New Fiat arrives on NZ shores
Fiat is celebrating the 60th birthday of its original 500 in New Zealand with the launch of its new 500X crossover. The larger 500X Pop sits on a new platform and is 700mm longer, 122mm wider and 110mm taller than the 500 ‘Bambino,’ with four doors and a wide-opening rear hatch. Rear luggage capacity expands to 1000 litres with the rear seats folded down. The new crossover contains a 1.4-litre engine that puts out 103kW of power and 230Nm of torque, matched to a six-speed manual transmission. One step up, the 500X Pop Star contains a dual-clutch automatic transmission attached to the same engine. The Pop Star upgrade contains a ‘Mood Selector’ drive system, where drivers can choose between three different driving modes – auto, sport and all-weather – and the vehicle will adjust the engine, brakes, steering and transmission to adjust to driving conditions. All variants of the 500X have been given a five-star ANCAP safety rating, and contain six airbags – front, window and side. Driver assistance features include electronic stability control, ABS brakes, traction control, tyre-pressure monitoring system, and electronic brake-force distribution. Pricing for the Fiat 500X Pop begins at $22,990 plus on road costs, and $29,990 for the Pop Star. Both models are available now at registered Fiat dealers.
