Fiat News: Fiat Working On Another Member Of The 500 Family

[William Maley]

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 6, 2012

During the recent press launch of the new Fiat 500L, Fiat previewed a new member of the 500 family called the 500X. The 500X is a crossover and will take the place of Fiat Sedici (Suzuki SX4 in Fiat clothing).

Styling is a mix of hatchback and SUV cues and come with the choice of front-wheel and all-wheel-drive. The 500X will be the longest model in the 500 lineup, measuring around 13.7 feet.

The 500X is also the likely canditate for the compact Jeep that we've been reporting for the past year. The major difference between the the two will be the Jeep will have a trail-rated model.

The 500X will go into production next year, with the Jeep following sometime in 2014.

Source: Autoweek

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[David]

This will be interesting as it might based on the Autoweek single picture of it in silver be the first model that I might like. Course they should have left out that it is being built at the plant that used to build Yugo's.

Not a great way to build credibility when you have a plant known for building the worst built car and you have quality problems of your own.

Good luck to them, they will need it.

[ocnblu]

Way better looking than the 500L. Reminds me of the Mokka/Encore/Trax. Hope a Jeep based on this looks, AND ACTS, Jeepy.

[David]

Way better looking than the 500L. Reminds me of the Mokka/Encore/Trax. Hope a Jeep based on this looks, AND ACTS, Jeepy.

I agree Ocnblu, this is the best looking of all the fiats to date. I hope when Jeep takes the foundation of this small vehicle and builds a small trail rated 4x4 that they nail it with quality.

[Drew Dowdell]

They seem to be trying to turn Fiat into an Italian Mini Cooper in the US. It just might work.

[ocnblu]

These little buggies stand out. I am seeing so many of them now in my urrea. Today while looking at an '02 S-10, a tan base model zipped by, looking dandy.

[David]

They seem to be trying to turn Fiat into an Italian Mini Cooper in the US. It just might work.

Yes I would agree that if they can have quality in the auto and capture that mini cooper desire at a far better price point they really could eat Mini Coopers lunch.

Next year will be the telling point when JD powers has their quality survey and we see where Fiat lands in comparison to Mini. Course not much would need to be done to beat Mini at they are at the bottom of the quality report.

I just hope Jeep gets a solid 4x4 that does not hurt them.

Over all I still hate the design language of their whole 500 line, but this SUV 500 is by far the best looking.

Edited July 6, 2012 by dfelt

[regfootball]

Roughly Encore sized i think....

Kinda interesting....not really a fan of the front quarter windows....in this design

[ZL-1]

500 X > 500 L by far (the raised body works better IMHO)

Still, they both do not really look '500' if you know what I mean... MINIs seem to be more consistent overall, even the mini-SUVs...