Another flavor of the iconic 500 is now being offered by Fiat. The first all-wheel drive variant, called the 500X, is built upon the company’s subcompact crossover platform that also underpins the new Jeep Renegade. Dimensionally similar to the 500L and priced from about $20,000, the 2016 500X offers seating for 5 and available all-wheel drive with a disconnecting rear axle for improved efficiency. There’s a choice of 3 powertrain combinations, starting with a 1.4-liter turbo paired to a 6-speed manual transmission, generating 160 horsepower and a model-best 184 pound-feet of torque. The higher horsepower 2.4-liter Tigershark engine is mated to a 9-speed automatic generating 180 horses and 175 pound-feet of torque. Fiat designed the 500X to engage the driver with superior ride and handling, using Koni selective damping shocks and struts and a Dynamic Selector System with 3 modes: Auto, Sport and Traction +. Available advanced safety features include Forward Collision Warning-Plus, Blind-spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Patch detection. And with more than 100 Mopar accessories on tap, customization is at your whim. Trim levels start with the base front-wheel drive Pop and proceed to Easy, Trekking, Lounge and Trekking Plus – all with available all-wheel drive, topping at out at near $30,000.
