We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Car website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookies at any time
The start point for the best source of fleet information |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Fiat's new 500X is now on sale in the UK and it adds to the expanding range of models based around the Italian firm's 500 city car brand.
The idea here is to attract more male buyers and also customers in the popular crossover segment that aren't ready for something as big as the 500L. Fiat wants the 500X to be a conquest car and is expecting 7000 incremental sales and 3000 sales from customers upgrading from the smaller 500.
This puts the 500X slap bang in user-chooser and Motability territory and will help Fiat grow its fleet market share in the UK to build on its success with the 500 city car, which was in the top 30 most popular fleet cars sold last year.
Having previously tested the diesel on the international launch, BusinessCar took the new, petrol Fiat 500X 1.4 Pop Star 140 for a test drive, and now that full running costs are available, it adds more context for fleet drivers considering the car.
We've crunched the numbers on the diesel 1.6 Multijet II Popstar and the petrol model tested here and the running costs are close. The diesel model comes out at 43.9p a mile, while the petrol model is 46.1p. It's a middle-of-the-pack performance on the petrol due to the Fiat's CO2 output of 139g/km and a low residual value of 32.5%, but it's close enough that drivers would have to take into account the higher P11D of the diesel and whether the running costs could be offset by the cheaper engine.
The petrol is a bit smoother, which is an added bonus, but both offer capable performance, and the 500X doesn't feel underpowered with the 140hp available.
The 500X interior carries over the cheeky style established in the 500 and build quality and materials are solid given Fiat's intention to position this car as "upper mainstream" rather than more of a value-based proposition.
Due to a price that puts the 500X within £1000 of an equivalent Mini Countryman, it means models such as the Citroen C4 Cactus can duck in under the radar to spoil the fun. It's slightly cheaper than the 500X, it offers quirky styling, and a petrol engine with a CO2 output of 107g/km. It means you could run the C4 Cactus 1.2 PureTech 110 for less than the petrol 500X or even the diesel version.
It will mean Fiat will be relying heavily on the goodwill and desirability the 500 has built up in order to convince those looking solely at the numbers.
Fiat 500X 1.4 Pop Star 140 |
| Model price range £16,345-£25,845 |
| Residual value 32.5% |
| Depreciation £11,760 |
| Fuel £6538 |
| Service, maintenance and repair £2325 |
| Vehicle Excise Duty £390 |
| National Insurance £1730 |
| Cost per mile 46.1p |
| Fuel consumption 47.1mpg |
| CO2 (BIK band) 139g/km (22%) |
| BIK 20/40% per month £64/£128 |
| Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls |
| Boot space (min/max) 350/1000 litres |
| Engine size/power 1368cc/140hp |
VerdictA likeable and solid entry to the segment |
7/10 |
|||
 |
|
 |
|
|
BusinessCar magazine ©2019
Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
