Range revised, Launch Edition fielded.
Italian marque Fiat has announced the arrival of the revised and refreshed 2018 500X compact crossover, aiming to offer better safety, technology, and value across the board. The new model year updates also come with a revision to the lineup, the core of which now only consists of the 500X Pop and 500X Pop Star.
Standard kit for the Fiat 500X range kicks off with things like a new 7.0-inch Uconnect infotainment screen in the dash, replete with bluetooth and smartphone mirroring from Apple and Android. Satellite navigation is limited to the 500X Pop Star, though arguably, the inclusion of smartphone mirroring (which can display Waze on the infotainment screen) offsets that to a degree.
Jumping up to the range-topping Pop Star will net things like cornering lights, collision warning (forward facing), autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warning.
For the 2018 model year, there will no longer be all-wheel drive variants of the 500X, with this crossover limited to just front-wheel drive (though you could get all-wheel drive in the Jeep Renegade). The motor remains the same, with a 1.4-litre turbocharged mill under the bonnet with 103kW and 230Nm, mated either to a six-speed manual or six-speed double-clutch automatic (the latter is standard in the Pop Star).
Marking the arrival of the 2018 500X will be a limited-run ‘Launch Edition’ which builds on the Pop Star’s kit and adds $5500 worth of kit for a $3000 premium. The Launch Edition models will benefit from things like 17-inch alloys, black leather upholstery, eight-way powered front seats, BeatsAudio premium sound (optional across the range), and folding exterior mirrors (oh no, this is not offered anywhere else in the range, because they’re that cheap).
The 500X Launch Edition will be limited to just 100 examples nationwide. The 2018 Fiat 500X range now starts at $24,990 for the Pop model with a manual transmission, while an automatic will add another $2000 to the pricetag. The 500X Pop Star starts at $29,990, while the Launch Edition will set you back $32,990, with the two dearest models getting the automatic transmission exclusively.
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