The
Fiat 500X has reached the point of a mid-cycle refresh, headlined by subtle
styling tweaks, new engines, and updated tech in Europe. On the outside, the most obvious
changes regard the light units, with the facelifted 500X gaining new standard
LED DRLs and LED taillights, as well as optional full-LED headlights developed
in partnership with Magneti Marelli. Fiat says those units shine 20 percent
brighter than the Xenon technology of the previous model.
A new city-oriented Urban trim level joins the Cross
and City Cross, bringing all-new front and rear bumper designs. The Cross and
City Cross have been refreshed as well with new-look protective skid plates. Inside, the main update is the restyled cockpit that
adds a new instrument cluster with easier to read graphics. It maintains the
three circular elements and combines two analog dials with a configurable
3.5-inch TFT display in the middle.
Also new is the steering wheel wrapped in Techno
leather upholstery and complete with radio controls. The automaker claims the
new wheels allows for better positioning of the driver’s hands and improves
grip. In total, the facelifted Fiat 500X offers seven combinations of fabric,
leather, finishes, and colors.
Infotainment is provided by a standard Uconnect 7’’
HD Live interface with Apple CarPlay integration and Android Auto
compatibility. It features a 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth hands-free
connectivity, audio streaming, text reader, voice recognition, Aux and USB
ports, as well as steering wheel controls.
The most important updates take place under the
hood, however, where the 500X replaces the naturally aspirated gasoline engines
with all-new Firefly turbocharged three- and four-cylinder units shared with
the 2019 Jeep Renegade.
Those include a three-cylinder 1.0-liter unit that
delivers 120 PS and 190 Nm of torque, as well as a four-cylinder 1.3-liter unit
rated at 150 PS and 270 Nm of torque. The smaller engine is paired with a
six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive, while the larger one is
linked to a six-speed DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel
drive.
In addition to these new power plants, the Fiat 500X
can also be hand with a 110-PS 1.6 E-Torq unit combined with manual
transmission and front-wheel drive. All engines meet the Euro 6/D-TEMP
pollution reduction standard, and the turbo units also feature Gasoline
Particle Filters (GPF).
Diesel fans need not worry: the MultiJet II turbo
diesel engines carry on and have also been upgraded to meet the Euro 6/D-TEMP
standard, gaining SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction). The refreshed 500X
offers three diesel choices: a 1.3-liter engine rated at 95 PS and 200 Nm of
torque at 1,500 rpm (manual transmission and FWD), a 1.6-liter unit with 120 PS
and 320 Nm of torque at 1,750 rpm (six-speed manual/DCT and FWD), and a
2.0-liter engine that makes 150 PS and 350 Nm of torque at 1,500 rpm
(nine-speed automatic and 4WD).
On the tech front, all 2019 Fiat 500X models offer
two new driving assist systems as standard: Traffic Sign Recognition and Speed
Advisor. Lane Assist continues to be standard, while optional systems include
Blind Spot Alert, Safety Distance Manager (ACC), and Autonomous Emergency
Brake.
No information has been released on the US-spec
model yet.