THE Fiat brand is in a bit of a transition phase, in Australia at least, where it was once seen as a cheap and cheerful alternative to Japanese, Korean and European rivals with its offering of quirky, but reasonably priced small cars.

But Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Australia realised it was too difficult to compete at the lower end of the market so it is looking to lift the brand up and it all starts with the 500X crossover.

It shares a platform with the recently launched Jeep Renegade but the two models could not be more different.

The 500X is pretty spacious for a small SUV, and it is well packaged, but it is not cheap. There are a bunch of solid alternatives out there in the crossover segment. Is it a case of too little, too late for Fiat in Australia?

Click here for the full review...