Fiat has expanded its 500 range, which appears almost as a single model in the Italian car range. While there are still lingering sights of the Panda and Punto cars, the 500 has taken Fiat’s limelight in the past year. The fifth and most standout model in the range is the new 500X. This is a type of mini-SUV with a high stance to give the impression that it’s a type of off-road vehicle.

Fiat has different versions of the 500X. The Pop and Lounge versions are geared more towards town driving, while the stronger looking Cross and Cross Plus models are designed to appeal to the occasional off-road driver. The new design brings the 500X into a bigger car category and one that could appeal to rural drivers.

I’ve had the Pop Star version on test recently, taking it across the country and cautiously across some dry fields. It comes with a 1.6-litre Fiat Multijet turbo-diesel engine that has been used in other Fiat cars and now also in the new Jeep Renegade model that we featured recently. The engine is impressive in the 500X as the car is lighter and this gives a 0 to 100km/hr rating of 10.5 seconds. The car feels lively to drive and its performance on the road is enhanced by a six-speed gearbox.

Fiat is also fitting a 4x4 version of the 500X in the Cross versions with a bigger 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine. The car that I drove came with the Drive Mode Selector system which is not a 4x4 system but does give different driving dynamics for regular road use, when driving in snow and a sportier and lively driving appeal.

Even if July was wet, thankfully it didn’t bring snow, so there was no opportunity to test this, but mild cross-field driving was where I gave the all-weather setting a test. I’m not sure how well it performed over the standard mode but it cruised across silage stubble with ease; I was reluctant to put it to the ultimate test where I would need a towrope.

The car is compact yet spacious. The seats are easy to adjust and the Uconnect infotainment system was easy to use.

The car comes with a modern layout and others who saw the 500X were impressed with the internal look and feel to the car. The electric auto brake engagement in stop was a useful feature, as is hill hold assist for taking off on hills, both of which are standard features. The car’s parking sensors were useful as the rear window gives somewhat restricted visibility.

The Fiat 500X feels solid and firm on the road, but there was some wind noise. The tyre noise from the car’s 215/55R17 Bridgestone Turanza tyres was minimal. Larger wheels are available and come with the 4x4 models to give even higher ground clearance.

There are now at least eight small SUVs on the market for comparison purposes, so I’ve drilled down through their specifications. I found that 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engines are the norm, apart from the Ford EcoSport, Nissan Juke and Dacia Duster, which have 1.5-litre engines.

The 1.6 litre Multijet Fiat 500X is impressive in terms of power at 120bhp and has good torque at 320Nm. That power and torque combination gives good low-down pulling power and the car could cope with lower speeds in higher gears, with less gear changes on smaller country roads.

The 500X scores as well as most of the competition on fuel economy. I took the car over a 630km drive and my results would indicate a 25% lower economy rating than the official one of 24km/litre (4.1l/100km or 68.9mpg).

I found that on an official economy rating comparison, the Fiat 500X is rated as one of the more efficient mini-SUVs. That translated into a figure of 18.29km/litre (51mpg or 5.47l/100km) during my test drive. The CO2 rating is low, meaning road tax of €190. So overall, this is a cost-effective mini-SUV.

I liked driving the Fiat 500X, but it is too expensive to buy. The list price for the entry-level 1.6-litre diesel version is €24,450, or £19,345 in Northern Ireland. You can add close on €3,000 if you want to opt for the 4x4 versions, pushing the price to over €27,000.

Fiat has given the new 500X offering a quality feel, now it needs to include more value when it comes to the deal.

Fiat 500X Multijet AWD

Engine 1.6-litre diesel

Engine power 120hp

0-100km/hr 10.5 seconds

Economy 24km/litre

Fuel tank capacity 48 litres

CO2 emissions 109g/km

Road tax band A3 (€190)

Service interval 20,000km/ 12 months

Safety rating 4 stars (2015)

Towing rating 1,200kg

Warranty 5 years/ 100,000km

Entry price €24,450

NI price £19,345