General Is the 500X a good family car?

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General Is the 500X a good family car?

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My mom will eventually be looking for a good family vehicle (there our 3 people in our family, me, my mom, my dad, and our dog.) she was looking at some Lexus, and Audi vehicles, but I told her that 500x is pretty good and it is something that we will be comfortable with as we've owned 1 other FCA vehicle in the past, and our 500 1.4 Pop so we are very familiar with FCA products. Is the 500x a good car for the snow, is it good on fuel, and is it good for comfort? We know about the reliability already and can easily live with that. We would get the new 1.3 Turbo with AWD.
 
Best thing to do is go and try one. I found it to have adequate legroom for four sub-6ft adults, but the boot isn't enormous. Comfy seats, but a firm ride on lower profile tyres. I went on several long trips in mine and arrived feeling comfortable after 2-3 hours at the wheel.
I haven't any experience of the new engines, mine was the 1.4 Multiair petrol, which pulled well but wasn't the most economical - I got low 30s mpg around town, low 40s on a long run.
I only drove in snow a couple of times, and like most cars it wasn't good on summer tyres. Mine wasn't 4wd. Both our cars now have all season tyres, which are still good in summer and a massive improvement in snow grip.
 
Thanks. It’s good to actually drive one instead of impulse buying one. Were about a year or so away from that happening, but that gives me a year or two to research.



They don't always advertise it, but Fiat will frequently let you have a 24 hour trst drive *if you ask for one*. I had the benefit of one, drove about 200 miles in the time I had it, over a variety or roads and traffic conditions, and was able to form a much better opinion than just 30 minutes or so would have done. With dealers desperate to get back to selling cars again, now might be a good time to ask for one, even if you're not ready to buy yet.
 
They don't always advertise it, but Fiat will frequently let you have a 24 hour trst drive *if you ask for one*. I had the benefit of one, drove about 200 miles in the time I had it, over a variety or roads and traffic conditions, and was able to form a much better opinion than just 30 minutes or so would have done. With dealers desperate to get back to selling cars again, now might be a good time to ask for one, even if you're not ready to buy yet.



Are you in the UK? I don’t think FIAT would let you do that here because America is so big that you can go a very long distance in 24 hours, and who knows what load gets put on them. Also the virus is sort of an issue with spreading germs around. I’ll look into it though when it actually comes time to start seriously looking at them.
 
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Are you in the UK? I don’t think FIAT would let you do that here because America is so big that you can go a very long distance in 24 hours, and who knows what load gets put on them. Also the virus is sort of an issue with spreading germs around. I’ll look into it though when it actually comes time to start seriously looking at them.



Yes, I'm in the UK and it was a Fiat campaign at that that time. Several other manufactures have done similar from time to time. Granted the virus might have an impact on availabity but a Demonstrator is just a 'tool' and sold off at reduced price when it has done its job.
 
18" Alloys on our Cross Plus looks great but you will get a better ride/comfort with smaller diameter wheels.
 
Given that fiat have already pulled the 500 out of the us and that was over 6 months ago, I suspect the 500x is on borrowed time, it is literally the only fiat still being sold in the US which will make people nervous. The dealer network is quite weak and as much as the cars are ok there as still many other cars available in the use that are just as good. In the future getting parts may prove costly and difficult and they could just as easily remove the 500x from sale in the next year or so.

So I’d not be looking to buy one in the US but the decision to buy one could be taken out of your hands if you spend too long thinking about it.


I don’t know how old you are Rocco but do you drive yourself ? If your parents are in the market for an Audi or Lexus, then a 500x is definitely not in the same league.
 
Given that fiat have already pulled the 500 out of the us and that was over 6 months ago, I suspect the 500x is on borrowed time, it is literally the only fiat still being sold in the US which will make people nervous. The dealer network is quite weak and as much as the cars are ok there as still many other cars available in the use that are just as good. In the future getting parts may prove costly and difficult and they could just as easily remove the 500x from sale in the next year or so.



So I’d not be looking to buy one in the US but the decision to buy one could be taken out of your hands if you spend too long thinking about it.





I don’t know how old you are Rocco but do you drive yourself ? If your parents are in the market for an Audi or Lexus, then a 500x is definitely not in the same league.



They still sell the 124, 500L, and 500X here. I’m 14 years old so I don’t drive, but I am aware that they are not in the same league, and I brought it up because after a few years, if the electronics go out on more expensive cars; it’s going to cost more to fix. I found the 500X is a good balance, if you get the right trim level. I am a car fan so I do a lot of research on cars.
 
The 124 spider had already halted production for Europe and is expected to stop production by the end of the year in the US (fiat just aren’t making them anymore) that will leave the 500L and the 500X given that fiat has also merged recently with peugeot I cannot see the 500L production continuing and with Jeep in the US I could easily see fiat pulling out of the US entirely, my understanding is 500X sales in the states are terrible.

