It’s pretty much a given that there’s a certain romance and charm to all things Italian.
And, Calgary driver Steve Rubio recently experienced some of Italy’s flair when he test drove the new for 2016 Fiat 500X Trekking AWD. He spent a week behind the wheel of the compact crossover, a vehicle designed at Centro Stile in Turin, Italy.
Designers of the 500X took the best attributes of the little Fiat 500 Cinquecento and morphed the machine into a larger and more utilitarian vehicle – able to seat five, and with the option of all-wheel drive.
“I found its styling appealing,” Rubio said. “I think Fiat/Chrysler got it right – they took the cues of the smaller Fiat and applied them to the CUV, and the 500X wasn’t robbed of any of the Fiat’s cuteness. The 500X has its own style without being over the top.”
2016 Fiat 500X
Steve Rubio, Driving
Rubio’s tester was the Trekking AWD model. There are four other trim levels, including Pop, Easy, Lounge and Trekking Plus. Trekking and Trekking Plus have different front and rear fascia designs with satin silver accents.
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Two four-cylinder engines are offered. In the base Pop 500X there’s a 1.4-litre turbo paired with a six-speed manual transmission. In all other models, and optional in the Pop, there’s a 2.4-litre naturally aspirated “Tigershark” engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission for either front-wheel or all-wheel drive versions.
“It had adequate power and torque,” Rubio said of the 2.4-litre engine in his 500X. “But my initial impression about the nine-speed automatic wasn’t good. I thought it upshifted too soon, and seemed to delay when downshifting. I did get used to it, but I wish Fiat would offer a six-speed manual gearbox in that Trekking model.”
Where the Fiat’s nine-speed transmission was happiest, Rubio said, was on the highway. With the cruise control set at 110 km/h, the transmission shifted seamlessly through the higher gears and worked well with the 180 horsepower and the 175 lb.-ft. of torque produced by the 2.4-litre engine.
Rubio’s 500X was loaded with goodies. In fact, the options added an extra $7,800 to the $30,690 base price of the Trekking model; including the destination charge, Rubio’s Rosso Perla Red Fiat cost $40,335.
2016 Fiat 500X
Crystal Schick, Calgary Herald
One of those options was a heated steering wheel. In the cooler fall weather, Rubio quickly gained an appreciation for this creature comfort and said it would be something he’d look for in his next vehicle.
Right now, Rubio’s stable of vehicles includes a 2003 Ford Explorer. This SUV is the family hauler, while toys include a 1987 Thunderbird Sport and a 1986 Mustang GT. Both of the last cars have been modified to Rubio’s tastes.
His wife, Betty, doesn’t drive, but his daughter Lauren commutes in a 1994 Ford Ranger and son Steve drives a 2000 Ford Focus. Youngest daughter Amanda, 15, doesn’t yet have a car.
Rubio learned to drive in Montreal, and was transferred to Calgary in 1996. He’s a self-taught mechanic, and enjoys tinkering with all of the family’s vehicles. “There’s nothing to fix on the Fiat,” Rubio laughed.
He spent time in the 500X commuting around Calgary, taking it grocery shopping and out for one good long drive to Banff and Mt. Norquay.
“It’s got a nice interior,” he said. “The dashboard has a mix of hard and soft surfaces, and the fit and finish was very well done.
2016 Fiat 500X
Steve Rubio, Driving
“The controls are intuitive to use, but I never did find the trip odometer.”
Some options, such as the backup camera, went unappreciated. Rubio said he preferred to check for himself, although the blind spot information system was given a nod of approval.
On the road, Rubio found the 500X to be stiffly sprung.
“I appreciated that, though,” he said. “It never embarrassed itself in the corners, and it took lumps and bumps without getting disturbed. The brakes are just great, and the steering never came unglued.”
With an eye on the gas gauge and the fuel pump, Rubio discovered the 500X returned 9.7 L/100 km. That was over six days of driving sedately in the city, enthusiastically on the back roads, and calmly on the highway.
