Fiat Grande Panda 83kW Pop 44kWh 5dr Auto

Ten Second Review

With this Grande Panda, Fiat re-invents its iconic Panda city car for a new era. There's something old and plenty new here. Plus something borrowed (the Stellantis Smart Car platform) and plenty that's ecologically blue.

Background

Almost every car you can think of can be pigeonholed into a specific market segment. And even if it can't be, it's likely to appeal to a very specific group of customers. In many ways, the Fiat Panda has always been different. And it still is in this modern-era Grande Panda guise. The Panda has been with us since 1980, an original model which lasted over two decades until it was finally replaced 2003, before the current third generation model arrived back in 2011. We say 'current' because that old MK3 Panda is still continuing (apparently until 'at least' 2027) - hence his fourth generation model's 'Grande Panda' tag. In many ways, the launch of this Grande model for the 2025 model year is the biggest evolution in Panda history - and not just because it's the first car in this model line to be available with a full-EV drivetrain, or a proper Hybrid engine. Just as significantly, this is the biggest Panda yet. And it's far more of a global model, rather than just a peculiar Italian confection slightly limited on appeal in other markets. And, just as the smaller 500 model has become effectively a Fiat sub-brand, with different model variants, so the Grande Panda will be too, with all kinds of variations planned for it over the coming years. All though, aim to replicate the versatile, class-less attributes which have always set Pandas apart. This car can be eco-conscious transport for Friends of the Earth. Perhaps a second vehicle for older empty-nesters. Or the sole car for a rural family. Less a city car. More an 'essential' car, it is, in the words of one top Fiat executive 'the official car for doing whatever the hell you like'. Let's take a closer look at the Grande Pande interpretation of this strong-selling formula.

Engines and Tech Spec

Like many small Stellantis Group models, the Grande Panda was originally envisaged as an EV-only product, then hurriedly reconfigured in later development so as also to be able to include a combustion hybrid offering too. The EV version is the one Fiat most wants to sell you, with a battery smaller than the one in the only slightly larger 600e model because the Grande Panda sits on different architecture. The Smart Car Stellantis platform (shared with the Citroen C3) is designed in EV form for use with a 44kWh battery, which in this case offers a range of 199 miles and is paired with a 113hp motor. Expect 62mph in around 11s en route to 98mph. If you'd rather have the mild hybrid 48V option, you'll find it's a T-Gen3 version of the usual three cylinder 1.2-litre Stellantis petrol unit paired with a 28bhp motor. That motor is energised by a tiny 0.4kWh battery and, Fiat reckons, should be able to power the Grande Panda around town for up to 50% of the time. You have to have 'easy drive' 6-speed eDCT automatic transmission with this engine. Total system output is 100hp, with 120Nm of torque. In case you're wondering, at some point in production, this powerplant is likely to be paired with AWD to create a successor to the iconic Panda 4x4.

Design and Build

You might recognise this as a Panda - but only just. The blocky, boxy stance with its vertical front-end references the Eighties Giugiaro-designed original. And in pursuit of what Fiat thinks is a required crossover vibe, there are plenty of nods to the old Panda 4x4 - the roof rails, the chunky front skid plate and the black lower body cladding. But there's also plenty that's new, most notably the pixel headlights, apparently inspired by the windows of Fiat's old Lingotto factory in Turin. This is a slightly bigger kind of Panda too. The 3.99m length (though still compact for the class) is 0.3m longer than before. Much is borrowed from the brand's early 2024 'Mega-Panda' concept car, including the X-shaped daytime running light signatures, the offset front Fiat logo on the gloss black grille panel and the three-dimensional tail light design. It's equally funky and design-led inside the airy, spacious minimalist cabin, where the oval theme apparently references the roof top test track of that old Lingotto factory. Through the square-bezelled retro two-spoke wheel, you view a 10-inch instrument display flanked by a colourful 10.25-inch central infotainment screen. And Pandas of the past are referenced by the bright plastics and textured fabrics. There's ample interior stowage room too, with up to 13-litres of storage space, including a similar 'pocket' dashboard to the original Panda. Rear passenger space was always a strong point of previous models and the high roof line, squarical stance and an extra length of this one mean that it's more spacious in the back than a car of this class has any right to be. There's a decently-sized 361-litre boot too. Plus, on the electric model, a further 13-litre compartment beneath the bonnet.

