Fiat 500L Cross (2017 - 2022) 1.4 95hp 5d Owner Review

I took a 1.4 Cross for an extended test-drive, and it's hard to believe that this engine was made in the 21st century. It's utterly gutless, woefully lacking in torque, and with nothing at the top end either. The "accelerator" essentially has two positions: struggling along, and struggling along slightly harder.

I had to keep it one or even two gears lower than I'd expect at any speed. Around town, it might as well not have 5th gear, and even on a flat dual carriageway, once hauled painfully up to 60mph or so, shifting to 6th was a mistake. Any sort of hill require flooring it in 2nd, or even 1st.

The trip meter was indicating a woeful 33mpg, and that's believable as it needs to be driven with your foot flat on the floor.

The car only had 4000 miles on it from new in 2 years, and was fitted with a towbar. I can see why its owner got rid of it so quickly.

Which is a real shame, since it's otherwise a very practical and well thought out vehicle, which really sold itself as a mini-MPV... right up to the test drive.

It's astonishing that Fiat kept trying to sell it with this engine for so long, and a bigger wonder that anyone bought one after test driving it.