2021 Fiat 500X

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Rating6.6

Ranked #6 in 

Subcompact SUV
Write Review
$25,815 - $31,185
Starting Price 
Nathan Dyer's image
Nathan Dyer 

Senior Editor,

Updated on January 31, 2024

ProsConsWhat's New

Charming exterior

The Cargo area is small

New Sport value package

Upscale well built interior

Unrefined transmission

No major changes for 2021

Intuitive and Easy-to-use infotainment system

Stiff ride

Specs & Features

$25,815

price

177 hp @ 5500 rpm

horsepower

210 lb.-ft. @ 2200 rpm

torque

9-Speed Automatic

transmission

1.3L 4cyl AWD 9A

engine

-

basic warranty

Overview

The 2021 Fiat 500X is an affordable small SUV that comes with a decent cabin and a powerful engine under its hood. With prices starting from $25,815, it competes with small SUVs like Subaru Crosstrek, Honda HR-V, and Jeep Renegade. 2021 500X boasts a unique exterior and a long list of interior and infotainment features like a premium speaker system and UConnect interface which is easy to figure out on the first use.

Buying Advice

Among the four, the Sport trim is the one that caught our eye due to its value for money package. This trim is priced at $27,795 and gets various features like 18-inch alloy wheels, bucket seats as an add-on to the features in Trekking trim. We also suggest equipping your SUV with an optional Advanced Driver Assistance package.

Comparative Analysis against Competition

The competition is very tough in the small SUV segment and the rivals offer superior cabin space, powerful engine, and a more attractive overall package compared to the 2021 Fiat 500X. Still, the Fiat 500X is a sensible choice in the segment and it offers quite a few goodies for its price. Having said this, how good is the 2021 Fiat 500X? Let’s find out.

Features
6.0/10

With prices starting from $25,815, the 2021 Fiat 500X is available in a total of four trim options. The trims are named Pop, Trekking, Sport, and Trekking Plus. In the base model, it gets features like cloth upholstery, a 6-speaker audio system, a 7-inch touchscreen, and much more. 

In the Trekking trim it gets various upgrades like Satellite radio, Fog lights, Restyled front & rear bumpers. Along with the features included in the Sport model, the Trekking Plus trim gets a navigation system, 8-speaker Beats premium audio system, front and rear parking sensors, and much more. More details are mentioned below:

Trims

Pop

Trekking

Sport

Trekking Plus

MSRP (AWD)

$25,815

$26,945

$27,795

$31,185

Key Features

Manually adjustable front cloth seats

Add/Upgrades to Pop trim

Add/Upgrades to Trekking trim

Add/Upgrade to Sport trim

 

17-inch wheels

Satellite radio

Sports steering wheel with paddle shifters

Navigation system

 

7-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Fog lights

Sport cloth upholstered bucket seats

8-speaker Beats premium audio system

 

6-speaker stereo

Restyled front & rear bumpers

18-inch alloy wheels

Front and rear parking sensors

 

Automatic climate control

SiriusXM

Bespoke Sport exterior and interior styling

Dual-zone automatic climate control

 

Keyless entry

 

 

8-way power heated leather driver's seat with 4-way lumbar support

 

Remote start

 

 

LED headlights

Which Trim should you buy?

Among the four, the Sport trim is the one that caught our eye due to its value for money package. This trim is priced at $27,795 and gets various features like 18-inch alloy wheels, bucket seats as an add-on to the features in Trekking trim. We also suggest equipping your SUV with an optional Advanced Driver Assistance package.

Fuel Economy
5.0/10

The 2021 Fiat 500X claims fuel economy figures of 24 mpg and 30 mpg for city and highway usage respectively. The combined fuel economy figures on the other hand stand at 26 mpg. The car gets a 12.7-gallon fuel tank which is smaller than some of its rivals and thus takes a toll on the overall range of the vehicle. The highway range is very decent at 381 miles.

Models

2021 Fiat 500X

2021 Subaru Crosstrek

2021 Honda HR-V

2021 Jeep Renegade

MPG (City)

24

28

26

21

MPG (Highway)

30

33

31

29

MPG (Combined)

26

30

28

24

Fuel Capacity (Gallons)

12.7

16.6

13.2

12.7

Range (City/Highway /Combined, in Miles)

305/381/343

465/548/506

343/409/376

267/368/317

The fuel economy offered by the 500X is not that impressive and stands just average in its segment. The best EPA figures in the segment are offered by the Subaru Crosstrek at 30 mpg combined. Coupled with a large 16.6-gallon fuel tank it results in the best in class overall range in the segment.

