Compare the2024 Toyota Corolla CrossVS 2023 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 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’ 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 and 500X offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Corolla Cross XLE 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 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 and rear parking sensors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Cross the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 72 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 500X last would have qualified as a “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, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, 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 71 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 on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Corolla Cross has a standard locking fuel door. 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 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 pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the 500X (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 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 (25.5 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 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 Sport’s 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® chose the Toyota Corolla Cross as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Fiat 500X isn't recommended.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Fiat 500X by almost 319 to one during 2022.