500L, Spider disappear from lineup
500X sold just 32 in first three quarters this year
Fiat as a brand might not be dead in the US and Canada, but it’s getting closer by the minute. Two of the brand’s three models are not coming back for 2021 and that includes the brand’s best-seller in Canada.
Though only officially announced in the US, a quick look at Fiat Chrysler’s 2021 information sheet shows that the only 2021 model with the badge will be the Fiat 500X. The 500L and the rebodied Mazda Fiat Spider are gone.
Just a decade after returning to North America with the tiny but fashionable Fiat 500 coupe, followed by the larger 500L and the quasi-crossover 500X, the plain 500’s death was announced last year and the 500L and Spider faded off quietly. The best selling car from the brand this year is the MX-5-based Spider, which saw 144 sales in the first three quarters of the year. The 500L saw just 11, compared with 12 the year before showing it wasn’t exactly a fluke, and the 500 down to 18. The 500X saw 32 sales during the period.
The 500X, though, won’t go unchanged into 2021. Instead, the brand is adding a new Sport Appearance Package on the Pop trim that comes with new exterior fascias, front fog lamps, 18-inch alloys, and five special colours. Pop and Trekking trims both get new seat fabric and dash inserts, though those changes won’t arrive until later in the model year.
The 500X is powered by a 1.3L turbocharged engine that offers standard all-wheel drive with a rear axle disconnect to help achieve the 7.9 L/100 km highway fuel economy rating. Pop, Trekking, Sport, and Trekking Plus trims will be available.
