Compare the2023 Honda HR-VVS 2023 Fiat 500X

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda HR-V have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. 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 HR-V 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 Honda HR-V has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The 500X doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The HR-V EX-L has a standard Low Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The 500X doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the HR-V’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The 500X doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The HR-V’s 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 Sport.

Both the HR-V 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the HR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 500X last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the HR-V 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.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the HR-V for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Fiat doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the 500X.

There are almost 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are Fiat dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the HR-V’s 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 HR-V’s reliability 45 points higher than the 500X.

On the EPA test cycle the HR-V gets better mileage than the 500X:

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

The HR-V has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the 500X (14 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The HR-V 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.

For better stopping power the HR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the 500X:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the HR-V’s wheelbase is 3.3 inches longer than on the 500X (104.5 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the HR-V is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than on the 500X.

The HR-V’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (58% to 42%) than the 500X’s (60.3% to 39.7%). This gives the HR-V more stable handling and braking.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the 500X pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the HR-V’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the 500X’s (35.1 feet vs. 36.3 feet).

The HR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The 500X doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The HR-V has 7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 500X (98.7 vs. 91.7).

The HR-V has .3 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 2.9 inches more rear legroom and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the 500X.

The HR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the 500X with its rear seat up (24.4 vs. 14.1 cubic feet). The HR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the 500X with its rear seat folded (55.1 vs. 39.8 cubic feet).

On a hot day the HR-V’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the 500X can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The HR-V 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 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 HR-V’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the 500X’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

The HR-V has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The 500X only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the HR-V has standard rear heat 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 Honda HR-V EX-L has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. The 500X doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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

Insurance will cost less for the HR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the HR-V will cost $305 less than the 500X over a five-year period.

The HR-V will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the HR-V will retain 50.77% to 52.43% of its original price after five years, while the 500X only retains 36.13% to 38.37%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda HR-V will be $8374 to $9555 less than for the Fiat 500X.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda HR-V, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Fiat 500X isn't recommended.

The Honda HR-V outsold the Fiat 500X by almost 132 to one during 2022.