The 500x might make sense in the uk and Europe but it doesn’t really compare with US cars built for us roads and running on cheap US gas. And again as I understand the Fiat is also relatively expensive for the US market

If the electronics go wrong on a Fiat in the US getting hold of parts will be a challenge as will finding anyone who knows how to or wants to get involved with fixing it. And finally those parts will not be cheap, because demand for the parts will be low and production runs will be small meaning either higher prices for US/Mexican made parts or having to ship them in from Europe.

You’re talking about having a year or two to think about it, I think the decision will be taken out of your hands.
 
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The 124 spider had already halted production for Europe and is expected to stop production by the end of the year in the US (fiat just aren’t making them anymore) that will leave the 500L and the 500X given that fiat has also merged recently with peugeot I cannot see the 500L production continuing and with Jeep in the US I could easily see fiat pulling out of the US entirely, my understanding is 500X sales in the states are terrible.



The 500x might make sense in the uk and Europe but it doesn’t really compare with US cars built for us roads and running on cheap US gas. And again as I understand the Fiat is also relatively expensive for the US market



If the electronics go wrong on a Fiat in the US getting hold of parts will be a challenge as will finding anyone who knows how to or wants to get involved with fixing it. And finally those parts will not be cheap, because demand for the parts will be low and production runs will be small meaning either higher prices for US/Mexican made parts or having to ship them in from Europe.



You’re talking about having a year or two to think about it, I think the decision will be taken out of your hands.



Yeah, We’re hopeful that FIAT won’t take it out of the US, I hope not because it’s a nice car, I’ve sat in a Trekking once and it had the leather interior and it very comfortable, and had a lot of space. There is a chance that the upcoming 500XL will be hitting America. FIAT told Auto Express that combining the L and the X might be the way to go. Luckily there are other FCA cars with the same platform that are really good too. I feel like ever since Laura Soave left FIAT in 2012, the company was on a downhill since, but I’m keeping my hopes up. FIAT really wants to expand the lineup in the US. American want crossovers, so that’s why the 500 is gone. I still see a lot of 500X’s around. We love our little 500, and would hate to see FIAT go. I think it will be fine.
 
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A slight digression but it is coming to the point where you buy a car.

Audi, VW, Scoda, Porshe = same company one car
Fiat, Jeep, PSA, = same company one car
Etc....

Over time design, production, quality, etc. will migrate to a common base where like with Audi, VW, Scoda, ... you are getting the same basic product but paying for the badge. A slight exaggeration but still a basic trend and fact.

You only have to look at the components of a modern car to realise that the car is just a collection of parts also used in other cars. What will be unique is design and styling but even that differential has been eroded over the years.
 
Audi, VW, Scoda, Porshe = same company one car

Not quite right, porsche and audi one car
Vw and skoda one car, but. VAG are not quite ready to shoot them self in the foot and **** of porsche customers by selling them a £80k skoda. Many of the upper market VAG cars like audi and Porsche will share components with each other and also Bentley and even Lamborghini these days.
And VW, skoda and SEAT will also share bits and bobs, but gone are the days that your £200,000 Lamborghini would be fitted with VW switch gear and standard looking radio.

The one possible exception is the Vw toureg which shares its platform with the Bentley, Lamborghini Urus and Q7 but then again it’s not exactly a cheap VW, starting at around £50k the Audi at £55 and the Bentley and Lamborghini are over £130k+ but try finding signs of the toureg in your Lamborghini Urus or Bentley bentyaga
 
Those bottom 2 names made me smile.. :)

Child :p at one point I think I did type that you "don't want VW bits in your Urus" lmao

They don't tend to use parts that most consumers would be able to look at and say that switch or that button is out of a Skoda, when they are sitting in their 50k Audi.

That said i'm sure there are very many parts that are still shared underneath.

The prime example would be the Lamborghini Gallardo which used a lot of Audi bits and in very obvious ways, like the radio being taken straight out of an A8.
Instruments where very VW and switches where taken from VW cars.
 
We are looking at a 2020 Elle Lounge instead because we like what is has to offer for $28,000 (fully loaded). We just need find one that we can look at, because there are about 4 near me. Near me meaning 35-50 miles away. IMG_0219.JPG
 
A slight digression but it is coming to the point where you buy a car.

Audi, VW, Scoda, Porshe = same company one car
Fiat, Jeep, PSA, = same company one car
Etc....

Over time design, production, quality, etc. will migrate to a common base where like with Audi, VW, Scoda, ... you are getting the same basic product but paying for the badge. A slight exaggeration but still a basic trend and fact.

You only have to look at the components of a modern car to realise that the car is just a collection of parts also used in other cars. What will be unique is design and styling but even that differential has been eroded over the years.

I think the relevance might be that even if Fiat pulls out, Jeep isn’t going anywhere. As the Renegade is basically the same car mechanically, you ought to be able to find someone to service and repair your car that works on it all the time (although in Jeep form). So I personally wouldn’t be too worried about this issue long-term.
 
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