Fiat 500X Sport EST (2023) review - Bold, Italian, crossover flair
Fiat's crossover 500X has, for the longest time, been a rose amongst the thorns but much has changed since its first release. We spent time with the new Sport EST version to see if it still holds up or if we were merely being hopeless romantics.
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In a day and age where vehicle designs are safe, similar, and all geared around efficiency, the Fiat 500 is a welcomed breath of nostalgic air. Sure it may not be the most revolutionary but that's deliberate and the Fiat 500 is a retro-inspired model for the modern day. However, with the constant shift towards larger, taller vehicles, the Fiat 500X ensures that those who positively have to have a chic, stylish crossover, are catered for.
Related: Fiat 500X (2023) - First Drive Impression
The 500X has been reworked and refreshed for 2023 with two key derivatives on offer and a folding fabric roof makes for a third, breezy alternative. To get a better understanding of this revamped model, we spent some time with the Fiat 500X Sport with the aforementioned Extended Soft Top.
Styling
The Fiat 500X shares a platform with the Jeep Renegade as both fall under the Stallantis umbrella. It's been this way for a while in the days where Fiat and Jeep were joined under FCA. This gives you an idea of the overall size of the 500X; a stocky, rounded crossover with generous proportions. It draws its styling inspiration from the Fiat 500 which, as we know, is based on the original Fiat 500 of the 1950s. Its plain face, devoid of a grille is replicated in the 500X with Fiat electing to supply airflow to the engine through two thin grilles, both situated lower down in the front. The large 500 badge (a distinct nod to the original) is flanked by two large, rounded headlights which feature LED technology now.
The Sport model rolls on a set of stylish and sizeable 19-inch alloy wheels and the retractable soft top adds a two-tone look to proceedings. Sport models have body coloured wheel arch mouldings and side skirts while the dual exhaust tip shimmer in a glossy chrome finish.
Space & Interior
The regular Fiat 500 may be a small car but it offers a surprising amount of interior space. It's no different in the 500X with ample room for 4 adults and enough legroom to see them travel comfortably. It blends a sporty look and feel with retro chic, the Alcantara trimmings on the gauge binnacle and steering wheel with its raised red stitching contrasting with the metal-look dashboard and centre console treatment. Open up the electric folding roof and in 12 seconds you're exposed to the elements, creating a cabin that feels considerably larger than it actually is.
You get a 245-litre boot in the Fiat 500X which expands to 910-litres when you fold the rear seats forward. While many in this class will be able to offer you more storage space, the deep-set nature of the boot swallows up your shopping and luggage with consummate ease.
Comfort & Convenience
Our Sport test unit was fitted with a 3.5-inch TFT driver information display and a 7-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system. This is possibly the 500X's Achilles Heel. This unit is dated with a resolution that would only have passed several years ago. The screen presents as a much larger unit but far too much screen real estate is lost to the Uconnect layout and as a result, you're left with a small screen that is tricky to interact with. It does feature onboard navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and voice recognition but lets the entire package down.
Performance
Powering the Fiat 500X is a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with direct injection that produces 103 kW and 230 Nm torque; more than ample for the 1 320 kg body mass. This engine is paired with a 6-speed DDCT gearbox but the execution here is a little lacking. The 500X lacks the finesse in the throttle response which makes it a bit tricky to drive in traffic. It has a propensity to lurch off the line rather than ease into motion. Once in motion, all is well but for a vehicle that will spend most of its time in traffic, this is a bit of an oversight.
Fiat claims that the 500X Sport will sprint to 100 km/h from a standstill in 9.8 seconds and while that isn't going to sound impressive, it's plenty poke for what you need. It will top out at a top speed of 190 km/h - more than fast enough to get you into trouble.
Fuel Economy
The Fiat 500X is designed to light on fuel and the large body shape will inherently hurt the consumption figures. Nevertheless, Fiat claims that you can expect to see figures of 5.7 l/100km from the 500X Sport and with a 48-litre fuel tank you should comfortably see a range of 842 km if you manage to achieve the claimed consumption.
Safety
No need to worry about safety in the 500X Sport as it comes with 6 airbags as standard and now has lane departure warning to ensure that you don't happen to miss something in your blindspot. Daytime running lights that mimic the 500 logo further help ensure that you are seen both day and night.
Naturally, the 500X is equipped with ABS with EBD, ESC is also standard on the Fiat 500X Sport. You will also get traffic sign recognition, cruise control and speed assist.
Top 5 safety features on a Fiat 500X
Price
Prices for the Fiat 500X start from R509 900 for the Fiat 500X Cross
| Model | Price (incl. VAT) |
| Fiat 500X 1.4T Cross | R509 900 |
| Fiat 500X 1.4T Sport | R560 900 |
| Fiat 500X 1.4T Sport EST | R580 900 |
Competitors
You'll find the Fiat 500X Sport EST playing in the same ball pit as the Mazda CX-30, Audi Q2, and Hyundai Kona but it's hard to ignore the challenge from the likes of the Haval Jolion and Proton X50. Pricing is comparable but power outputs and convenience features make some of the more modern releases that little more appealing.
Verdict
If you're dead set on style over functionality, the 500X is a great choice. It does ride well despite its few shortcomings but we struggled to justify the pricing when so much of it still feels dated. This is a hotly contested segment in the market and sadly we don't feel that the addition of a few styling elements and safety upgrades warrant all the hype. The 500X was amazing when it was first released but now it's starting to feel a little long in the tooth.
