Compare the2023 Fiat 500XVS 2023 Hyundai Tucson

The Fiat 500X has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Tucson doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The 500X has standard Reactive Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Reactive Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Tucson doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the 500X. But it costs extra on the Tucson.

Both the 500X and the Tucson have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The engine in the 500X has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Tucson has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

The 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 32 lbs.-ft. more torque (210 vs. 178) than the Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the 500X gets better fuel mileage than the Tucson AWD (24 city/30 hwy vs. 23 city/28 hwy).

The 500X has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Tucson doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Fiat 500X higher (6 out of 10) than the Hyundai Tucson (5). This means the 500X produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tucson every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Fiat 500X, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Tucson.

The 500X stops shorter than the Tucson:

The 500X AWD’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tucson’s standard 65 series tires. The 500X Sport’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Tucson’s optional 55 series tires.

The 500X offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Tucson; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The 500X has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Tucson doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better maneuverability, the 500X’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Tucson’s (36.3 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The 500X is 1 foot, 3.1 inches shorter than the Tucson, making the 500X easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 500X’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its front windows also automatically close, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Tucson’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited’s rear windows don’t open automatically.

The 500X’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Tucson’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the 500X Sport has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Tucson doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The 500X’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited.