Fiat Hopes For Styling Hit with 500X Mini-Crossover

Fiat SpA unveiled the latest iteration of its 500 minicar, the 500X crossover vehicle, at the Paris auto show on Thursday.

The company says it hopes the car's rounded Italian styling, which evokes the original 500 from four decades ago, will be a hit with consumers. The car will go on sale in Europe at the end of the year and the U.S. next spring. Fiat plans to market the vehicle in about 100 countries.

The B-segment 500X shares its platform with the Jeep Renegade mini-SUV, which was fortified for considerably more rigorous off-road performance. But both models use the same powertrains, and both offer a four-wheel-drive option.

The 500X will compete in the hot mini-crossover market against such rivals as the Ford Ecosport, Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur.

Fiat is building the 500X and Jeep Renegade at its factory in Melfi, Italy. Planned annual output of the two models is 130,000 and 150,000, respectively, according to Automotive News.