Super-sized Grande Panda ready to upset the apple cart

As you would probably expect, given its name, the Grande Panda is larger than any previous Panda

Remember Fiat? Where has it been these past few years? If you stop and think for just a minute, apart from the cheeky little 500, what’s the first modern Fiat model that pops into your head? Yeh, I’m struggling too.

Up until now it seemed Fiat had lost its way. Yes we had the 500L and Fiat 600, but really? How inspired were those? If ever there was a case of ‘going through the motions’ in terms of creating new product, those two models were perfect examples.

But now things have changed. Say ‘hello’ to the new Fiat Grande Panda. Available as either a petrol hybrid or full electric, the Grande Panda is ready to upset the supermini apple cart by staking its claim to be both practical and low-cost. I won’t use the word ‘cheap’, because that implies certain negative views which certainly don’t apply to the new Fiat.

Stylistically there are references to the strong, bold and successful Fiats of the past

There’s a crossover vibe to the Grande Panda, and there’s no questioning it has a certain kerb appeal. It’s a bit of a looker, and in some ways harks back to the styling of the original Panda back in 1980. As I mentioned, you can have it as an electric or petrol hybrid. In EV form it’s one of the cheapest electric cars on the market, starting at £20,995. But we’re concentrating on the petrol hybrid, which can be yours for as little as £18,995. Yup, I thought that would grab your attention. So let’s find out whether that would be money well spent?

OK, tell me more about the Grande Panda

First, before we tackle the petrol hybrid, let’s get the electric version’s headlines out of the way, just so I don’t ignore it altogether. There’s only one powertrain which delivers 111bhp through the front wheels and delivers a range of 199-miles on the WLTP cycle. In the real world of mixed driving, expect closer to 160-miles.

Right: the Grande Panda. As you would probably expect, given its name, it’s larger than any previous Panda. It’s actually just 1mm shy of being four metres long; a super Panda if you like. And its supermini-crossover mix is a design penned by Fiat's design chief Francois Leboine. Worth mentioning here, Leboine has an impressive background. Before joining Fiat he was part of the influential advanced design team at Renault which made the model that became the Renault 5. So the man has a significant and impressive background.

The little 1.2-litre engine purrs into life with its traditional three-cylinder thrum

Stylistically there are references to the strong, bold and successful Fiats of the past, especially the original Panda. There are simple, flat panels — which obviously contribute to cheaper manufacturing costs — the traditional boxy outline, plus plastic protection which is both practical and aesthetically appealing. And inside there’s Fiat’s established shelf-like dash.

Everything shouts FIAT. One glance at the Grande Panda and you almost immediately know what badge it’s carrying. The subtle branding is everywhere, both in the use of the word Fiat, and the monogrammed four diagonal bars. You’ll spot them on the rear pillars, door trims and seats. And you won’t miss the P A N D A letters which have been stamped into the doors. Crucially, they have a secondary benefit in that they make the doors more rigid. Oh. Plus the word FIAT has been pressed into the tailgate. There’s no hiding who made this car.

In a nod to the banked track on the roof of Fiat’s historic Lingotto factory, inside the cabin you’ll see the same shape used to surround the instrument binnacle and centre console. Look carefully on the inside of the binnacle surround and you’ll spot a titchy Mk1 Panda which looks like it’s on a hot lap. Nice touch. It’s also essentially a brand new car from the ground up, certainly when compared to the previous-gen Panda. It’s built on Stellantis’ clever new Smart Car Platform, which has already formed the core of the new Citroen C3 and Vauxhall Frontera.

What about the engine and performance?

One glance at the Grande Panda and you almost immediately know what badge it’s carrying

There’s one powertrain, Fiat’s 1.2-litre mild-hybrid system which delivers 108bhp and 151lb/ft of torque. That’s good for a 0-62mph time of 10.0secs and tops out at 99mph. That may not sound brilliant on paper, but behind the wheel it’s more than ample for the little supermini-crossover, especially when you consider the type of life it’s likely to lead. And even when you find yourself on the motorway you’ll find yourself happily keeping up with the 70mph traffic.

The engine is paired with a six-speed automatic ‘box with an integrated electric motor. That motor can propel the Grande Panda on its own up to a speed of 18mph. Economy-wise, Fiat quotes 56.5mpg, but expect closer to 50mpg, unless you’re being ultra-light with your left foot.

Right, what’s it like to drive?

Impressive. And it starts right at the beginning when you slide an actual physical metal key — remember them? — into the ignition barrel, twist it and the engine fires into life. Who knew? Perhaps one day it’ll catch on. Who needs push-start buttons anyway?

The little 1.2-litre engine purrs into life with its traditional three-cylinder thrum. Once on the move it’s rarely intrusive and delivers a near-comforting backtrack to your drive. Worth highlighting here that the hybrid, as is the case with most small Stellantis cars, is the mildest, of mildest. Its core job is to lessen the strain on the petrol engine. This isn’t a hybrid which will allow you to undertake any lengthy silent running in town, despite Fiat stating boldly that the Grande Panda Hybrid can complete “up to 50%” of urban journeys on battery power alone. It’s just not feasible.

