Fiat 500X driven in South Africa 2015
Fiat 500X brings Italian passion to baby SUV market
Or does it? That is at least what the Fiat Chrysler executives want South Africans to think. The new Fiat 500X is yet another newcomer in the burgeoning B-segment SUV segment in South Africa, and, if you’ve done any Googling lately, is basically what the Jeep Renegade turns out to be after a visit to Europe. The two cars are based on the same platform and share much componentry – but the Fiat is not necessarily just a Renegade with a penchant for gnocchi.
Being part of the Fiat 500 family, it’s a cutie. Hallmark 500 looks like the moustache on the front and bubbly interior have been well adapted to fit the chunky, off-road orientation of the new 500X – which incidentally leads its European market segments, and is built in Italy. Make no mistake, though – this is not a pukka 4×4. Much like so many of the competitors in this segment, the new Fiat 500X will not be available with four-wheel drive – and that’s fine. It will still be able to mount a kerb in Cape Town and you’ll still be able to take it to the Vaal on the weekend for your ‘lifestyle applications’.
I like the new 500X more than I thought I would. In the metal, the large proportions – it’s 4.3 metres long – have been well executed and the looks are funky. Everything has been oversized, and the TV commercial which arrives with this car is very suggestive of the normal 500 having (ahem) grown a bit. Inside, quality and fit are relatively good – there were one or two buzzy annoyances on the launch vehicles, but nothing fell off or felt like it originated from a flea market.
Initially, the 500X will only be available in Cross guise, with other derivatives including the Cross Plus and entry-level Pop Star making their way to local roads later in the year. The latter version is a bit weak for my taste, featuring a normally-aspirated 1.6-litre engine and far-less authoritative looks – but should still appeal to a feminine audience relatively well.
All other derivatives are powered by the same 1.4-litre turbocharged MultiAir II engine found in the Jeep Renegade, which offers 103 kW at 5 000 rpm and 230 Nm at 1 750 rpm. It’s available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed DDCT dual-clutch automatic transmission, the latter a limited release.
I initially drove the automatic, and was pleasantly surprised – the gearbox, which is basically Alfa’s TCT ensemble, worked. It was also a lot smoother than previous encounters of mine, and reacted sportily when I wanted to have a little fun. It will never be Volkswagen’s DSG, but it doesn’t do a bad job. However, changing over to the manual 500X after lunch was a revelation – the two cars were polar opposites. Where the automatic was relaxing with reasonable pace and decent power delivery, the manual version is much more alive – and finally the Fiat executive’s antics about this car being fun to drive came to light. Sprightly and quick on its feet – the manual model was joyful to pilot and completely transformed my opinion of the car.
Other ‘likes’ include the automatic electronic parking brake and the ‘Drive Mood Selector’ – an electronic controller used to alter the car’s behaviour, with Sport, Auto, All Weather and Traction+ (Cross and Cross Plus only) modes available. In Sport mode, both the manual and automatic derivatives became more responsive, with the weightier steering important in enhancing the dynamic appeal of what is actually a rather good, planted chassis.
The eventual three-model, five-derivative range spans a rather diverse pricing spectrum – the cheapest 1.6 Pop Star coming in at R310 900, stretching all the way to the R394 900 1.4 TJET Cross Plus DDCT. There is also a host of optional extras available, like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, blind spot warning, automatic climate control, full leather upholstery and a panoramic roof, amongst others, which will inflate those sticker prices somewhat – and that poses a bit of an internal debate. Fiat blatantly benchmarked competitors like the Nissan Qashqai, MINI Countryman and Opel Mokka as the new 500X’s key rivals, and they’re a mixed bag. The Opel is cheaper, the Nissan is more on a par. The MINI and Nissan are technically C-segment crossovers, and I think they punch above the Fiat’s weight.
The 500X does bridge the segments to a certain extent, is generously proportioned and carries with it good specification. However, while piloting the new car in and around the Western Cape on the launch, I couldn’t quite admit to wanting to buy the Fiat over the Nissan – or the Opel, for that matter. It so happened that I drove a R325 500 Opel Mokka 1.4T Cosmo directly after the R344 900 500X 1.4 TJET Cross (both manual) and the cheaper Opel – which is admittedly an older vehicle and one with less fancy tech inside – felt better overall.
But that is subjective. Is the Fiat bad? I wouldn’t say so, no. It will definitely appeal to the fashion-conscious, and will undoubtedly carry a largely female following in South Africa. I do think it’s very expensive and in being so opens itself up to stiff competition especially from the likes of the Qashqai and even the Renegade with which it shares DNA – but considering people in this country tend to buy cars they can’t afford, it shouldn’t be long before these begin populating parking lots in the city.
Range overview
Fiat 500X 1.6 E-TorQ Pop Star R310 900
Fiat 500X 1.4 TJET Cross R344 900
Fiat 500X 1.4 TJET Cross DDCT R359 900
Fiat 500X 1.4 TJET Cross Plus R379 900
Fiat 500X 1.4 TJET Cross Plus DDCT R394 900
Pricing includes a 3-year/ 100 000 km warranty and 3-year/ 100 000 maintenance plan.
