Compare the2023 Toyota Corolla Cross HybridVS 2023 Fiat 500X

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE has a standard Parking Support Brake 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.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid’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 Corolla Cross Hybrid and 500X offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The 500X’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Corolla Cross Hybrid 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear parking sensors.

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 Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid 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 Hybrid’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 Corolla Cross Hybrid’s reliability 71 points higher than the 500X.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 19 more horsepower (196 vs. 177) than the 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Cross Hybrid gets better fuel mileage than the 500X (45 city/38 hwy vs. 24 city/30 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The 500X doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The 500X requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver The fuel filler door is not lockable on the 500X. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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

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

For better maneuverability, the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s 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 Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the 500X (8 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Corolla Cross Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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

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

The Corolla Cross Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume than the 500X with its rear seat up (21.5 vs. 14.1 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE 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 Hybrid’s 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 Hybrid 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 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 Hybrid’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the 500X’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

The 500X Sport’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE’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 Hybrid XSE 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 Hybrid 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 Cross Hybrid SE/XSE has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 500X doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The 500X doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Fiat 500X isn't recommended.