Compare the2023 Toyota Corolla CrossVS 2022 Fiat 500X

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Fiat 500X doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Corolla Cross are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 500X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Pre-Collision System in the Corolla Cross as “Superior.” The 500X scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The Corolla Cross has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The 500X doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Corolla Cross XLE has standard Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The 500X doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Corolla Cross’ standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the 500X and is only available on 500X Trekking/Sport/Trekking Plus.

The Corolla Cross’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The 500X doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Corolla Cross and the 500X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Cross its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 106 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 500X last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Corolla Cross 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Fiat covers the 500X. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 500X ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla Cross for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Fiat doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the 500X.

There are over 3 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Fiat dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Cross’ warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Corolla Cross’ reliability 25 points higher than the 500X.

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Cross gets better mileage than the 500X:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Corolla Cross uses regular unleaded gasoline. The 500X requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Corolla Cross higher (7 out of 10) than the Fiat 500X (6). This means the Corolla Cross produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 500X every 15,000 miles.

The Corolla Cross has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The 500X doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Corolla Cross stops shorter than the 500X:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Corolla Cross’ wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the 500X (103.9 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Corolla Cross is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the 500X.

The Corolla Cross’ front to rear weight distribution is more even (59% to 41%) than the 500X’s (60.3% to 39.7%). This gives the Corolla Cross more stable handling and braking.

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the 500X Trekking pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the 500X Trekking (28.2 seconds @ .57 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Corolla Cross’ turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the 500X’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Corolla Cross has a greater minimum ground clearance than the 500X (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Corolla Cross to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Corolla Cross has 3.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 500X (94.9 vs. 91.7).

The Corolla Cross has 1.5 inches more front legroom and 1.2 inches more rear headroom than the 500X.

The Corolla Cross has a much larger cargo volume than the 500X with its rear seat up (26.5 vs. 14.1 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Corolla Cross XLE offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The 500X doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

The Corolla Cross’ front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The 500X’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Cross the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the 500X can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Corolla Cross has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The 500X doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Corolla Cross’ LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the 500X’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Corolla Cross’ headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the 500X’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

The 500X’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Corolla Cross XLE’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Corolla Cross XLE has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The 500X doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Cross has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The 500X doesn’t offer rear vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Corolla LE/XLE has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 500X doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Fiat 500X isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

The Corolla Cross is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The 500X doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Corolla Cross, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Fiat 500X isn't recommended.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Fiat 500X by almost 212 to one during the 2022 model year.