Available at launch are the 140 HP 1.4 Turbo MultiAir2 (front-wheel drive and 6-speed manual gearbox), the 110 HP 1.6 "E-torQ" (5-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive), the 120 HP 1.6 MultiJet II (front-wheel drive and 6-speed manual gearbox) and the 140 HP 2.0 MultiJet II (9-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive).
The range will then be topped off with the 170 HP 1.4 Turbo MultiAir2 (9-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive), and the powerful 187 HP 2.4 litre Tigershark MultiAir2 (9-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive) petrol engines.
The 140 HP 1.4 Turbo MultiAir II engine will also be available with front-wheel drive and 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. In particular, the innovative automatic and sequential dual clutch transmission ensures greater driving comfort and a sportier feeling, in terms of gear shift speed, offering increased efficiency and optimised consumption. Conceptually, it consists of two transmissions in parallel that permit extraordinarily rapid gear changes, releasing one clutch and engaging the other simultaneously.
The following turbodiesel power units will also be available: the 95 HP 1.3 MultiJet II (5-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive), and the 140 HP 2.0 MultiJet II (6-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel drive).
140 HP 1.4 Turbo MultiAir2
The 1.4 Turbo MultiAir2 engine is a cutting edge petrol power unit. Available on front-wheel drive versions and teamed with a six-speed manual gearbox, the MultiAir2 generates maximum power of 140 HP at 5000 rpm and maximum torque of 230 Nm at 1750 rpm. Values which imply elasticity and sparkling performance, as demonstrated by the top speed of 190 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 in 9.8 seconds. Outstanding performance combined with low consumption and emissions: suffice to say that, in the combined cycle, the recorded figures are 6 l/100 km and 139 g/km CO2 respectively.
The source of this stunning performance lies in the MultiAir technology, which marks a departure from the standard petrol engine set-up, a genuine generational leap that is comparable to the introduction of MultiJet technology for diesel engines. Simply consider the fact that, compared to a conventional petrol engine of equivalent size, a MultiAir engine develops more power (up to 10%) and torque (up to 15%), while consuming significantly less fuel (up to 10%) and emitting less CO2 and particulates (up to 10%) and less NOx (up to 30%).
At the heart of MultiAir is its electro-hydraulic valve management system that reduces fuel consumption by controlling air directly via the inlet valves (without using the throttle) and reduces polluting emissions too (via combustion control). As befits a flag-bearer for the "downsizing" concept, MultiAir is a versatile technology that is easily applied to all petrol engines.
Euro6 type approved and fitted with the Start&Stop system as standard to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, the 140 HP 1.4 Turbo MultiAir2 features a series of components designed specifically to reduce friction and improve performance and fuel consumption efficiency. The engine is fitted as standard with a smart alternator for maximum efficiency.
120 HP 1.6 Multijet II and 140 HP 2.0 Multijet II
The new Fiat 500X offers two turbodiesel engine options - 1.6 or 2.0 litres - fitted with second generation MultiJet technology to guarantee an enjoyable drive, great autonomy and low running costs.
Teamed with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 1.6 Multijet II generates 120 HP at 3750 rpm, allowing the new Fiat crossover to reach a top speed of 186 km/h and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.5 seconds. Using a variable geometry turbocharger means delivering high torque at low rpm (320 Nm at 1750 rpm) for maximum running flexibility. All with optimum respect for the environment - the power unit is Euro6 type approved - and with maximum attention to fuel consumption and emissions efficiency: on a combined type approval cycle, the 120 HP 500X 1.6 MultiJet II registers 4.1 litres/100 km of fuel and 109 g/km CO2 emissions.
Increased power and better performance are ensured by the 2.0 Multijet II which, fitted with an electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger, develops maximum power of 140 HP at 4000 rpm and maximum torque of 350 Nm at 1750 rpm. Paired with the innovative nine-speed automatic gearbox, the power unit assembly allows the 500X to reach a top speed of 190 km/h and to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 9.8 seconds, as well as respecting the Euro6 emissions limits.
