General is the auto 500X any good?

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General is the auto 500X any good?

4x4Panda

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Hi all

My Mrs wants to chop our Panda in a for a 500X auto as it appears to be just about the only way to get a small automatic 4x4. we don't absolutely need it to be a 4x4, but I kind of want to stick with 4x4 FIATs for now.

So, has anyone tried the auto?

Is it a torque-converter / epicyclic box style 'traditional' automatic or an automated manual?

also, any general advice on the 500X would be much appreciated.

kind regards

tim
 
I think they have a dual-clutch DCT 6-speed automatic gearbox and a regular 9-speed automatic gearbox.

The regular 9-speed automatic is made by ZF and comes with the latest ECU tricks, which learns and adjusts based on your driving style.
 
We have the 2.0 Auto (9 speed) and its fine (for a FIAT) Its a little rough when cold but soon settles down. If your buying used avoid the first models as they are full of problems (including transmission). The fuel consumption is nothing like stated but as expected. My wife absolutely loves it and it ticks all the boxes especially if your a FIAT lover. As a curve ball try a JEEP RENEGADE. Very similar to drive and you may find a better deal? Note: As you probably know, they are the same car.
 
I've got the 1.4l 4x4 (9 speed) automatic after upgrading from the Panda 4x4 and think it's excellent. The gearbox feels a little clunky for the first minute on a morning but then it's smooth and fast. It also adapts depending on which driving mode you have selected. As I understand it it's the same auto gearbox that Land Rover use in the Evoque.

I also tried the semi automatic or robotised manual if that's what they call it but personally I found it very slow and clunky by comparison to the full auto.
 
Thanks all.

How does the 500X perform in terms of ride quality, wind and road noise and handling?
 
I've been pleased with the handling, ride quality and road noise but have occasionally been disappointed with the level of wind noise. Compared to the Panda I also find the seats more comfortable and love the digital speedo. The touch screen media system isn't to bad either once you get over the frustration of having to accept a disclaimer message every time you use it!
 
Some of Fiat's modern engines like the bigger diesels and the MultiAir engines can be a bit jerky when starting from cold, even with a manual gearbox, so on the topic of the gearbox feeling a bit harsh when cold, it might be down to the engine rather than the auto gearbox itself.

With a manual, the driver may learn to drive around the slight roughness of the engine when starting from cold, but I suppose the gearbox doesn't necessarily know & therefore changes away merrily as usual, leading to the feeling that it's a little rough at times?!

In terms of ride quality & road noise, it seems widely published that the best compromise is the slightly smaller wheels, so if you do decide on an auto 4x4 version, the Cross trim level should be a good one, as it has 17" wheels. The higher spec Cross Plus has 18" wheels, which might be rather firm on our rough ole roads!
 
Interestingly, there is something that hasn't been mentioned. I found the 500X to be a very good compromise between a normal car and an SUV. Its not too big, park it next to a VW Golf and you'll be impressed that its only slightly bigger.

In terms of road or wind noise, if you keep it within "legal" speeds then the car performs fine, but once you are well over the motorway speed limit, there is some wind noise from the side mirrors and more road noise.

A lot of people like the sporty driving, but I'd prefer the car to be softer. Unfortunately I have the 18" wheels. As I've mentioned before, I found the entertainment screen a disappointment, anyone who's used a decent smartphone will recognize the 80's technology in the uconnect, sad really.

Having done well over 15,000 miles already, I think my 500X is a great little-big car!
 
Hi - thanks for the further insights. We are looking at a Cross 1.4 petrol Automatic. It is a really fine looking car, i have to say, I've only seen a few on the road and now sat in one at the local show room. quite impressed with the interior too, it feels quite solid and well thought out. Rear head-room is not great (i'm just shy of 6'), but will be perfectly adequate for my lads who are ca. 5' 11". I was a bit concerned it would be a lot bigger than the Panda, as my wife particularly appreciates that the Panda can slot itself in almost anywhere when parking gets tight. However, in the show room at a least it doesn't seem to be too big. The sales guy said that the model got off to a very slow start, but sales have risen steadily and they are now proving easy to sell.

i did wonder if they come with standard blue-tooth to enable hands-free phone usage and if music can be played this way too. Does anyone know?

thanks again :)
 
As far as I know, all 500X's have Bluetooth for connecting your phone to for the purpose of calling people and all (possibly with the exception of the base Pop trim which doesn't have a touchscreen) have Bluetooth Audio Streaming for playing music wirelessly from your phone.

The standard 5" touchscreen can appear a bit small for some, but this can be upgraded (albeit at a cost) to 6.5". You can also upgrade the speakers to Beats Audio ones, again for a cost.

DAB & Nav now seems to be standard on PopStar and Cross trim levels, and Lounge & Cross Plus now get 6.5" touchscreen as standard, but this has only just become the case, so with 2nd hand models you'd need to look out to see what was specified as an option. However, you should get Bluetooth with USB & AUX sockets regardless of which 500X you choose.
 
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