The Fiat 500X updates its design and equipment and receives new, more efficient engines

The Fiat 500X has become one of the most important models of the Italian brand thanks to a combination of several features, but especially for successfully carrying over the distinctive design of the 500 into a larger vehicle that also combines the advantages of an SUV. At the end of last year the Fiat 500X received a facelift and now, ahead of 2019, it will be renewed in a somewhat more thorough way, touching every area.

If we start with the aesthetics, you will see at a glance that its design has changed. These changes, though not radical, do give the Fiat 500X a much more modern look, which in some way also brings it closer to the brand’s latest presentations. Broadly speaking, the most noticeable changes are the installation of new light units, both front and rear, with LED technology, which can optionally be Full LED.

More specifically, we have to look at the three versions available for the Fiat 500X: Urban, Cross and City Cross. In the Urban version, the changes to the front bumper design are more evident, with the removal of the lower front lights and a design that gives it a sportier air. In the Cross and City Cross versions it is practically the same, with the changes concentrated in the lower part, a new design for the fog lights and the protective plates, the latter reinforcing its rugged character.

Greater technological and safety equipment

If we open its doors and step inside, in terms of design the Fiat 500X sees its instrument cluster updated, with new graphics that make all the data easier to read, and the 3.5-inch TFT screen in the centre of the cluster also has a new configuration. Finally, the steering wheel has also been redesigned for greater comfort and grip.

But it is also at the technological level that the Fiat 500X sees several changes, such as the upgrade of its Uconnect HD Live infotainment system to the latest version with a 7-inch touchscreen, also ready to work with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or Mopar Connect. You can also connect to the Fiat 500X via Bluetooth, USB and the AUX port. It is also worth remembering that through this system you can optionally equip the TomTom 3D navigation system.

Continuing with the addition of new technology, the Fiat 500X becomes somewhat safer for its occupants with the introduction of a new system added to those it already had, namely sign recognition and the Speed Advisor system, with which the driver can adapt their speed according to the signs read by the sign recognition, so that we will avoid exceeding the speed limit set for the road we are on at all times.

New, quieter and more efficient engines

Improvements could not be missing from the mechanical side either, and in this regard the Fiat 500X becomes 20% quieter and more efficient thanks to the adoption of new turbo engines that comply with the Euro 6d-TEMP standard. In addition, the petrol engines will also be fitted with a particulate filter. Future owners of the Fiat 500X will have no trouble choosing their engine, as the brand offers three petrol and three diesel variants.

The least powerful petrol option is the 1,600 cc E-Torq engine, which produces 110 CV sent to the front wheels, and comes with a six-speed manual gearbox. It is followed by the 1.0 MultiAir III engine, which delivers 120 CV and 190 Nm to the front wheels, with a six-speed manual transmission; and finally the 1.3 MultiAir III with 150 CV and 270 Nm, working with the six-speed DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.

Turning now to the diesel side, the smallest engine is the 1.3 MultiJet II with 95 CV and 200 Nm, front-wheel drive and a manual gearbox. In an intermediate step comes the 1.6 MultiJet II engine with 120 CV and 320 Nm, which can be equipped with either the manual or the DCT automatic transmission, both six-speed and front-wheel drive. The most powerful option is the 2.0 MultiJet II engine with 150 CV and 350 Nm, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.