Photo: Fiat
Revealed in 2014 in Paris, the Italian sibling of the Jeep Renegade will set you back $24,840 excluding freight. In other words, the 500X is $300 more expensive than before and $490 more than the Jeep.
This pricing strategy is – dare I say it – unfortunate if you remember how bad Fiat is doing in the United States. The Italian automaker sold in the ballpark of 9,200 cars and SUVs in this part of the world in 2019, down from 15,521 units in 2018. And of those, the 500X moved 5,223 examples.
The question is, how did Fiat improve the all-wheel-drive crossover for the 2021 model year? First things first, the entry-level Pop trim and the mid-range Trekking “receive new dashboard inserts” in the guise of matte blue and matte grey. “New seat fabric” is also worthy of note, but not good enough to improve the sales figures of the 500X. Higher up in the lineup, the Sport trim level receives a $700 option that bundles $3,400 of content.
In no particular order, the list of goodies includes Beats premium audio, 19-inch wheels, a dual-pane power sunroof, LED exterior lighting, front and rear park assist, satellite navigation, heated front seats, and a windshield deicer. The Pop and Trekking are also available with value-oriented packages that add $3,300 and $1,300 worth of content for $700 and $300, respectively.
“Designed and built in Italy, our fun-to-drive Fiat 500X is the only vehicle in its class to deliver a standard turbocharged engine, all-wheel drive, and 30 miles per gallon,” said head honcho Matt Davis. He does have a point about the powerplant, though, which is a very modern engine in comparison to the 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir four-pot motor in the Jeep Renegade.
Rated at 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet (285 Nm) of torque, this lump is teamed with a nine-speed automatic transmission that features a wide gear ratio spread. The Dynamic Selector Traction Control System isn’t on par with the off-road capability of the Renegade Trailhawk, but it’s good enough to make the driver feel confident in the 500X in snowy weather.
Buried in the press release for the 2021 Fiat 500X, the Italian automaker has also confirmed the death of the 124 Spider and 500L in the United States. Whereas the open-top sports car with bits and bobs from the Mazda MX-5 won’t be replaced, the 500L mini MPV will. According to chief executive officer Olivier François, “a blend of the X and L is the way ahead.”
The question is, how did Fiat improve the all-wheel-drive crossover for the 2021 model year? First things first, the entry-level Pop trim and the mid-range Trekking “receive new dashboard inserts” in the guise of matte blue and matte grey. “New seat fabric” is also worthy of note, but not good enough to improve the sales figures of the 500X. Higher up in the lineup, the Sport trim level receives a $700 option that bundles $3,400 of content.
In no particular order, the list of goodies includes Beats premium audio, 19-inch wheels, a dual-pane power sunroof, LED exterior lighting, front and rear park assist, satellite navigation, heated front seats, and a windshield deicer. The Pop and Trekking are also available with value-oriented packages that add $3,300 and $1,300 worth of content for $700 and $300, respectively.
“Designed and built in Italy, our fun-to-drive Fiat 500X is the only vehicle in its class to deliver a standard turbocharged engine, all-wheel drive, and 30 miles per gallon,” said head honcho Matt Davis. He does have a point about the powerplant, though, which is a very modern engine in comparison to the 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir four-pot motor in the Jeep Renegade.
Rated at 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet (285 Nm) of torque, this lump is teamed with a nine-speed automatic transmission that features a wide gear ratio spread. The Dynamic Selector Traction Control System isn’t on par with the off-road capability of the Renegade Trailhawk, but it’s good enough to make the driver feel confident in the 500X in snowy weather.
Buried in the press release for the 2021 Fiat 500X, the Italian automaker has also confirmed the death of the 124 Spider and 500L in the United States. Whereas the open-top sports car with bits and bobs from the Mazda MX-5 won’t be replaced, the 500L mini MPV will. According to chief executive officer Olivier François, “a blend of the X and L is the way ahead.”
Google News