The 2017 Fiat 500X Trekking.

A couple of years ago, the Phoenix Bureau reviewed the Fiat 500X, in Pop trim.  We're here to say that review pretty much nailed it.  Whatever your pre-conceptions of the Fiat 500X, if you haven't driven it, you're probably wrong.

2017 Fiat 500X Trekking.

The biggest misconception is that it's just a Fiat 500 pulled and stretched and tweaked to its absolute limits to cash in on the small crossover SUV craze.

Nope.

The Fiat 500X is actually a purpose-built small crossover SUV that has a styling resemblance to the baby 500.  In fact, the 500X is a very close cousin to the Jeep Renegade (Jeep being a product of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles).  And if it's good enough for Jeep (setting aside the unfortunate first Compass a decade ago), it's very good indeed.  The first few minutes at the wheel convey a sense of solidity and security.  It's nimble, but purposeful.  It's an Italian Jeep.

The Fiat 500X starts at $19,995 for the base Pop model with a 1.4-liter, 160 horsepower turbo four and a six-speed manual transmission.  The Lounge model is a luxury trim, starting at $25,150.  And our tester is the Trekking, which slots in between at $23,350 base.  Both the Trekking and the Lounge get a little something in the engine bay, a 2.4-liter, 180-horsepower four with a nine-speed automatic. EPA fuel economy estimate: 22 city/30 highway.

The 500X also includes 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, wheel arch moldings, satin chrome exterior accents, distinctive front and rear fascias, cornering fog lamps and lower bodyside cladding. And there's a Uconnect 5.0 system with touchscreen, deep-tinted privacy glass and a stone finish instrument panel.

2017 Fiat 500X Trekking interior.

The fact that the Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade are platform-mates shows just how far we've come from the bad old days of badge engineering (build the same machine, put different names on it).  The exterior styling is very much its own, and the interior is like nothing you'll ever see anywhere but in an Italian vehicle.  We've always been big fans of the thickly-padded seats in the Fiat 500. Glad to see they've carried them over into the 500X as well.

Our tester had options.  The leather-trimmed buckets among them ($900).  There was also Customer Preferred Package 27G, which is the cold weather package of heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a windshield wiper de-icer ($450).

The Advanced Safety Package consists of lane departure warning, full speed forward collision warning, rear parking assist, blind spot monitoring with cross-path detection, automatic high beam control and rain sensitive wipers ($1,295).

The Front Wheel Drive Trekking Premium Package adds 18-inch aluminum wheels, a Beats premium audio system, a dual-pane power sunroof and all-season tires ($1,495).  A cautionary note about that sunroof...the sunshade that comes with it is not solid, but a very fine mesh.  Great for ambient light, yes, but if you live in a hot climate (and it was 107-109 in Sacramento the week we had our tester), it cooks the interior to a point where the climate control has a tough time keeping up.

And finally, the Trekking Popular Equipment Package, with a rear-view backup camera, power 8-way driver's seat and manual passenger seat, with a four-way lumbar adjustment for the driver, dual-zone automatic climate control and ambient lighting ($995).

Add all that up with $995 destination charge and the bottom line is $29,480. That's actually $2,020 less than the loaded Jeep Renegade Limited 4X4 we reviewed earlier this year, and something of a bargain for a loaded small crossover SUV, where price stickers usually end up in the low 30s.

The 2016 Jeep Renegade Limited.

Back in August, the Phoenix bureau wrote a very positive review of the 2016 Jeep Renegade Sport, the base model of the small Jeep.  Now, we up here at TireKicker World Headquarters in Northern California have had a turn...but ours was a very different Renegade.

2016 Jeep Renegade Limited.

Move from the Jeep Renegade Sport to the Limited, and pretty much everything changes except for the body.  The powertain grows from a 1.4-liter turbo with a six-speed automatic to a 2.4-liter Tigershark four with a nine-speed automatic.  You gain 20 horsepower (180 versus 160) and give up very little in terms of fuel economy (21 city/29 highway says the EPA, versus  the 24/31 for the smaller engine).

A jump in base price from $19,995 for the four-wheel drive version of the Renegade Sport to $26,995 for the Renegade Limited 4x4 brings with it all kinds of standard equipment beyond the more powerful engine and more advanced transmission that justifies the extra seven grand. For your hard-earned money you get a backup camera, remote start and keyless entry, an upgraded six-speaker audio system, dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel (leather wrapped, as is the shift knob), heated exterior mirrors, power seats, 18-inch aluminum wheels and fog lamps.

2016 Jeep Renegade Limited  center stack.

As nice as all that is, Jeep will happily help you load your Renegade Limited further.  Our tester had passive entry for $125, the Safety and Security group (a tonneau cover, security alarm and blind spot/cross-path detection) for $645, an upgraded HD Radio audio system with navigation for $1,245 and the MySky power retractable roof with removable panels for $1,495.

With $995 destination charge, that puts the Renegade at $31,500, which is on the low-ish side for well-equipped small SUVs.  And the big surprise at the wheel of the Renegade is how well put-together and how capable it feels.  We haven't always been able to say that about modern-day small Jeeps.  So make that two thumbs up from TireKicker for the Jeep Renegade...one from the Phoenix Bureau, one from World Headquarters in Northern California.