Fiat 500X Exposes Some Chest Hair With 'Adventure Edition'

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky
fiat 500x exposes some chest hair with 8216 adventure edition

Calling the Fiat 500X rugged is like calling Star Wars actor Adam Driver sexy. While both have happened, neither of those ideas were conveyed via particularly reputable outlets. Likewise, the general public probably doesn’t agree with those statements — and the few that do are assuredly women.

Unlike the Star Wars franchise, Fiat owes the majority of its modern-day “success” to the fairer sex — a phrase I’m absolutely positive no one uses anymore. Still, both are trying to broaden their appeal by tweaking their product. Let’s stick to discussing automobiles.

While the breakdown fluctuates from year to year, roughly 60 percent of all Fiat drivers are women. But the brand does market to men, sometimes in ways we can’t quite comprehend. It also builds vehicles that seem specifically targeted at gentlemen, like the 500 Abarth and new 500X Adventure Edition.

Even though Fiat Chrysler Automobiles didn’t come right out and say it in the press release, it did use words like “rugged” and “adventurous when describing the Adventure Edition’s styling. If that isn’t a dog whistle for male consumers, we don’t know what is.

We’re positive most dudes shopping for something in this category will stick with Jeep’s Renegade, but the 500X might get the odd duck who’s interested in rounder styling. It may also help reel in women who are really into camping and added visual flair.

The Adventure Edition, based on the Trekking trim, tacks on 18-inch aluminum wheels, black roof rails, orange mirror caps and unique graphics on the body-side, cross bows, and front and rear splash guards. Interior additions include a molded rear cargo tray and front and rear slush mats.

While the wheels, splashguards, and slush mats can all purchased separately, bundling them together on the Special Edition actually ends up being the cheaper option. Plus, you get all of those hip graphics for free. Available in Bianco Gelato (White Clear Coat), Nero Cinema (Black Clear Coat), Grigio Graphite (Graphite Grey) and Grigio Argentino (Grey Metallic), the Fiat 500X Adventure Edition is already on sale.

[Image: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]

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  • Deanst Deanst on Jun 14, 2018

    It’s always amusing to see a dozen comments slagging a brand, followed by an ad for that brand.

  • Boxermojo Boxermojo on Jun 14, 2018

    It must be exhausting to be so insecure about one's gender that one has to pick their car based on a fear that someone will think they're not [XY] enough. I've got a great big burly hairy-chested square-jawed manly F150 and a compact and perfectly-formed Fiat 500. The F150 gets 13MPG, has zero lockable storage space, and handles like pickled crap. The 500 gets 40 MPG, is big enough for three people to go camping, and handles like pretty much every small Fiat ever (i.e. particularly well for a small economy car, which is why Enzo Ferrari preferred to drive small Fiats instead of his own company's rolling codpieces). I've owned dozens of cars, of all varieties, and the 500 is near the top of my favorites list. In the DC area, Fiats are everywhere, driven by pretty much an even split of genders. Fantastic little cars, and the leagues of blowhard mancar fanboys have yet to give me a single decent counterargument to why I should not be grinning my face off while zipping through city traffic, carving up curvy roads, and carting my camping gear out to the mountains on the cutest li'l roof rack ever.

    • See 4 previous
    • Hummer Hummer on Jun 15, 2018

      Thank you for comparing your 1980-1990s F150 to your 2010s Fiat, that is a very fair comparison.

  • Zerocred So many great drives:Dalton Hwy from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle.Alaska Marine Highway from Bellingham WA to Skagway AK. it was a multi-day ferry ride so I didn’t actually drive it, but I did take my truck.Icefields Parkway from Jasper AB to Lake Louise AB, CA.I-70 and Hwy 50 from Denver to Sacramento.Hwy 395 on the east side of the Sierras.
  • Aidian Holder I'm not interested in buying anything from a company that deliberately targets all their production in crappy union-busting states. Ford decided to build their EV manufaturing in Tennessee. The company built it there because of an anti-union legal environment. I won't buy another Ford because of that. I've owned four Fords to date -- three of them pickups. I'm shopping for a new one. It won't be a Ford Lightning. If you care about your fellow workers, you won't buy one either.
  • Denis Jeep have other cars?!?
  • Darren Mertz In 2000, after reading the glowing reviews from c/d in 1998, I decided that was the car for me (yep, it took me 2 years to make up my mind). I found a 1999 with 24k on the clock at a local Volvo dealership. I think the salesman was more impressed with it than I was. It was everything I had hoped for. Comfortable, stylish, roomy, refined, efficient, flexible, ... I can't think of more superlatives right now but there are likely more. I had that car until just last year at this time. A red light runner t-boned me and my partner who was in the passenger seat. The cops estimate the other driver hit us at about 50 mph - on a city street. My partner wasn't visibly injured (when the seat air bag went off it shoved him out of the way of the intruding car) but his hip was rather tweaked. My car, though, was gone. I cried like a baby when they towed it away. I ruminated for months trying to decide how to replace it. Luckily, we had my 1998 SAAB 9000 as a spare car to use. I decided early on that there would be no new car considered. I loathe touch screens. I'm also not a fan of climate control. Months went by. I decided to keep looking for another B5 Passat. As the author wrote, the B5.5 just looked 'over done'. October this past year I found my Cinderella slipper - an early 2001. Same silver color. Same black leather interior. Same 1.8T engine. Same 5 speed manual transmission. I was happier than a pig in sh!t. But a little sad also. I had replaced my baby. But life goes on. I drive it every day to work which takes me over some rather twisty freeway ramps. I love the light snarel as I charge up some steep hills on my way home. So, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Passat guy.
  • Paul Mezhir As awful as the styling was on these cars, they were beautifully assembled and extremely well finished for the day. The doors closed solidly, the ride was extremely quiet and the absence of squeaks and rattles was commendable. As for styling? Everything's beautiful in it's own way.....except for the VI coupe....it's proportions were just odd: the passenger compartment and wheelbase seemed to be way too short, especially compared to the VI sedan. Even the short-lived Town Coupe had much better proportions. None of the fox-body Lincolns could compare to the beautiful proportions of the Mark V.....it was the epitome of long, low, sleek and elegant. The proportions were just about perfect from every angle.
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