Interior
5.0/10

The 2021 Fiat 500X offers comfortable seating to a total of 5 passengers. The SUV features an upscale and roomy cabin. The cabin features a stylish retro look with an impressive fit and finish. The material consists of hard and soft plastic and seems to be of decent quality. The cloth upholstery standard though the buyers can opt for leather upholstery. The front seats don’t feel much comfortable and can prove to be an issue while going on long drives. The headroom and legroom in the rear row are quite generous but could be a little tight for taller people. 

Except for the Trekking Plus model, all the trims get manually adjustable seats while it comes with an 8-way power driver's seat with 4-way power lumbar support. The generous door openings allow easy getting in and out of the vehicle. The outside visibility is also decent due to its tall windows and smartly placed side view mirrors.

The cargo space offered seems disappointing at 14.1 cu-ft with rear seats upright and 40 cu-ft when laid down.

Models

2021 Fiat 500X

2021 Subaru Crosstrek

2021 Honda HR-V

2021 Jeep Renegade

Seating Capacity

5

5

5

5

Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

39.1/54.3/41.4

39.8/56.7/43.1

39.5/56.8/41.2

41.1/55.9/41.2

Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

37.8/52.8/34.8

38.0/55.6/36.5

38.3/54.5/39.3

40.5/55.1/35.1

Cargo Capacity (cu-ft)

14.1

20.8

23.2

18.5

The in-cabin experience offered by the 2021 Fiat 500X is quite commendable but the interior space on offer might not be the best among its rivals. The Jeep Renegade is the one that offers the roomiest cabin along with an impressive cargo capacity. Among the rivals, the Subaru Crosstrek is the one with the most spacious cargo at 20.8 cu-ft. In terms of interior dimensions and cargo, the Jeep outshines its competitors with quite a margin. Standout interior features in the 2021 Fiat 500X include:

  • Cloth upholstery
  • Leather upholstery
  • 8-way power driver's seat with 4-way lumbar support
  • Dual-zone automatic climate control
  • Panoramic sunroof
  • Tilt & telescopic multi-function steering wheel

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2021 Fiat 500X comes equipped with the latest Uconnect interface that offers a wide range of entertainment and communication features. The 7-inch touchscreen might look a bit dated and small but get the latest features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support as standard. 

The base trim gets a 6-speaker stereo and can be equipped with a special 8-speaker Beats premium audio system as an option. The High-end trim, the Trekking Plus trim features a premium 9-speaker subwoofer-equipped Beats audio system. Standout infotainment features in the 2021 Fiat 500X include:

  • Uconnect interface
  • 7-inch touchscreen
  • Navigation system
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Digital radio
  • 8-speaker Beats premium audio system(optional)
  • 9-speaker subwoofer equipped Beats audio system(optional)
  • Bluetooth Connectivity and Telephony controls

Exterior
7.0/10

The 2021 Fiat 500X continues to amaze us and goes for a retro styling capable enough to turn some eyeballs on the road. At the front, the exterior styling feels unique with rounded bulbous headlamps along with LED DRL’s. It is also available with LED headlamps and fog lamps as an optional add-on. 

In the Trekking trim, it gets a rugged front and rear bumper design with a more aggressive look. The vehicle gets standard 17-inch alloy wheels though can be upgraded to 18 or 19-inch wheels. The rear design language of the 500X seems quite interesting as it gets a colored piece in the middle of its taillights. 

Models

2021 Fiat 500X

2021 Subaru Crosstrek

2021 Honda HR-V

2021 Jeep Renegade

Curb weight (lbs)

3305

3188

3124

3210

Length (inches)

167.2

176.5

170.4

166.6

Width (Inches)

70.7

71.0

69.8

74.2

Height (Inches)

63.7

63.6

63.2

66.5

Ground clearance (inches)

7.9

8.7

5.4

8.0

Wheelbase (inches)

101.2

104.9

102.8

101.2

In terms of external dimensions, the 500X isn’t the longest, rather it stands second from the bottom before Jeep Renegade. In terms of height, Jeep outshines others and also is the widest among the rivals. In this lot, Subaru Crosstrek gets the broadest wheelbase at 104.9 inches. Standout exterior features in the 2021 Fiat 500X include:

  • Chrome accents
  • Rear roofline spoiler
  • 18/19-inch wheels (optional)
  • Automatic Headlamps
  • Bi-function LED Projector Headlamps
  • LED DRLs & taillights
  • Chrome exhaust tips
  • Fog lamps (optional)

Safety
7.0/10

The 2021 Fiat 500X gets Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking that readies the brake whenever it senses a potential impact along with audible and visual warnings. Along with this, it gets features like Blind spot warning, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The major downside of the safety department of the 500X is that it charges a handsome extra amount for active safety tech.

