Fiat Panda review: an affordable but dated city car

The Fiat Panda is a small city car that specialises in no-frills motoring on a budget while maintaining plenty of personality.

It’s also fair to say that it is getting on a bit, with numerous competitors having come and gone in just this third-generation Panda’s lifetime. Still, despite its age, the Panda continues to be a terrific town car, with a decent ride, spirited handling, and excellent all-round visibility.

More modern competitors to the Panda do show it up for refinement, especially when you take it on longer motorway trips, plus its interior isn’t quite up there with the class best. However, an affordable price helps to keep it competitive against rivals.

About the Fiat Panda

The Fiat Panda is part of an illustrious bloodline of small cars that has been part of Fiat’s lineup for over thirty years. The current car arrived in 2011, so it’s one of the oldest new cars on sale in the UK. Many city car competitors have come and gone within the Panda’s lifetime, though, so it’s clear that the little Fiat can still attract buyers.

A brand-new Panda is expected to arrive soon, but for now, the current model still appeals due to its quirky shape, low running costs, and relatively simple mechanical underpinnings. 

Today, there are two versions of the Panda to choose from: the standard model and a more rugged-looking Panda Cross with pseudo-SUV exterior styling tweaks. Both cars are mechanically identical, but the Cross offers improved standard equipment. Although it’s designed to look like an off-roader, the Cross is strictly front-wheel drive only. A four-wheel drive Panda was previously available, but this has since been discontinued.

Just like its rivals, engines have also come and gone throughout the Panda’s long life, and now the sole powertrain for the entire line-up is a 1.0-litre petrol engine with mild-hybrid tech and a six-speed manual gearbox. 

Many city cars have been consigned to the history books, such as the Volkswagen up!, Peugeot 108, Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo, but the Panda can still count the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto among its opponents, as well as the closely-related Fiat 500 Hybrid.

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The current line-up consists of two models: the Panda and Panda Cross. The standard car acts as the entry-level spec, and this includes air-conditioning, 15-inch steel wheels and a USB/Bluetooth compatible radio. The Panda Cross has a beefed-up, off-roader inspired exterior look featuring front fog lamps, roof rails, a revised bumper and side skirts. On the inside there’s also a helping of additional kit such as a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as automatic climate control.

No matter which Panda you choose, you'll get fun handling, with fast steering and a nippy character. All cars feature City steering that boosts the power assistance to finger-light levels at the touch of a button, making parking a doddle.

The Fiat Panda is one of the cheapest cars to buy in the UK. Prices for the regular model start from under £15,000, while the Cross starts from around £16,500. The range-topping Garmin trim will set you back almost £18,000.