Market and Model

Prices start at around £18,000 for the Hybrid model; and from around £21,000 for the EV. Either way, there's a choice of 'Pop', 'Icon' and 'La Prima' trim levels. These figures, which look very class-competitive, are for the standard Grande Panda we look at here. This is the first in a new family of Panda-inspired models, Fiat pledging to launch one new addition to the Panda line-up every year until 2027. The Italian maker says the line-up will eventually include a family SUV, a fastback and a campervan and all are supposed to share a common philosophy; that 'functionality should never exist without fun'. Expect decent levels of standard equipment. The base 'Pop' trim offers an infotainment system with a 10.25-inch screen, cruise control and LED lighting technology at front and rear. Also included are 16-inch steel wheels with aero covers, manual air conditioning and rear parking sensors. The mid-range 'Icon' trim adds 16-inch black alloy wheels, roof rails and skid plates, a central armrest and privacy glass. At the top of the range, the 'La Prima' trim offers 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats and front and rear parking sensors with a rear view camera. It also features high-quality fabrics and innovative 'BAMBOX Bamboo Fiber Tex' cabin trimming. Across the range, there are clever headlamps, made up of opal cubes, complemented by Daytime Running Lights that turn into indicators and illuminate some of the cubes which appear as horizontal pixels arranged in a chessboard pattern. Inside, there's a 10-inch instrument display paitred with that 10.25-inch central infotainment screen, the latter featuring voice recognition and 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. All models get various 'level 2' camera driving aids, including the usual autonomous braking and Lane keeping assist systems.

Cost of Ownership

We've been waiting ages for a car maker to finally deliver an EV with a retractable charge cable, so you don't have to carry around charge cables clogging up the boot. The electric version of this Grande Panda is the first to deliver just that, with a long spiral charging cable tidying up the charging process and quickly connecting to 7kW charging units. There is a separate rapid charging port on the usual rear three-quarter panel. Range figures for EVs usually need to be taken with a degree of scepticism and that'll certainly be the case here, particularly if you'll be driving your electric Grande Panda in very cold conditions. Its LFP 'Lithium Ferro Phosphate' battery's more sensitive to external temperatures than a more usual lithium-ion battery would be, so you can expect the claimed 199 mile range figure for this 44kWh model to plummet in the depths of winter. You can't compensate with a heat pump either because that won't be offered here. The driving range though, should still be comfortably ahead of the 137 mile figure claimed for a rival Dacia Spring. To give you some perspective, the three-door Fiat 500e (42kWh) offers 199 miles, while the only slightly larger Fiat 600e (54kWh) manages 254 miles. Charging can be done with a clever retractable cable built into the car. Fiat claims that the electric Grande Panda is capable of rapid charging at rates of up to 100kW, which allows for a 20-80% charge in 27 minutes. At home, you'll be able to AC charge from 20-80% from 7.4kW garage wall box in 4 hours 20 minutes. As an alternative to the retractable cable, a rear-only 11kW charging port can be chosen, with a recharging time from 20% to 80% in 2 hours and 50 minutes. All versions of this model will be covered by the brand's usual unremarkable three year/60,000 mile warranty, plus the battery will have its own eight year cover package. As for the Hybrid version, well there you're looking at 52.3mpg on the combined cycle and up to 115g/km of CO2. The hybrid system provides numerous everyday advantages. Through functions like e-launch, e-creeping, and e-parking, the Grande Panda Hybrid can operate in full-electric mode during low-speed maneuvers, allowing for up to 0.6 miles of electric-only driving at speeds under 18mph.

Summary

The Grande Panda, says Fiat CEO Oliver Francois, is 'all about practicality, roominess and simplicity'. Just like its predecessors. The brand claims that 'a Panda is to the car world what a pair of blue jeans is to the fashion world': perhaps. What's certain is that this new-era model retains the adventurous, class-less spirit of the original, at the same time as being resolutely modern and trend-conscious. So yes, it was worth waiting over a decade for. Lots of brands have very different ideas these days as to what a small car should be. The market seems undecided as to whether Fiat's new-era 500 encapsulates that ideal. But might, we think, find this car - in all its future forms - just that bit more convincing.