The Fiat 500X line-up is divided into two slightly different ranges called City Look and Off-Road Look, the former for normal motoring and the latter with a little extra ability to tackle non-tarmac tracks.
The Cross tested here is in the latter group. Similar in many respects to the City Look Pop Star, it has that model's 17-inch wheels. It also similarly features cornering fog lights, automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, Uconnect infotainment system and Drive Mood selector. In addition, it also comes with styling changes including roof bars and different bumpers. Also, in this case, the Traction Plus system which goes some way towards giving the benefits of the four-wheel drive fitted to 2.0-litre diesel models.
Our car wasn't a 2.0-litre model. Instead, it was fitted with the 1.6-litre diesel engine. Like all the diesels fitted to the 500X, is noisy from cold and still makes a bit of a racket if you're pushing hard even once it's warmed up. Petrol versions are noticeably quieter, though of course they don't have such good fuel economy.
In that respect the car was surprisingly good. The trip computer told me I was averaging 53.7mpg, and my own measurements suggested I was doing better still. That was welcome news, since in my experience the computers in other Fiats - notably the Panda - have a tendency to tell you you're using less fuel than you actually are.
The 1.6 diesel is no ball of fire, but its 118bhp output seems to suit the car well. The handling is good too - a surprising feature of 500Xs in general, considering they all have a high centre of gravity compared with a conventional hatchback.
A less happy characteristic of the 500X is the way it rides. This applies to all examples I've driven so far, and certainly to this one, which was disturbed by every bump it encountered and wouldn't settle unless it was on an exceptionally smooth road. Fiat would do well to introduce revised damper settings across the range as soon as possible.
Like MINI with the Countryman, Fiat has tried to apply styling intended for a hatchback (in this case the 500) to a compact crossover. Of the two companies, I think it has done the better job, but the 500X looks slightly odd - possibly ungainly - and is much larger in real life than it appears in photos.
The benefit of its size is that it's quite roomy inside. Headroom is excellent, though taller rear passengers may find their knees jammed up against the front seats. Luggage capacity isn't so impressive at 350 litres with the rear seats up and 1,000 litres when they're down.
The removable boot floor is pretty high, but at least there's room underneath it for a space-saver spare wheel. That is unless you pick the optional Beats audio system, in which case the woofer goes there and you have to make do with a tyre repair kit instead.
Despite its sturdy looks, the car's off-road potential shouldn't be overestimated. This is no mini Land Rover, but then there can't be many customers who would expect it to be, and you can at least venture further off the tarmac than you could in a normal family car.
By introducing the 500X, Fiat has entered a very competitive market sector. The Nissan Juke is currently the most popular of its rivals in this class, and it also has the Citroen C4 Cactus, MINI Countryman, Renault Captur and Vauxhall Mokka to contend with. It's a strong contender, no question, but it really needs better ride quality before it can be described as one of the leading players.
