At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Fiat announced it will bring the 500e to North America in 2024, leaving a question mark concerning the 500X which is currently the only model offered in the US from the Italian brand. We now learned that the subcompact SUV will be discontinued from the US at the end of the current generation’s lifecycle, despite the fact that Europe will get a new one.
The news was confirmed by Fiat CEO, Olivier Francois. Speaking to Motor Trend about the future of the Fiat 500X, he said: “When it dies, it dies. We will not replace it”, leaving no room for speculation.
Read: 2025 Fiat 500X Keeps Italian Flair And Grows In Size To Compete With Compact SUVs
The Fiat 500X will be a decade old by the time the 500e arrives in the US in 2024.
The Fiat 500X, a close relative to the Jeep Renegade, was originally introduced in 2014 and received a facelift in 2018. While its cheeky design has aged nicely, the clock is ticking for the Italian SUV that hasn’t really sparked the customers’ interest in this side of the Atlantic.
The next generation of the Fiat 500X is rumored to arrive in Europe by 2025 featuring electrified powertrains, more tech, a new platform, and a larger footprint taking it to the compact SUV territory. While stepping up a segment could make it more appealing to US buyers, Fiat decided not to bring it stateside. It is not clear when the current 500X will be dropped from the US market but our guess is that it won’t survive for long.
The EU-spec version of the Fiat 500X got a new grille last year, replacing the Fiat logo with a 500 emblem.
Francois also revealed that the 2024 Fiat 500e will be the sole offering of the Italian brand in the US, unlike Europe which will get a broader EV portfolio of small and compact models. More specifically, he said: “We have a clear plan to not do anything [in the US] besides the 500,” admitting that “It’s the one model people like”.
As reported by Motor Trend, the 3+1 bodystyle of the Fiat 500e will be coming to the US as a slightly more practical alternative to the three-door hatch and two-door convertible. The extra practicality though is limited to the rear seat access since all variants of the 500e are offering quite limited rear headroom and legroom plus a tiny boot.
Fiat’s decision to limit its North American presence to a single urban EV shows that it wants to become a niche brand, rather than selling big volumes. As Francois said, “Fiat is not here to be everything to everyone everywhere”.