The 2021 Fiat 500X passed the safety crash tests conducted by IIHS with flying colors and received the highest rating of ‘Good’ in its roof strength test. In the collision avoidance test, the IIHS gave it a mediocre rating of Advanced for its optional front crash prevention system. Standout safety features in the 2021 Fiat 500X include:

  • Lane Keep Assist
  • Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
  • Automatic Emergency Braking
  • Rearview Camera
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Blind Spot Monitoring
  • Forward Collision Warning

Competition
8.0/10

2021 Fiat 500X vs 2021 Subaru Crosstrek

The Subaru Crosstrek is a rugged crossover that offers a neat and thoughtful package. The Crosstrek offers a car-like driving experience along with truck-like styling. It is more affordable as compared to the 500X and offers a larger engine. In terms of safety, Subaru outshines the Fiat as it gets the Top safety pick award from IIHS. On the flip side, the performance and driving dynamics of the Crosstrek however are not as good as the 2021 500X.

2021 Fiat 500X vs 2021 Honda HR-V

The Honda HR-V is among the little SUVs that offer impressive cabin experience along with a surprising amount of practicality on road. The interior is well built and more comfortable as compared to the 500X. The HR-V offers inferior performance figures even though it features a larger engine as compared to the Fiat. The fuel efficiency of HR-V is among the best in class and better than what the 500X has to offer.

2021 Fiat 500X vs 2021 Jeep Renegade

The Jeep Renegade is among the top performers of the segment offering a fun-to-drive experience to its drivers. Priced lower than the 500X it features a 2.4L Inline-4 engine offering the best performance figures among its key competitors. The major downside of the Renegade is that its EPA figures are not much impressive and get a smaller fuel tank than its competitors thus taking a toll on its overall range. The Renegade offers a roomy cabin that is more spacious as compared to 500X.

Final Verdict
7.0/10

After taking into consideration everything that has been discussed so far, it will not be wrong to conclude that the 2021 Fiat 500X is an impressive crossover with interesting styling and a decent interior. The engine offered is quite powerful as compared to most of its rivals and boasts impressive safety features. But it is outshined by rivals like the Jeep Renegade. If someone is looking for a crossover for day-to-day routine use then the Subaru Crosstrek would be the most practical choice as it offers the best in class fuel efficiency along with large cargo space available.

Trims

    Pop
    $25,815 onwards
    • 17-inch silver aluminum Wheels
    • 1St row LCD monitor
    • A-Spec Sport Seats
    • Front manual air conditioning
    • Heated mirrors
    • Remote keyless entry
    Trekking
    $26,945 onwards
    • Automatic headlights
    • Front Fog/driving lights
    • Satellite radio
    Sport
    $27,795 onwards
    • 18-Inch wheels
    • Premium cloth Seat trim
    • Unique front fascia
    Trekking Plus
    $31,185 onwards
    • 17-inch machined aluminum Wheels
    • Auto-Dimming rearview mirror
    • Driver Lumbar support
    • Dual-Zone climate control
    • Parksense Parking assist
    • Power-Adjustable driver's seat

