2019 Fiat 500X

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The Fiat 500X SUV is getting some minute changes for the new model year.
Besides new lights, I can’t really see anything really new up front.
(2019 on top)

 Same thing in the back. The 500X is getting the cool LED lights the regular 500 got in Europe years ago. (The ones the US model still does NOT have…)

Inside, I really can’t see anything new.

The Fiat PR BS describes the 2019 model as : “an entirely refreshed exterior with new LED light cluster and full LED headlights, and updated interiors”.

Apparently, it also has “an all new family of 3 and 4 cylinder engines”. At least in Europe…
Not sure if, or when, any of these changes will make it to the US.

I have always liked the design of the 500X. I personally think it looks nicer than most of its competition.
But Fiat has only sold less than 8000 of them in the US last year!
From a high of just 12 599 in 2016.
These are just terrible numbers! (Even the Chevrolet Trax sold almost 80 000 units last year)

What is wrong with this company that they cannot figure out how to sell a good looking small SUV in an “SUV crazy” market.
Its cousin, the Jeep Renegade (Basically the same car underneath) sold over 103 000 units last year alone!

Are they really still trying to kill every brand they own except Jeep???
WTF???

Conversation 8 comments

  1. 500X does not look like a car that anyone would be seen in. Even Jennifer Lopez, which was the celebrity spoke person for the car quite drive it within two weeks. When back to her normal Austin Martin Vanquish!

  2. The fact is Fiat has been absent from the market for so long and the US is such a huge market. You have so many car brands competing for customers. I would also say the US is a fairly conservative market in terms of cars. Americans buy Chevys, Fords, Toyotas, Hondas….not a little Italian SUV that doesn't have 3 million cup holders.

  3. They should be trying to kill a few brands. Fiat, Chrysler and Dodge are all dead brands. Maserati is pointless too. That's why it's taking them 6 years to do even minor refreshes like the Cherokee. They have no money.

    They need to kill Fiat and Chrysler altogether, and sell Maserati to Ferrari. Then they could make a go of it with Ram, Dodge, Jeep and Alfa.

  4. I test drove the 500X and I'm not sure but didn't feel it. I also test drove the Jeep Renegade.
    The 500X is no fun to drive and neither was the Renegade. Poor MPG, slow and both felt heavy.

    At the IIHS.org website, the Fiat did better at the small overlap driver crash test, it got a Good and the Renegade got a Acceptable rating.

    I liked the external look of the Renegade more but when you drive one, the front felt so huge and the vehicle felt heavy. No rear vents on both vehicles either (I live in FL).
    And I wish both vehicles had a bigger cargo space.

    I hope it was more fun to drive, better MPG and more bells and whistles like blind spot monitor and other safety features, that Toyota and Honda are adding now at their even entry level models.

    I'm big with safety so I was leaning towards the 500X, but at the end, it felt like a cheap Chrysler vehicle. And the main reason I chose not to buy one, is their reliability.

  5. And I also think the 500X now is getting a bigger touch screen. Models 2016, 2017 and 2017 had a tiny screen with a so so GPG system.
    And order to get all the bells and whistles, one would have to spend well over $30K.

    Innovation, there's none of it on the 500X. I really wanted to like the 500x or the Renegade but they fell short.

    I ended up buying a 2018 Mazda CX5 and a used 2015 Scion XB with only 10K miles. For the price, the Mazda came with all the safety features I was looking for to have the family in it, and the Scion is so much fun to drive.

    I wish there was a way to add the Automatic Emergency Braking to the Scion XB, or other older models.

  6. What's the point, besides desperately trying to look different? Is it the space, the great MPG, driving dynamics, reliability, satisfaction? None of that!

  7. sketchy reliability, a guaranteed brick off the cliff in terms of depreciation, I can't imagine who is forking over hard earned $ for one of these unless they are all leased or someone's Italian background/heritage makes them really really want one

  8. What would make Fiat more successful is to do more partnerships with Mazda. As you may or may no know the Fiat 124 is basically a Mazda. The Italians should just use Mazda electronics, gearing and engines. Leave the U Connects and body and interior to FCA. I think the 124 would have been even more successful if it has it's own shell and interior.

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