Fiat's crossover refreshed

Is Fiat's 500X still competitive in a sea of monotonous We find out, this time with an open top crossovers?

- Alex Shahini

Launching locally in 2015, Fiat has now introduced its latest version of the subcompact 500X SUV. We spent the day with the snazzy Italian model to determine if it has what it takes to battle the new ewer offerings on the market.

First things first: As with many Italian products under the Stellantis umbrella, it does not seem to age as harshly as some of its newer, fresher competitors. In South Africa, the 500X has been available in more or less the same form for close to eight years.

While its evolution in this time speaks volumes, what remains is a fashionable crossover that stands out visually in its segment. That being said, Fiat has decided to introduce a completely new derivative into the simplified three-model line-up. Serving as an entry-level offering is the Cross. A well-equipped Sport derivative caters to the middle-of-the-road segment. Want to have a topdown experience in an affordable subcompact SUV? Fiat has you covered with a range-topping Sport Extended Soft Top (EST) model unrivalled in the segment.

The open-air experience of the EST provides a single-colour fabric sunroof that extends almost the entire length. Rain fell throughout the day of launch, so its 15-second closing time on the panoramic addition was frequently and often frantically called upon.

Thankfully, this operation can be done on the fly when the 500X is doing less than 100 km/h.