“In Sport mode, the Fiat will scream right up the rev band, but I couldn’t leave it there especially when driving on the highway – it just became buzzy,” he said. There are three drive modes – Auto, Sport and Traction. In Auto, power is sent to the front wheels, while in Sport the transmission has different shift points. In Traction mode, power is sent to front and rear axles as required.
2016 Fiat 500X
Steve Rubio, Driving
Of the 500X’s utility, with the rear seats in the upright position Rubio found plenty of room to haul home groceries. A simple, easy-to-use latch folds the seats forward to expand cargo-carrying capability, but he said the 500X wouldn’t carry home a washer and dryer set like his Explorer once did.
“I think this 500X would be a great vehicle for a younger family of four. It would be practical all year round,” Rubio said.
On a whim, he drove the 500X to the Wild Wednesday cruise night at the Grey Eagle Casino – an event where hotrods and specialty vehicles mingle with ease. Rubio didn’t park to show it off, but people stopped to ask him questions regardless.
“One couple said they loved it, but were kind of shocked by the price, and I agreed.” he concluded. “But, I was reluctant to give it back, and would have liked to adopt it. It was both fun and practical.”
2016 Fiat 500X
Crystal Schick, Calgary Herald
DRIVER’S JOURNAL
Initial impressions: I found the styling of the car appealing with its “funky” looks. FCA did a great job of developing a new compact SUV that is complimentary and evolutionary to the little Fiat 500’s styling. A much better job than what resulted with the Fita 500L, a vehicle that appears bloated and robbed of the “cuteness” the little 500 has in spades. The 500X has its own styling compared to the many other small SUVs in its class. My neighbour said it looked like a 500 on steroids. I reminded him that it’s the car in the commercial where the Viagra pill falls in the gas tank.
Initial driving impressions: The Trekking AWD model came with a 2.4-litre four banger and nine-speed automatic transmission, with a selector knob having Auto, Sport and Traction settings. On the first day I found the Auto mode upshifted too high too soon for my liking. In fact, what was to be a quick lane change became a ponderous “one potato…two potato… when will this thing accelerate into the next lane?” affair. At 1500 rpm, a light tip in on the accelerator would result in droning or lugging engine noises and not much else. I also found the 500X to be stiffer sprung than what I was initially expecting. The stiff suspension may be tuned in keeping with its Italian heritage. My impressions of its handling abilities were later proven positive.
Day two and onwards: Day two is when I learned to drive the 500X. First discovering Sport mode, definitely more responsive. Although in Auto, I found less lag time once I started to “tip” into the accelerator more that I am accustomed to with a V8 or big six. It is a four-cylinder after all.
My week consisted of going back and forth to work, shopping trips with the family and several outings. This Fiat had adequate power and torque for most applications.
Overall, I truly enjoyed the car. As one person put it, “It’s like a car vacation!” The week I had the car varied from warm weather to cold, although I didn’t get to test its slippery conditions setting. One nice touch was a button for disabling the traction control. The car I tested did come full of tech and safety features so that accounts for its pricetag. There wasn’t much left for wanting other than full leather interior. The following are a summary of likes and dislikes that stood out for me.
The LIKES:
Styling
Keyless fob entry and start button
Good brakes
Handling and steering
Dead pedal for left foot
Dash and message centre
G-force indicators while in Sport mode
Blind spot indicator lamps in the side mirrors
Double pane sunroof
Nice interior with soft and hard tactile surfaces throughout
Front seats comfortable with good lumbar support
Heated seats and steering wheel
Auto climate settings
Nine-speed auto at highway speeds
Cornering fog lamps
The DISLIKES:
Priced high
No CD player, to my daughter’s disappointment, but full USB capability
Thick A-pillar obstructs left-hand turn views especially on tight winding turns as found climbing Mt. Norquay
Back seat flat and on the hard side
Driver armrests too far to allow resting of elbows while driving
Couldn’t find the trip odometer
Nine-speed auto at low speeds
Loud Continental tires
