Her + His Car Reviews
2017 Fiat 500x Trekking
There are two sides to everything, right? To keep our car reviews innovative and interesting, we provide an animated, insightful, detailed and sometimes uncouth two points of view on the same car from - Her + His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate, women-drivers.com
His: Don Hammonds, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| HER | HIS |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| $28,410 | $28,410 |
| Performance | |
| We love the larger 4 door 500x Trekking from Fiat which maneuvers and gets around town effortlessly with it's 180 horsepower - amassing decent acceleration. The four cylinder is a nice-priced alternative for those wanting a vehicle to do some "semi-heavy-lifting." The shifting on the 500x is clean but the cabin is a little noisy. | Power comes from a 2.4 liter, 180 horsepower, four-cylinder engine. And does it ever move! While some hotfoots might balk at it, the 500x moves in and out of traffic with skill and expertise, and even the highway becomes a forum for driving fun. It hugs curves well, and steers like a champ. Brakes are terrific too! |
| Fuel Economy | |
| For a smaller compact, the fuel efficiency is not great. Estimated 21-25 City; 29-31 Highway miles. | Eh. S-so continuing the size and weight. It has gotten somewhat better than last year at 25 overall, 22 city and 30 highway. That's a mile or two per gallon more than last year, but still nothing to write home about, to be honest. Still, you expect such a relatively small car to do better than that. You will spend $250 more in fuel costs over five years with this car, compared to the average vehicle, and going 100 miles requires 4.0 gallons. Annual fuel costs are $1,450 based on $2.45 a gallon gasoline. |
| The Car | |
| The Fiat 500x Trekking offers its buyer a step out into chic out of the box styling that is not the same "me-too" car on the road. Thank goodness. With its Euro chiseled armor, this 4 door has an attractive two-tone interior and a lot of distinct design elements that make it stick out. The one draw back is that it has few standard features which can tip the final price upwards for the buyer, though we still believe it's a value. |
Sooo much personality and style with this car! If you are like me and a big-time style and individuality car enthusiast, this car is for you. I really think it is one of FCA's best products, and I'm just sorry more people don't appreciate it. They simply do not know what they are missing! |
| Safety | |
| #SmallbutMighty is the hashtag with all the features on the Trekking. Start with all the Air Bags - Front, Head, Rear Side, etc. Child Safety Latch, 4 Wheel ABS. Traction Control, 4 Wheel Disc Brakes. Brake Assist. Electronic Stability Control. Rollover Protection System, Integrated Turn Signals. Adjustable Pedals. Front and Rear Tow Hooks. Auto-On Headlights. Cross Traffic Alert. Blind Spot Monitoring. Land Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist and Emergency Trunk Release, and Back up Camera. | Standard safety equipment included electric park brake, remote start system, dynamic control selector, electronic stability control, Parkview Rear Back-Up Camera; ParkSense Rear Assist system; blind spot and cross path Detection, and the usual host of airbags. |
| Technology | |
| Our 500x Trekking vehicle is equipped with 18" alloy wheels framing the vehicle, 9 speaker audio system which is pretty profound in a smaller car, believe me! Next, the leather two-tone seating with heated seating is a plus, with a windshield de-icer, heater steering wheel and tilt and telescoping steering wheel for a customized fit, and the NAV system contained in a 6.5" touchscreen and backup camera. Add in Bluetooth, USB port, and remote engine start and keyless entry. | The 2017 Fiat 500X is a subcompact five-passenger crossover SUV offered in three trim levels: Pop, Trekking and Lounge. The Pop comes only with front-wheel drive, and Trekking and Lounge are offered with front- or all-wheel drive. Standard equipment on the Pop model includes 16-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, heated mirrors, remote locking and unlocking, cruise control, air-conditioning, a driver information display, height-adjustable front seats, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a four-speaker sound system with an auxiliary audio jack and a USB port. Remote engine start and keyless entry and ignition are included if the 2.4-liter engine is ordered. All-wheel-drive models also get 17-inch alloy wheels and a center armrest. Optional for the Pop is the Popular Equipment package, which adds alloy wheels, automatic headlights, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, a leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel, front and rear floor mats, a 5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a six-speaker audio system, satellite radio and an additional USB port (charging only). A Popular Equipment package is also available for the Trekking, adding roof rails, a rearview camera, dual-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat (with four-way power lumbar) and a four-way power passenger seat. The Cold Weather package adds a windshield de-icer, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. A navigation system is packaged with a 6.5-inch touchscreen and HD radio. There are two more packages available on both Trekking and Lounge models. The Advanced Safety package adds automatic high-beam control, automatic wipers, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a forward collision warning system with automatic braking, rear parking sensors, and lane departure warning and intervention. The Premium package adds 18-inch wheels, a dual-pane sunroof and a nine-speaker Beats premium audio system. You can also get leather seating for the Trekking and Lounge as a standalone option. |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| The chicness of the sassy 500x Trekking is what we admire. While it may not rate as highly as the new-kid-on-the-block rival Jeep Renegade, or even the Nissan Juke, the 500x stands alone. And, for a 5 person "SUV", we appreciate this. The product has smart design and unique appeal. The 60/40 split folding rear seats which offer ease in configurations when packing the trunk. The use of interior materials in the dash were above board and exceeded our expectations for a model like this. Fiat calls this a 5-person vehicle which was our experience - all were comfortable. Color choices are spectacular. We like that Fiat has saved money and distraction by not having paddle shifters. Please note there is no tire or spare in this vehicle. |
: The first thing that I always notice and appreciate with the 500x is that the controls are large and easy to read. I know the vast majority of people who buy these cars are the young at heart, youthful millenials and others, but the friendliness and convenient to use nature of the interior could make the 500x a big hit with older people as well. You don't need to strain to see everything and the interior itself is nothing short of gorgeous. It clearly has that Italian flair, and employs some of the same themes found in Italian cars for decades--all to the advantage of the 500x itself. But I do hope you are pretty limber and flexible because you will need it with the rear seat. Even kids have trouble getting in and getting settled. Legroom is particularly a problem. But if you do get in it and feel reasonably comfortable, just sit back and enjoy the wonderful sound system-- strictly high quality. And while I am handing out kudos, how about Uconnect, the infotainment and Nav system? Still the best around in the industry, and every time I get a FCA product, it's time to rejoice because I know I won't be fussing and fiddling around with everything. |
| Warranty | |
| 4 Years/50,000 Miles Basic Warranty. 4 Years/50,000 Powertrain. | Basic warranty is 4 years/50,000 miles, while powertrain warranty is 4 years/50,000 miles |
