Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet Pop

There's lots to like about the Panda, as it has genuine character that means you can easily forgive its practical shortcomings. However, the Multijet diesel isn’t the best engine, and Pop trim is too basic. It makes more sense with the TwinAir petrol and a higher spec level.

While the Sandero trades on function over form, the Fiat Panda is a masterclass in supermini styling. The upright shape of the previous model has been smoothed off and enlarged, and there’s a really fun element to the design.

The car in our pictures is a top-spec Lounge – the cheaper Pop we tested replaces the alloys with plastic wheel covers, while the roof bars and foglights are optional. It doesn’t get a colour-coded cabin, either, but these differences do little to spoil the smart styling.

Meanwhile, the interior looks like it could cope with everything family life could throw at it. There’s lots of sturdy, high-quality plastic, while the door trims and dash are embossed with Panda lettering. Fiat’s rounded-off square motif gives the interior a novel touch, too. This theme is used on the dials – which are actually a little tricky to read – on the heater controls and even on the radio, and puts the Panda a step ahead of its rivals here for style.

However, interior space isn’t on a par with its rivals. It’s easy to get comfortable at the wheel, but if the driver’s seat is pushed back, rear legroom is tight. On the plus side, there’s plenty of headroom, while the back doors open wide for easy rear-seat access.

The large, upright tailgate opens to reveal a 225-litre boot. It’s the smallest here and, while Pop models get a one-piece folding rear bench, both rivals in this test have split-folding seats as standard.

Start up the 75bhp 1.3-litre Multijet diesel, and it’s quieter than the Dacia’s engine. And despite being 15bhp down on the Sandero, the Panda was closely matched to the new car at the test track, thanks in part to its more positive gearshift. They posted similar performance figures, although the Fiat sounded a bit thrashy at higher revs.

The steering is light but quick and, while there’s plenty of body roll, the Panda is huge fun on a twisty road. That soft suspension means it soaks up city bumps, and it’s capable on the motorway, too. One area of concern was the dive the Fiat suffered under braking, plus the fact it took an extra 10 metres over the Rio to stop from 70mph, at 63 metres.

At £11,100, the Panda Pop is £2,705 more than the Sandero. Plus, you need to spend an extra £830 to equal the Rio’s spec, putting the Fiat above the Kia on price. We got a decent 53.2mpg on test, but high emissions mean it has the steepest tax bills. In a test focusing on running costs, that could be decisive.