Introduction The Fiat 500 has been travelling down a very similar road to its equally iconic arch-rival the Mini. Like the Mini, the current generation 500 started out as a retro-inspired supermini but now the name has expanded to different and bigger models. Mini has gone big with new models including the Paceman, Clubman and Countryman and now Fiat has joined the party by adding the 500L mini-MPV earlier this year. Now we have the 500L Trekking, out now in the UK. It sits above all three previous existing specifications for the family car. The Trekking has been designed as a more rugged version of the family car with limited off-road capabilities. Emphasis is placed on the word 'limited', because the Trekking doesn't have four-wheel drive and it's not considered an SUV. Instead Fiat describe as it as more of a crossover entity. The car considered the main rival to the Fiat 500L Trekking is the Mini Countryman. Prices for the Trekking start at £17,095, that's £700 more compared to the starting price on the 500L for its range-topping Lounge trim. It's also £550 more compared to the starting price for the Mini Countryman (£16,545). For the extra cost over the 500L, the 500L Trekking doesn't just offer a more aggressive look. It also has a raised ride height (by 145mm), Mud&Snow all-season tyres, and new driving features courtesy of Traction Plus and City Brake Control. But do the new features along with everything else justify the cost of the Trekking? Read on to find out. Performance 3.0/5 From launch the Fiat 500L Trekking will offer four engines, two petrol and two diesel. Additional units in both categories will arrive later this year. The launch units include a 94bhp 1.4-litre petrol and a 103bhp 0.9-litre TwinAir petrol. There is also two 83bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet diesels, one linked to the standard six-speed manual gearbox while the other is connected with a five-speed Dualogic semi-automatic transmission. Topping the engine range is the 103bhp 1.6-litre MultiJet diesel with the standard six-speed manual gearbox. Start-stop engine technology is standard with all engine choices except the 1.4-litre petrol. We tested the 1.6-litre MultiJet 500L Trekking. Figures are reasonable and this version of the Trekking can get from zero to 62mph sprint in 12 seconds and reach a top speed of 109mph, making it the quickest unit in the Trekking's line-up. In comparison the Mini Countryman also offers a 1.6-litre diesel with outputs of 88bhp and 110bhp. While the lesser powerful unit has similar figures to this 500L Trekking MultiJet, the more powerful diesel on the Countryman can cover the benchmark sprint in around 10 seconds. The Trekking's 1.6-litre diesel lacks major ooomph but it's still a solid and responsive unit. The engine feels a little breathless when in low gears and could do with more low down torque, however, it feels more assured once you've built up to a higher speed. Ride & Handling 3.0/5 Raising the ride height and installing chunky weather tyres could create scepticism regarding the Trekking’s cornering capabilities. However the 500L Trekking does feel firmly planted and composed through low and fast speed turns, surprisingly so in fact. There’s some body roll when turning but not at an alarming rate. The steering is fairly light and straightforward but also artificial, offering little in the way of feel in return. As for the Trekking’s new standard driving features the Traction Plus feature can be switched on and off via a button situated by the gearstick. Traction Plus can work at speeds of up to 17mph to improve the car’s grip on off-road terrain. It works by using an electronic computer to figure out if a front wheel is losing grip, before applying the brake and sending power through the axle to the other wheel. On the tall grassy terrain we tested on the effects of the Traction Plus could be felt. Even then an aggressive approach comes recommended to clear this terrain and the car would likely find it tough in trickier conditions. The Trekking’s other standout new driving feature, City Brake Control, is also standard and uses radar technology to prevent or at least minimise frontal car collisions. The system works at a range of 10-12 metres and at speeds ranging from 3mph to 19mph. With this the car will brake automatically to stop hitting a stationary vehicle ahead, provided the driver doesn’t input on the gas, brakes or steering. It’s somewhat questionable how much impact the City Brake Control could actually have in a real life scenario when a driver would likely instinctively press on the pedals just prior a frontal collision.Nevertheless the City Brake Control has received two ‘Advanced’ awards from the safety body Euro NCAP. Practicality 4.0/5 The seats in the Fiat 500L Trekking are comfortable and space is all-round plentiful at the round. Provided the front seats aren’t positioned as far back as possible, the rear seats should also give plenty of leg room for two adults. Headroom should also prove comfortable as well. The middle rear seat is a tight squeeze for adults though and is better off only being used for a child.While the Trekking is comfy to sit in, there are some details of the car’s presentation which make it less comfortable. For instance depending on your preferred sitting position when driving, the layout can cause part of the steering wheel to obscure part of the speedometer. The Trekking’s rear-view mirror is also noticeably lower compared to other cars and the frontal A pillar is rather chunky, reducing front visibility somewhat. Like other models in the 500L range the Trekking offers a minimum of 310 litres boot space. This can be increased to 400 litres with the rear seats adjusted forward. When these seats are folded the total load capacity goes up to 1,310 litres. You can fit a lot in the 500L Trekking, more compared to the rival Mini Countryman. That offers 350 litres of boot space with the rear seats up and 1,170 litres when they are folded down. Running Costs 3.5/5 The Fiat 500L Trekking with the 103bhp 1.6 MultiJet diesel returns a combined fuel economy figure of 60.1mpg and emits 122g/km. This is behind on the Mini Countryman’s 1.6-litre diesels which officially return 64mpg and emit 115g/km. For the most efficient running however the 83bhp 1.3 MultiJet diesel with the Dualogic gearbox returns 67.3mpg combined and emits just 109g/km. No engine in the Countryman’s line-up can match these figures. There are many standard features on the Fiat 500L Trekking including 17-inch alloy wheels and rear parking sensors. A 5-inch touchscreen sound system with Bluetooth support is also standard. There are plenty of optional features available for the Trekking as well but all are very pricey and non-essential. Motortorque Verdict 3.5/5 The Fiat 500L Trekking is for the most part pleasant enough to drive and offers some functionality on low-grip surfaces. Passengers should enjoy the large amount of seating and load space, plus the standard equipment. However with prices starting from £17,095 and climbing as high as £19,590 for the 1.6-litre MultiJet engine, the 500L Trekking is amongst the most expensive crossover vehicles. For example the Trekking starts at over £4,000 more than the Nissan Juke and the Renault Captur. Whether this car has enough pulling power to persuade you it’s a worthy purchase really depends on how much you already buy into the Fiat 500 branding. Like with its rival the Mini Countryman, family car buyers who desperately want something stylish can hardly do better. Look past that however and you’ll find that there are similar and considerably cheaper alternatives.
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