Fiat 500X 2018 first drive

You may remember that 2017 wasn’t the best of times for the Fiat 500X. During the course of that year, the steroidal, crossovery cousin to the 500 supermini saw its UK sales plummet by 66% compared with 2016, with fewer than 5000 examples leaving dealer forecourts.

This obviously proved something of a kick up the backside for Fiat, since only a few months after we first reported on this sales drop the Italian manufacturer revealed the facelifted 2018 version you see here.

Now, being a facelift, the changes made to its exterior were always going to be relatively minor. There are new daytime running lights, a new tail-light design that’s more in line with that of the smallest of 500s, while two new bodystyles (Urban Look and Cross Look) have also been introduced. 

Of more importance, though, is what’s going on beneath that exterior and within the cabin. The Multijet diesel engines have been dropped from the UK line-up, as has the availability of four-wheel drive, with the new Firefly three and four-cylinder petrols representing the only powerplants UK customers can choose from. 

The 500X is the first Fiat model to make use of this family of engines, which are developed on a modular structure with 0.33-litre cylinder units. For the three-pot, this translates to a total capacity of 1.0 litre, with power standing at 118bhp and torque at 140lb ft. As for the four-cylinder unit, that reaches — you guessed it — 1.3 litres and the engine churns out 148bhp and 199lb ft. Regardless of the engine configuration, power is delivered to the front wheels; the only difference is the 1.0 is paired with a six-speed manual, while the 1.3 comes exclusively with a six-speed auto 'box.

Equipment levels have been given a boost, with traffic sign recognition, speed advisor and lane-keeping assistance standard fare across the range, while a 7.0in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included in the £16,995 starting price.

Besides those changes, the mechanical make-up is basically as it was before. It sits on the same platform, which is shared with the Jeep Renegade, while suspension still comprises MacPherson struts front and rear.

Perhaps not quite as groundbreaking as the Back to the Future-inspired marketing campaign might lead you to believe. The cabin is fairly standard for the class: soft-touch plastics are used extensively, as are the scratchier, less-desirable variety; there’s a body-coloured dash fascia panel to inject some visual flair into the interior; and space in the back is snug, though not overly tight.