Fiat

Fiat 500X To Be Discontinued In North America After Current Vehicle’s Lifecycle Is Complete!

Replacement Will Continue On In Europe...

Robert S. Miller November 23, 2022

2021 Fiat 500X Yachting Collector's Edition. (FIAT).

Last week, FIAT CEO and Stellantis Global CMO, Olivier Francois officially announced plans to launch the third-generation Fiat 500e battery-electric vehicle (BEV) in North America at the 2022 LA Auto Show. Although the 500e has last been on sale in Europe for the past couple of years, the U.S. and Canada won’t receive the car until 2024.

2022 Fiat 500X Yacht Club Capri Special Edition. (FIAT).

On Monday, MotorTrend published an interview it had with Francois during the LA Auto Show. The article states that FIAT will drop the 500X from the North American market at the end of the current vehicle’s lifecycle. Francois confirmed the notion by simply stating, “When it dies, it dies. We will not replace it”.

A replacement is however scheduled for the European marketplace.

The 500X arrived in North America in 2014 (as a 2015 model), alongside its corporate cousin the Jeep® Renegade. In 2019, the 500X received a mid-cycle action (MCA) also known as a “refresh”, that gave the vehicle many class-leading features as standard equipment.

Currently, the 500X offers a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline-four-cylinder with engine stop-start (ESS) technology and best-in-class torque, a 9-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard equipment for both the U.S. and Canada markets. Recently, FIAT added the option of a power-retractable fabric roof to the 500X’s lineup in the hope it would spark sales, but nothing has really happened.

During its Q3 sales report, Stellantis said that it had only sold 802 units of the 500X from January to October in North America. Of those sold, 757 units were sold in the U.S., and 45 units were sold in Canada, respectively. A huge difference from 2011, when the brand peaked in the U.S. market with a total of 46,999 units sold.

Francois did not give any hints as to what other vehicles could be in the future pipeline for the FIAT brand in North America. But there is a pretty good chance that the performance-oriented Abarth 500e will follow soon after the 500e, in 2024.

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CloversPlusCats Nov 25, 2022 #1

To be honest, just do not really like the US strategy for Fiat.

A decent fighter to the Cooper SE and Bolt, but more high priced because it's more premium positioned, closest thing to a discount will probably be the subscription service thing, as well as getting driven briefly in one to get to wherever you gotta be.
Worst part is this'll be the only thing in the lineup for the next couple of years, instead of Stellantis giving a more budget minded EV brand reboot of Fiat a try here, pretty much letting market get away by not giving us the EV Panda too along with couple others.

Things are probably more complicated than that, but GM and Honda are likely gonna put them in their place soon begining with the Ultium Bolt that's apparently for '25. Maybe I'd be entirely wrong about all this though.

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redriderbob Nov 26, 2022 #2

To be honest, just do not really like the US strategy for Fiat.

A decent fighter to the Cooper SE and Bolt, but more high priced because it's more premium positioned, closest thing to a discount will probably be the subscription service thing, as well as getting driven briefly in one to get to wherever you gotta be.
Worst part is this'll be the only thing in the lineup for the next couple of years, instead of Stellantis giving a more budget minded EV brand reboot of Fiat a try here, pretty much letting market get away by not giving us the EV Panda too along with couple others.

Things are probably more complicated than that, but GM and Honda are likely gonna put them in their place soon begining with the Ultium Bolt that's apparently for '25. Maybe I'd be entirely wrong about all this though.

They need to forget the Dolcevita-themed commercials and go for the same marketing style they use in Brazil...

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patfromigh Nov 26, 2022 #3

Fiat sold as many of the Pulse based Abarth models in just three days as they sell 500X models in the US in a year. Warning bad pun ahead. In Brazil Fiat/Abarth has a Pulse. Fiat in the USA currently has no pulse. Shouldn't a product have a life in order to have a life cycle? 🤡

The 500X is built on the same platform as the Jeep Compass, which now is offered with the GME-T4. Fiat USA could have created a modern day Omni GLH out of the 500X, but instead they chose to mold it into a mini SUV.

bill burke Nov 26, 2022 #4

This kind of puts a big hole in my argument on a Fiat rebirth in North America. Central to my thinking is the need for additional product to underpin Fiat in NA, but this decision has shaken me. The 500X is a fine product that never caught on with buyers in spite of its many outstanding attributes. This Fiat Pulse, possessing even more technology and practicality, not to mention less stylistic connection to the tainted 500, may just fulfill my thinking on Fiat’s future in North America.
Though weakened and questionable, my argument can be revived by the numerous global Fiat products that exist on the world stage that keeps my spirits of prognostication alive and possible. We shall see if Pulse has one in North America.