Compare to similar cars

Price

$25,815- $31,185

Engine

Gasoline

Rating

6.61

Horsepower

177 hp @ 5500 rpm

Torque

210 lb.-ft. @ 6500 rpm

Capacity

5

Read Review

$23,200- $26,100

Gasoline

8.25

155 hp @ 5600 rpm

177 lb.-ft. @ 2000 rpm

5

Read Review

$21,400- $24,700

Gasoline

5.58

155 hp @ 5600 rpm

177 lb.-ft. @ 2000 rpm

5

Read Review

$21,990- $27,990

Gasoline

6.65

146 hp @ 6200 rpm

132 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm

5

Read Review

$20,395- $28,345

Gasoline

5.86

123 hp @ 6000 rpm

125 lb.-ft. @ 6000 rpm

5

Read Review

$20,500- $30,000

Gasoline

7.18

147 hp @ 6200 rpm

132 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm

5

Read Review

$21,695- $26,750

Gasoline

6.31

144 hp @ 6100 rpm

139 lb.-ft. @ 3900 rpm

5

Read Review

$19,600- $22,140

Gasoline

5.83

122 hp @ 6300 rpm

114 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm

5

Read Review

$21,020- $29,340

Gasoline

6.03

141 hp @ 6500 rpm

127 lb.-ft. @ 4300 rpm

5

Read Review

$22,850- $29,525

Gasoline

6.52

180 hp @ 6400 rpm

175 lb.-ft. @ 3900 rpm

-

Read Review

2021 Fiat 500X vs competitor's 0-60

    Car Name
    0-60 MPH
    Quarter Mile
    Top Speed
    SourceCompare
    8.3 sec16.5 sec120 mph
    7.8 sec16.1 sec-
    8.4 sec16.6 sec120 mph
    8.6 sec16.5 sec-
    9 sec17.0 sec106 mph
    9 sec16.8 sec117 mph

    2021 Fiat 500X vs competitor's MPG

      Car Name
      MPG City
      MPG Highway
      MPG Combined
      Fuel Tank Capacity
      Range (C/H)
      SourceCompare
      24 mpg30 mpg26 mpg12.7 gal.304.8/381 mi.
      31 mpg36 mpg33 mpg10.8 gal.334.8/388.8 mi.
      30 mpg33 mpg31 mpg11.9 gal.357/392.7 mi.
      27 mpg33 mpg30 mpg13.2 gal.356.4/435.6 mi.
      28 mpg34 mpg30 mpg13.2 gal.369.6/448.8 mi.
      27 mpg31 mpg29 mpg13.2 gal.356.4/409.2 mi.

      2021 Fiat 500X vs competitor's dimensions

        Car Name
        Length
        Width
        Height
        Ground Clearance
        Wheelbase
        SourceCompare
        167.2 in.70.7 in.63.7 in.7.9 in.101.2 in.
        173 in.70.7 in.61.7 in.8 in.104.4 in.
        172.6 in.70.7 in.61.6 in.5.9 in.103.9 in.
        172 in.70.9 in.63.6 in.7.3 in.103.5 in.
        170.4 in.69.8 in.63.2 in.5.4 in.102.8 in.
        169.1 in.69.3 in.63.3 in.7 in.103.1 in.

        2021 Fiat 500X vs competitor's trunk space

          Car Name
          Trunk Capacity
          Passenger Volume
          Max Trunk Volume
          SourceCompare
          14.1 cu.ft.91.7 cu.ft.39.8 cu.ft.
          18.8 cu.ft.92.8 cu.ft.48.4 cu.ft.
          20.9 cu.ft.91.1 cu.ft.65.4 cu.ft.
          18.7 cu.ft.92.8 cu.ft.48.4 cu.ft.
          24.3 cu.ft.100.1 cu.ft.58.8 cu.ft.
          19.2 cu.ft.94.1 cu.ft.45.8 cu.ft.

          2021 Fiat 500X vs competitor's cargo space

            Car Name
            Cargo Volume
            Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area
            Max Cargo Volume
            Bed Length
            SourceCompare
            83.1 cu.ft.14.1 cu.ft.39.8 cu.ft.98 ft.
            37 cu.ft.19.1 cu.ft.37 cu.ft.-
            45.8 cu.ft.19.2 cu.ft.45.8 cu.ft.-
            66.3 cu.ft.24.3 cu.ft.58.8 cu.ft.-
            89.7 cu.ft.18.8 cu.ft.48.4 cu.ft.74 ft.
            -20.2 cu.ft.45.2 cu.ft.60 ft.

            2021 Fiat 500X vs competitor's towing capacity

              Car Name
              Towing Capacity
              Payload Capacity
              Weight
              SourceCompare
              2000 lbs.1281 lbs.3305 lbs.
              5000 lbs.1089 lbs.2890 lbs.
              2800 lbs.-2948 lbs.
              1780 lbs.1158 lbs.2612 lbs.
              1500 lbs.1018 lbs.3237 lbs.
              1500 lbs.959 lbs.3232 lbs.

              Top Fiat Cars

              2021 Fiat 500X

              Horsepower : 177 hp @ 5500 rpm

              MPG Combined : 26 mpg

              0-60 : 8.3 sec

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