The Fiat 500X is a nice car enjoying worldwide recognition as a reliable subcompact crossover SUV. The 500X shares multiple design cues with the discontinued Fiat 500L, but it is more robust and has more advanced features. Fiat also offers the 2023 500X in two trim levels—Pop and Sport. Despite the automaker doing well in the overseas market, its U.S. market share is continually plummeting. Recently, Fiat debuted the 2023 model year iteration of the Fiat 500X; the only American model left until the new 500e arrives sometime in 2024. So, why is the 500X not dead yet, and what’s new with the 2023 Fiat 500X?

Fiat in the U.S. and its canceled models

According to Zippia, the Italian automaker first produced the Fiat 8 HP and the Fiat 12 HP for the U.S. market in 1901. The subsequent Fiat models for the U.S. market include the Tipo in 1910, the SB4 Eldridge in 1924, the Balilla in 1932, the 500 A Topolino in 1936, the 1100 S in 1947, the 500 B “Giardiniera” in 1948, the Campagnola in 1951, the 8V in 1952, the 100/103 Type A and Type B models in 1953, the 1100 TV Trasformabile, the New 850 City Taxi in 1968, the Punto in 1993, the Seicento to replace the 500 in 1998, the Nuova 500, the Alfa 159, and La Grande Punto in 2008, the redesigned 500 Cinquecento in 2011, the FIAT® 500 and 500c (Cabrio) in 2012, and the 500X in 2020.

The 2007 Fiat 500 became a global icon that excited enthusiastic drivers. Sadly, as Auto123 reports, in 2019, Fiat announced the discontinuation of the 500 model for the North American market. This discontinuation was predictable because, in 2018, the automaker’s sales in the U.S. dropped 44%. The first half of 2019 also registered a 38% decline in sales. While Fiat stays active in the global market, it has cut down its offerings to only the 500X for the U.S. market (for now).

The 2023 Fiat 500X press kit highlights

According to Stellantis Media, the 2023 Fiat 500X sports an Italian design and boasts the FIAT brand’s engaging driving dynamics. The Sport trim offers eccentric front and rear fascia designs, body-color painted side moldings, and dark-finish exterior accents. An Al-Fresco soft-top is available on both 2023 500X trims. The 500X comes standard with an advanced all-wheel drive system and wide-ranging comfort and convenience features. This small SUV has a 1.3-liter direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine with engine stop-start (ESS) technology, delivering 177 hp and 210 lb-ft. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and AWD system with a disconnecting rear axle earns the 500X a 26 combined mpg EPA rating.

However, all of these features and trim levels were available in the previous 2022 model year. The 500X offers absolutely nothing new for the 2023 model year, not even standard safety features or a special edition model. This five-seater subcompact crossover SUV provides comfortable seating and versatile storage space. Both trim levels feature a dual-pane sunroof offering a power-sliding panoramic roof with side glass panels matching the body-side sheet metal to create an open and airy effect.

The Fiat 500X is here to stay

Although the 2023 Fiat 500X doesn’t offer any new features or add-ons, the U.S. market can’t count it out quite yet. It provides excellent capability and fuel economy through cleverly engineered components and systems. Additionally, its Dynamic Selector system helps owners choose the most appropriate configuration to match varied driving conditions. The 500X still stands apart in the subcompact crossover SUV segment and will, in the meantime, carry Fiat’s flag in the U.S. market.