There’s a familiar gear selector on the centre console which allows you to flick into Drive, and manoeuvring through town streets is simple thanks to the Grande Panda’s excellent visibility and tall glasshouse. I mentioned it only has 108bhp, but with it tipping the scales at under 1400kg the power is more than enough to make the car feel pretty peppy, especially in a city environment, which is where it’s in its element. From standstill it picks up speed quickly and skooting about you’ll never find the gearbox bogging down, all the more impressive given you don’t have any paddles behind the wheel to manually aid the ‘box. It just goes about its job effortlessly.

Steering is light and that, allied to its weight and pointy front-end, means you can have some fun when you’re out on an A-road and come across some appealing bends. The fact most of its weight is concentrated upfront is a benefit, adding to its keen turn-in. Sure there’s bit of body roll — it’s a tall, slimish car — but you won’t find it uncomfortably wafty. It rides well too, and unless you hit the mother of all potholes, the suspension and dampers are well up to the job. Plus, unlike so many small city cars, it never feels fidgety, especially at low speeds.

It sits on relatively big wheels, 16in or 17in depending on trim level, but especially in town the ride remains pleasantly compliant shielding its occupants from the worst of the UK’s bumpy roads. Inside, occupants are also well protected from exterior wind and road noise.

And inside?

It’s one of these cabins that just puts a smile on your face whenever you slide in. The splash of yellow round both the binnacle surround and centre console, plus the splashes on the strips of the air vents is a cheery welcome.

There’s a stylish modern-day steering wheel, which like so many nowadays isn’t exactly round and which has a big FIAT in the centre flanked either side by clear and simple-to-use button controls. The dash is dominated by two screens. You get a 10-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, and because thankfully the Fiat designers have provided the driver with numerous physical buttons for the likes of climate control and ADAS, the latter doesn’t house too many menus. In essence all that’s tucked away onscreen are the radio and satnav. Simple. As for the driver’s gauge cluster, you get speed, fuel and engine temperature. Perfect. What else do you need?

Between the driver and front passenger, the centre console is an attractive piece of piano black plastic housing the gearshift and electric handbrake. But while it looks good, even on my little-used test car I could see the early appearance of scratches.

As for spaces, there’s more than enough. There’s bags of room upfront, and I had a six-foot+ colleague who could comfortably sit behind his own driving position. So for me at 5ft 9in, there was way more than ample head- and legroom.

Of course, so often there’s a Yin and Yang equation to reconcile. While you get the benefit of space in the rear, you’re compromised slightly in terms of bootspace. Rivals like the Renault Captur and Ford Puma give you 444-litres and 456-litres respectively. The Grande Panda manages just 412-litres. It should be said though, both rivals take advantage of a clever sliding rear seat and underfloor storage to maximise their stowage. The Fiat, by contrast, has been built to a set budget and hasn’t adopted either of those two expensive engineering solutions.

And it should be applauded for doing so. Why? The entry-level Captur will set you back a tad over £22,000, with the cheapest Puma more than £27,000. You don’t need me to work out the savings.

Specs and prices

You can choose from three different specs of the Grande Panda Hybrid: Pop, Icon and La Prima. And even standard kit on the entry-level Pop, which starts at £18,995, is pretty comprehensive, including air-conditioning, the 10-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen, plus cruise control, rear parking sensors Pixel LED headlights, and a load of safety stuff.

Step up to the mid-range Icon and you add roof bars, fabric armrests in the front door cards, phone holders on the front seat backs, silver skid plates in the front and rear bumpers and 16in alloys. Prices start at £19,995.

The range-topping La Prima gets heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a wireless phone charger, all-round parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers, plus 17in alloys. Price? £21,995.

Warranty

The Grande Panda Hybrid comes with Fiat’s standard 3-year / 60,000-mile warranty.

Verdict

I used the phrase ‘low-cost’ at the beginning of this review rather than ‘cheap’. And on the evidence put before you, hopefully you’ll agree with the subtle difference in the use of the words.

The Grande Panda certainly isn’t a ‘cheap’ car. It’s well put together, practical, fun, has something of a ruthless simplicity and efficiency to it, plus is certainly affordable, especially when you look at the monthly payment options. Negotiate hard and there are some cracking deals to be had.

If you’re in the market for a compact family car, this should definitely be on your list. And I would stick with the hybrid rather than the EV, which starts at £20,995. As a second car, the Grande Panda is something of a no-brainer. And it’ll make you smile every time you see and drive it.

Fact box

Fiat Grande Panda

Price: From £18,995

Engine: 1199cc turbo-charged three-cylinder with 48V battery and 21kW electric motor

Transmission: Six-speed double clutch transmission, front wheel drive

Power / Torque: 108bhp / 151lb/ft

Top Speed / 0-62mph: 99mph / 10.0secs

Fuel consumption: 56.5mpg (WLTP)

CO2: 115g/km

Dimensions (L/W/H in mm): 3999 / 1763 / 1586

On sale: Now