Shared by both of the Fiat 500X's turbodiesel engines, the third-generation Common Rail injection system represents the most technologically advanced solution for controlling high injection pressures (1600 bar) independently of the engine rotation speed and quantity of fuel injected.
In fact, the engine management is capable of introducing small quantities of fuel (pre-injections) to optimise noise and emissions and to manage with the main injection the amount of fuel injected to provide the performance requested by the driver, ensuring particularly "smooth" engine operation in all situations.
In detail, the innovative injectors allow the management of up to eight injections per cycle and actuate increasingly advanced strategies focused on optimising combustion, such as the Injection Rate Shaping (IRS) system which involves two consecutive injections so close together in time as to generate a continuous and modulated fuel supply into the cylinders. With this method, the combustion process is improved, all to the benefit of quieter operation and lower particulate and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Furthermore, the new injection system is even simpler and more reliable because the injectors have a simpler structure.
The 120 HP 1.6 MultiJet II and 140 HP 2.0 MultiJet II engines have also been fitted with a number of features to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. These include a smart alternator that modulates the dispensing of energy depending on the vehicle's actual needs and the battery charge level, engine cooling circuit optimisation that reduces warm-up time and a variable displacement oil pump that adjusts the oil pressure appropriately, reducing the power consumed by the pump.
Naturally, the Start&Stop system is included, while the engine and transmission use low viscosity lubricant oil to minimise friction. And the exhaust gas treatment system implements close-coupled DPF technology, which efficiently integrates the oxidising catalytic converter and the particulate filter (CCDPF). The component is compact to reduce exhaust counter-pressure with beneficial effects in terms of reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The particulate trap is arranged close to the turbocharger outlet to provide hotter gas temperatures on average near the particulate filter. This reduces the amount of diesel fuel needed for regeneration with a subsequent further reduction in consumption.
The oxidising catalytic converter has also been integrated into new NSC (NOx Storage Catalyst) technology which, thanks to a specific chemical formulation combined with sophisticated injection management software strategies, is capable of reducing NOx emissions by 60%, playing an important role in keeping vehicle emissions within the Euro6 limits.
The integration of the two components reduces the weight of the exhaust system and improves global efficiency. The CCDPF is combined with an advanced dual-circuit exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system in which - in addition to the very small sized EGR element already present on previous versions - a second circuit has been added that collects the exhaust gases downstream of the DPF and cools them using a dedicated cooler, allowing precise control of the combustion process, reducing both NOx emissions and fuel consumption.
New nine-speed automatic transmission
The 500X crossover is the first Fiat car - and the only vehicle in its segment with the exception of the Jeep Renegade - to offer the brand new nine-speed automatic gearbox. Available at launch exclusively with the 140 HP turbodiesel 2.0 MultiJet II, the innovative transmission allows the vehicle to optimise the power developed by the engine, at the same time enabling aggressive pick-up and smooth, efficient power delivery.
Electronically controlled, the nine-speed automatic transmission features specific mapping, with the option to switch to manual-sequential mode. The innovative transmission also ensures increased reactivity, with faster acceleration and more fluid gear shifting. The gearbox's wide opening, in terms of ratios, ensures that the engine is always working within the optimum speed range, maximising comfort, driving pleasure and efficiency.
In detail, the advanced gear shift management software involves dozens of inputs - from various on-board sensors - in order to adopt the ideal behaviour in all driving and environmental conditions. For example, there are systems to monitor engine torque, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, ESP actions, road gradient and temperature. The result? Optimum driving comfort and maximum efficiency.
6-speed manual gearbox
The versions of the Fiat 500X equipped with the 140 HP 1.4 Turbo MultiAir2 and 120 HP 1.6 MultiJet II engines feature six-speed manual gearboxes and front-wheel drive.
Part of a new family of transverse, three-axle transmissions, the 500X's manual six-speed gearbox is synchronised in all ratios for smooth gear shifting. The gearshift bowdens are fitted with a self-regulation mechanism for improved gear shift quality and Start&Stop system management.
Finally, the clutch is fitted with a dual mass flywheel which reduces noise and vibrations at low speeds. The clutch is hydraulic to reduce operating effort and pedal vibrations.