Presentation and test drive Fiat 500X Sport: a dose of vitamin D for the Italian SUV

Another SUV with sporty pretensions? Really? Yes, that’s right. Manufacturers try to listen to the market, and if the market has asked for a healthy dose of high-performance SUVs, well, here it is. Against all expectations, Abarth and its scorpion were not the ones tasked with injecting vitamins into the Fiat 500X; instead, its own parent company has led the project. Thanks to the Sport badge, the city SUV features a series of details that make it a more flamboyant, spicier car and sporty? Let’s find out.

I packed my bags and travelled to Madrid to experience first-hand what Fiat had in store for us with the new 500X Sport. The brand claims this new variant is irresistible, and the truth is that its more rebellious design makes the Italian SUV leave behind its more cosmopolitan essence and start strutting around with a tough-guy attitude, an attitude that suits it perfectly and that it has inherited from its scorpion cousins.

Hours in the gym

The new Fiat 500X Sport wanted to flex its muscles to stand out dramatically from its more affable siblings in the range. Although it shares many details with the other 500X models, the designers at the Italian brand have masterfully modified the overall look of this version through a series of subtle but crucial improvements.

Thanks to the Sport badge, the Fiat SUV has a greater road presence. To achieve this effect, the wheel arches have been painted in the body colour, the mirror housings are finished in an aluminium-look tone, the 500X rides on 18-inch wheels (19-inch optional) and the suspension has been lowered by 13 millimetres, not only to give its new ambitions a firmer footing but also to improve its dynamic behaviour.

The rear is adorned with a new diffuser finished in black plastic and a double exhaust outlet on the side. These have the diligent task of delivering the soundtrack of the 500X Sport which, although not as strident as its name might suggest, ends up being catchy.

A bit of Alcantara here and some leather there

The interior of the new Fiat 500X Sport is, in essence, the same as its siblings. However, stressing this point, the brand’s designers have managed to convey what the Sport variant is all about through modest changes that nonetheless make a difference.

The first thing that will catch our attention is a sporty steering wheel with a flattened bottom section, a detail that still doesn’t convince me, though I admit it has its visual charm. But the coolest thing – and forgive the colloquialism – are its sides, which are upholstered in Alcantara.

This same material has been used to trim the upper area of the dashboard, which, by the way, is governed by three dials, two of them analogue and one 3.5-inch digital. The dashboard is headed by a 7-inch touchscreen with pleasant graphics and a more than adequate responsiveness.

Setting aside the Alcantara and leather, the interior of the 500X Sport features various soft plastics that are very pleasant to the touch. These are mainly found on the dashboard, while the rest of the components are dressed in hard plastics very similar to those of any other member of the 500 family, but with good fit and finish.

The interior space of this Sport variant does not differ from the other 500X models, but I would like to highlight some aspects of this section. Legroom in the rear seats is more than adequate, but it is somewhat hampered by the headroom, an area where the Italian SUV suffers due to the steep drop of the C-pillar. Indeed, I must praise the middle seat which, although still designed for short journeys, is comfortable and wider than that of some of its rivals.

Is it really sporty?

From Fiat they assure us that the 500X Sport experiences 26% less understeer and 17% less oversteer than the standard 500X. On top of this, it has an 8% higher acceleration capacity, but are these improvements really enough to classify the 500X Sport as a sports car?

Before getting into the details, let me introduce you to the engines that will bring the 500X Sport to life. The most modest is a 1.0 petrol producing 120 hp, a figure that rises to 150 hp if we opt for the 1.3. If we want a diesel powertrain, the Italian brand only offers its city SUV with a 1.6-litre engine, also producing 120 hp.

During the event, only the Fiat 500X Sport with the most powerful engine was present, but I must admit that this didn’t disappoint me too much. With this option, the brand offers its customers the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or a DCT automatic dual-clutch gearbox with the same number of ratios, the latter being the one fitted to the car I was able to drive.

The route Fiat Spain prepared for us allowed me to get to know the charms of the 500X Sport in the city, on mountain roads and on the motorway. In urban environments, the Italian SUV feels like a fish in water, since a suspension that is not overly firm – something that will penalise sporty driving – along with very compact dimensions and good visibility allow us to tackle any street with ease.

On the motorway it stands out for its smooth ride and good sound insulation, two characteristics that allow us to undertake long journeys at the wheel of the 500X Sport without fatigue. But the time came to push it a little. Well, the first thing I notice when I get behind the wheel of the Fiat SUV is a very light, quick and precise steering, though in my opinion not very communicative.

This allows for quick direction changes and smooth linking of bends, but its rather soft suspension causes some body roll that can spoil the overall experience. The engine, on the other hand, is quite explosive at low revs, the moment when the 270 Nm of torque come into play. Overall we are dealing with a powertrain well suited to moving the 500X Sport effortlessly in any kind of situation, but once past the middle of the rev counter we can feel it deliver a rather linear response, a behaviour that is not bad, but which I wouldn’t dare call sporty.

Finally, let’s talk about the DCT automatic gearbox that accompanied me during the test. As I have already mentioned, it is a dual-clutch with six speeds. On terrain such as motorways or in the city, it proves to be a very worthy ally, but for more spirited driving I recommend the manual gearbox.

Conclusion

Fiat has chosen to name this new variant of the 500X Sport, a badge that alludes to a very well-executed interior and styling but which doesn’t fit so well with its dynamic behaviour. In other words, we are dealing with a vehicle capable of fulfilling the duties of a city SUV, but with a more attractive and spicy exterior design and a cabin with a series of details that we will not find in the competition.

With a starting price of 17,200 euros – discounts and campaigns included – the Fiat 500X Sport positions itself as a very worthy option if you prioritise styling, interior space and ride quality. If you want a vehicle from the Italian brand with a more sporty touch, it is preferable to consider buying a 124 Spider or, failing that, one of the Abarth models.