worthy of mention. The Turinese brand will soon reintroduce the all-electric 500 stateside, and rumors suggest that the all-new 600 will follow suit.
Recently spied testing in sub-zero conditions, the 600 reportedly serves as the successor of the 500X, although we know that its true successor will come in the near future with a compact footprint. The 600 is a completely different animal underneath as well, for it rocks the STLA Small platform developed from the CMP for ICE vehicles and eCMP for EVs. The Common Module Platform, as you’re well aware, was developed by Groupe PSA. After merging with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the two entities became Stellantis N.V.
The hearsay according to which the 600 would replace the longer and wider 500X stateside may be in the wrong because the STLA Small-based Jeep Avenger isn’t meant for North America. It’s hard to imagine Fiat pouring millions over millions of dollars into adapting this platform for the United States of America, a very competitive market where you need a compact or larger vehicle to even dream of selling a crossover in large numbers.
Toyota’s ever-popular RAV4 is the best-selling utility vehicle of 2022 in the United States, with shipments topping 399,941 units. The Honda CR-V and Tesla Model Y sold 238,155 and 231,400 copies in 2022.
Similar to the Avenger, the 600 will be produced in Poland at the Tychy plant where the combustion-engined Fiat 500 and Lancia Ypsilon are made. Both will be dropped in the near future in favor of an all-electric Ypsilon due in 2024 and the current-gen 500 electric.
In addition to the 600 and Avenger, the Tychy manufacturing facility will be responsible for making an Alfa Romeo-badged crossover with similar underpinnings to its siblings. The mystery model is reportedly dubbed Brennero, although chief exec Jean-Philippe Imparato recently confirmed to the media that a different name will be used for this B-segment SUV.
Just over four meters long, the subcompact-sized 600 features a landscape-oriented touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The rounded instrument cluster appears to be fully digital as well, a setup akin to the Jeep Avenger. Similar to it, the Fiat is a five-door hatchback on stilts that will be offered with either a 1.2 turbo three-pot or fully electric oomph.
The combustion engine produces 100 metric horsepower, which converts to 99 mechanical horsepower. The only transmission available is a six-speed manual. As for the electric version that also drives the front wheels rather than all four, the Avenger makes 156 ps (154 hp). It’s rated at up to 404 kilometers (251 miles) of range on the WLTP combined cycle.
Recently spied testing in sub-zero conditions, the 600 reportedly serves as the successor of the 500X, although we know that its true successor will come in the near future with a compact footprint. The 600 is a completely different animal underneath as well, for it rocks the STLA Small platform developed from the CMP for ICE vehicles and eCMP for EVs. The Common Module Platform, as you’re well aware, was developed by Groupe PSA. After merging with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the two entities became Stellantis N.V.
The hearsay according to which the 600 would replace the longer and wider 500X stateside may be in the wrong because the STLA Small-based Jeep Avenger isn’t meant for North America. It’s hard to imagine Fiat pouring millions over millions of dollars into adapting this platform for the United States of America, a very competitive market where you need a compact or larger vehicle to even dream of selling a crossover in large numbers.
Toyota’s ever-popular RAV4 is the best-selling utility vehicle of 2022 in the United States, with shipments topping 399,941 units. The Honda CR-V and Tesla Model Y sold 238,155 and 231,400 copies in 2022.
Similar to the Avenger, the 600 will be produced in Poland at the Tychy plant where the combustion-engined Fiat 500 and Lancia Ypsilon are made. Both will be dropped in the near future in favor of an all-electric Ypsilon due in 2024 and the current-gen 500 electric.
In addition to the 600 and Avenger, the Tychy manufacturing facility will be responsible for making an Alfa Romeo-badged crossover with similar underpinnings to its siblings. The mystery model is reportedly dubbed Brennero, although chief exec Jean-Philippe Imparato recently confirmed to the media that a different name will be used for this B-segment SUV.
Just over four meters long, the subcompact-sized 600 features a landscape-oriented touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The rounded instrument cluster appears to be fully digital as well, a setup akin to the Jeep Avenger. Similar to it, the Fiat is a five-door hatchback on stilts that will be offered with either a 1.2 turbo three-pot or fully electric oomph.
The combustion engine produces 100 metric horsepower, which converts to 99 mechanical horsepower. The only transmission available is a six-speed manual. As for the electric version that also drives the front wheels rather than all four, the Avenger makes 156 ps (154 hp). It’s rated at up to 404 kilometers (251 miles) of range on the WLTP combined cycle.
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