All-New 2016 Fiat 500X Named Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

• 2016 Fiat 500X records highest possible score in every IIHS crashworthiness test
• Available Forward Collision Warning-Plus driver-assist feature qualifies Fiat 500X for elite rating; system boasts unique application of sensor fusion
• All-new 500X starts at $20,000; Forward Collision Warning-Plus available in vehicle configurations that start under $29,000
• Stylish 500X offers more than 70 available safety and security features

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) today named the all-new 2016 Fiat 500X small crossover a 2015 Top Safety Pick+, its highest rating.

IIHS testing simulates:

• a side impact with a large SUV or pickup truck
• a moderate-offset frontal impact
• a small-offset frontal impact
• roof-crush consistent with a rollover
• a rear collision capable of inducing whiplash

In each test, the all-new Fiat 500X recorded the highest possible score of "good."

Bolstering these results is the availability of Forward Collision Warning-Plus. Only vehicles equipped with such driver-assist technology may qualify for Top Safety Pick+ designation.

"With the all-new 500X, we help make it possible not only for customers to arrive safely at their destinations, but to do so with style," says Timothy Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA – North America.

The chic crossover, which starts at $20,000, blends Italian design flair with engaging driving dynamics that are synonymous with the FIAT brand. More significantly, it incorporates extensive use of high-strength steel, which is engineered to manage crash energy and help minimize cabin intrusion in event of a collision.

The Fiat 500X further benefits from seven air bags that come as standard equipment. These include seat-mounted side pelvic-thorax air bags and full-length side-curtain air bags.

Elevating the 500X to Top Safety Pick+ status is a unique sensor-fusion strategy that is the hallmark of Forward Collision Warning-Plus. Available in the Easy trim level and upward, a 500X equipped with the feature starts at $28,600.

Forward Collision Warning-Plus combines camera and radar technologies, when both agree that a frontal collision is imminent, the system activates. Activation begins with audible and visual warnings. If the driver does not respond, brake application occurs autonomously to slow the vehicle before impact.

"Delivering such features for less than $30,000 in a vehicle segment not known for such sophistication is clear evidence of our commitment to the democratization of advanced safety technology," says Scott Kunselman, Senior Vice President – Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance.

Additional driver-assist technologies are among the more than 70 available safety and security features that make the all-new 500X stand out in its segment. Among these are:

• LaneSense Departure Warning-Plus, which leverages the vehicle's electronic power steering (EPS) to alert the driver with steering-wheel torque inputs that also accommodate course correction
• Hill-Start Assist, which helps hold a vehicle on an incline if the driver's foot is momentarily removed from the brake pedal

About FIAT BrandThe FIAT brand stands for discovery through passionate self-expression. That philosophy is embodied by the iconic Fiat 500 or Cinquecento – a small car that lives big. Italian at heart and rooted in a rich heritage, the 500 is sold in more than 100 countries around the world and is synonymous with modern, simple design blending form, function, technology and a pride of ownership that is genuine. 

In North America, the Fiat 500 was introduced in March 2011 and was soon followed by the Fiat 500c (Cabrio), the high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth and Abarth Cabrio, the fully electric Fiat 500e and the five-passenger Fiat 500L. The FIAT brand continues to expand with the introduction of the Fiat 500X, an all-new crossover that combines Italian style with functionality, performance and all-wheel drive confidence. The all-new Fiat 500X arrived at FIAT studios in the second quarter of 2015.

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SOURCE FCA US LLC