Fiat is touting the 500x’s Italian styling as a standout feature that will help the car win sales in the booming but hotly contested subcompact crossover segment.

The 500X’s styling reflects the cute iconic design of the 500 minicar from the 1960s and “when you buy a 500, you buy a little piece of Italian lifestyle”, said Olivier Francois, Fiat brand global boss, at the car’s unveiling at the Paris auto show.