he diminutive Fiat 500, like the Oxford-built Mini, is practically perfect for single people and couples looking for a fun-filled runaround.

It is when children – or the need to cart around a lot of stuff – come along that the problems start.

Enter the 500X. With clear links to its 500 family siblings and also the iconic 1957 original, it is compact on the outside, but crucially much more spacious and flexible on the inside.

Hop aboard and it is clear that the interior can cope with five adults, a decent luggage space and the flexibility offered by fold-and-tumble rear seats and a fold-flat front passenger seat.

The first pleasant surprise is the size of the front seats, which have wraparound bolstering, and armrests in the centre console and doors, to aid relaxed long-distance cruising. The height of the car also helps with great visibility, which in turn makes driving more stress-free.

Built in Italy and priced from just over £14,000, the 500X is sportier and more aggressively styled than its siblings, with large, circular headlamps and a distinctive chrome front.

Under its clamshell bonnet, a wide choice of engines also make for pretty zippy travel. The test car’s power came from a 1.6-litre turbodiesel unit which combines 120 horsepower performance with day-to-day fuel consumption well into the 50s.

The interior is thoroughly modern with an instrument binnacle divided into three, circular, individually cowled displays, with the large, central screen, flanked by speedometer and rev-counter.

In the centre of the dashboard sits a 6.5-inch touchscreen display screen for the satellite navigation with 3D maps and voice commands to enter addresses easily.

The so-called Uconnect system also allows you to hook up your mobile phone and can read out incoming text messages.

By linking with a smartphone, the system can also access apps delivering Reuters news updates and get the latest traffic, safety camera and weather information from the TomTom Live service.

A mass of less visible but hugely important technology is also packed into the car to improve safety. One of the most important systems is ‘brake control’, which can automatically apply emergency braking to prevent, or reduce, the consequences of a collision.

Other systems working away quietly in the background include electronic stability control and dynamic steering torque, which improve both driving safety and handling performance by actively correcting over and understeer. There is also a system to help with hill starts, tyre pressure monitoring and front fog lights with cornering illumination.

Even the driving experience can be personalised. The “drive mood” selector has three different modes: “Auto” offers the best compromise of comfort, consumption and CO2 emissions, while “sport” reconfigures the car for better performance and more spirited handling. “All weather” adjusts the vehicle’s settings for maximum safety even in low-grip conditions.

A choice of seven fabric, leather and colour configurations is available, and among the options is a full-length glass sunroof. Add in the choice of 12 different body colours and eight different designs for the 16-, 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels and there is plenty of opportunity to personalise the car.

And for the really adventurous there is even a 4x4 version. So you have all the style and pizazz of the diminutive 500 with bags of extra choice.

AUTO FACTS

Model: Fiat 500X 1.6 MultiJet 120hp Pop Star

Price: £22,140 (with options)

Insurance group: 13E

Fuel consumption (Combined): 68.9mpg

Top speed: 115mph

Length: 424.8cm/167.2in

Width: 179.6cm/70.7in

Luggage capacity: 12.3 cu ft

Fuel tank capacity: 10.5 gallons/48 litres

CO2 emissions: 109g/km

Warranty: Two years/100,000 miles