Review: Fiat 500X

Ford sold fewer than 128,000 cars in the UK in the first half of the year. That was a decline of 12 per cent. So? It shows the turmoil in the car sales business. Volkswagen dropped back slightly but still managed almost 111,000.

The 500X is a bulkier version of the 500 with a higher chasis

Sales incentives, models being phased out, others being introduced, the impact of clean air legislation and the drop in demand for diesel engines all affect the stats. .

Porsche was among the really big losers, dropping by more than 2,000 sales or almost 24 per cent. At those prices (from £45,000) that’s a chasmic hole in the bank. Sales of Maserati (from £52,000) dived nearly 27 per cent with a loss of 200 sales and McLaren (from £137,000) had a similar dip, losing 100 sales.

These are prestige, image-making brands, great cars but not necessary in everyday life. Their slip may reflect some readjustment of our faith in the economy, or waking up to the environmental damage caused by 25mpg petrol motoring. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) flagged up a 21 per cent drop in car production and a massive 70 per cent drop in investment in June. Some 57 per cent of our cars go to the EU. Exports are led by the Nissan Qashqai, then Mini, Corolla, Civic and Range Rover Sport.

The interior is ergonomic

I hear Rolls-Royce arrived with a fleet of VIP demo cars in southern Spain this week to “serve a gentle presence to patrons of luxury at play”. Viz, La Reserva Club and Santa Maria Polo Club. If you are in those spheres of play, Rolls-Royce invites you to make contact at [email protected]. You never know …

According to SMMT, the only cars making much ground are so-called dual purpose vehicles such at the Ford Kuga and Kia Sportage and VW Tiguan, which now hold more than 22 per cent of the market. Superminis, your Fiestas and Corsas and Polos, are tops on 31 per cent, but there’s been a fall in most hybrids. The largest car in the Top Ten sellers was the Kuga, perhaps reflecting a sobering reality. Nationally, we still bought 1.27 million new cars between January and 30 June.

The SMMT notes the first drop in hybrid/electric cars since April 2017 as “undermining efforts to reduce emissions… and despite ongoing investment by manufacturers”. Mike Hawes, chief executive, blames “confusing policies and the premature removal of incentives”. He says that buying cleaner cars is the quickest way to address environmental concerns.

Wrong: the really quick way is to stop driving, or at least do fewer miles. Or choose a car you don’t like driving. Or share an LEVC electric cab. The 2,500th electric TX was celebrated in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday.

This week’s drive, Fiat’s chubby 500X, partly fits the bill: petrol, attractive, not large. However, Fiat finds itself without an electrified model though an electric 500 is sold in America and a new version will be shown at Geneva next Spring.

The 500X is a bulkier five-door brother to the cute 500 and is built in Italy at a plant that also makes Jeep’s Renegade. To add to the mix there is the Serbian-built 500L which is a shoe size larger and roomier than the 500X, with an MPV interior.

The 500X is a conventional five-door hatchback on a higher-riding chassis, of most use with the optional 4x4 drive system which was very capable yet is no longer offered in Britain. The 4x4 duties have been taken over by the Renegade.

The 500X’s facelift renames the model as Urban Look, from £18,500 with a one-litre, 120ps petrol engine and Cross Look from £19,500 with the same engine. A 150hp 1.3 turbo petrol engine with automatic gears is available, which lifts performance and price, from £21,700. Principal visual differences between Urban and Cross are tougher-looking front and rear faux scuff panels and bigger wheels on the Cross. Cross Plus and S Design versions complete the offering.

Fiat sent the Cross Plus 1.3 for our test. Drive-off prices start at £23,500 for a well-equipped small family car – navigation, rear camera, smart phone linking, cruise control. Extras included £650 for city braking and side traffic alert and £750 for the lush ivory body paint.

I felt almost unnoticed in the 500X and enjoyed that experience. The interior is ergonomic. The seats are comfortable. There are over and under gloves boxes. The glossy dashboard panel is finished in the body colour and accepts sticky notes.

Its size suits urban motoring (168 inches long by 70 inches wide) and matches Ford’s Ecosport. The 1.3 automatic is a new engine for the 500X. It produces 148bhp and a good slug of torque (199lb ft at 1,850rpm) which gives a reliable burst of acceleration for passing slower stuff.

Getting a quick getaway was not as reliable. The gearbox is a dual clutch system and its pedal response is hard to judge between a yawning nothing or too much which sets the wheels hammering. This wheel tramp also occurred on tighter bends and is not pleasant. The steering often had a meandering feel which I traced to the lane-keeping assistance.