Stalling this thing would be a challenge. The clutch and gearbox are exceptionally easy to use, feeling almost impossible to get wrong.
Fiat panda full#
You don't get a huge amount of feedback from the road and switching on city mode, which basically lightens the steering and worsens that lack of feeling.įor driving about the city though, this is brilliant, as you can whizz about in the 4x4 with a full set of kids, dogs and everything else without having to worry too much about turning the wheel. We already mentioned the excellent visibility from the 4x4, but how about the driving itself? First, the steering is incredibly light.
In fact, the value for money you are getting with the Panda 4x4 is fairly astonishing.
The best thing is that Fiat's new TwinAir engines are just so strong we can see the 4x4 becoming a real workhorse of a vehicle, while being perfectly suited to twisty hilly mountain roads as well as negotiating small mountain towns on the Continent.ĭon't forget either that the car promises a combined cycle of 57.6 mpg, which is incredibly impressive for an off-roader. A 15cm ground clearance doesn't hurt either. While we are yet to compare it to the likes of a Range Rover or any other serious off-road vehicle, we think country types will be impressed with just how much grip the car has. Being able to switch it off means that in normal urban driving you can save on tyre wear and get increased fuel efficiency, which is no bad thing.Īs for how it works, hitting the ELD tightens up the 4x4's performance no end. The differential essentially works out grip levels between each wheel and then provides the right amount of power between front and back wheels to get the maximum grip from the car. Hitting a small button next to the gear stick, marked ELD, will trigger the 4x4's party piece. The trick though, is in its electronic locking differential. The other, which we reviewed here, features a 875cc TwinAir turbo engine, with 85hp to play with and a 12.1 second 0-62mph time. One, the Trekking model, looks like the 4x4 but puts all its power through the front wheels. The Panda 4x4 comes in two different forms, neither of which is technically a 4x4 at all. One thing we do like, is the Panda logo splattered all over the plastic bodywork on the door interiors. Should you be using the Panda 4x4 as a bit of a workhorse, there are so few nooks and crannies that an afternoon with a hoover would set it back to as-new standards. What it does do however is feel nicely stripped back and easy to clean. It just won't age as well as Fiat's other cars. Everything from the temperature controls, to speaker grilles and even the speedometer are square.
The whole thing has this sort of soft-edged square motif going on. It's not that it misses the mark as such, just that it feels more Ikea than Habitat. In the 4x4 however things just aren't quite the same. The 500 and Punto all give you the illusion that they are much more expensive cars. Where the 4x4's design fails is in its interior. The Panda's five-door layout is brilliant, and although this is a small car, the space available in the back is very impressive.
Fiat panda driver#
The front driver's seat also has a height adjustment, which for the shorter driver is especially handy in adding to that raised feeling a 4x4 gives. Slide the seats all the way back in the opposite direction and you have space for four adults without any problems. The rear seats, for example, can slide so far forward that you can fit pretty much anything into the boot, while fitting your kids in the back. This ingenious design is continued throughout the car's interior. The Panda has massive wing mirrors and a flat rear window, so you really can't miss anything. We found wiggling through Piccadilly Circus for example, normally a 4x4's worst nightmare, extremely easy. This is helped by excellent visibility and a raised driving position. It also eats speedbumps for breakfast and has just enough go at traffic lights for it not to feel you're slowing everyone else down. Why is this? Well unlike most of the urban 4x4-ing you see on the streets of Chelsea, the Panda 4x4 with its compact 3686mm x 1882mm x 1605mm size, can squeeze through any gap.
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