Aiming to combine the off-road capabilities of a full 4x4 with the chicness of a city car, Fiat’s new Panda Cross is the latest addition to the Panda family. Following on from the Panda Trekking and Panda 4x4, Fiat is clearly taking the practicality of the Cross seriously, having added tough-looking body cladding, new bumpers with metal skid plates and integrated fog lights. Add in an elevated driving position, extended wheel arches and the same four-wheel drive system as the 4x4 model, and it becomes clear that this car is meant to mean business. So, with its serious off-road credentials in mind, does Fiat’s angry Panda have what it takes to take on other compact SUVs like the Vauxhall Mokka or Skoda Yeti, despite its city car dimensions? Well, first thing’s first.
Climbing inside, you’re greeted by this sweeping, copper-coloured dashboard. The slightly unexciting plastics mightn’t be to everybody’s taste, but it’s well-built and easy to wipe clean, which will be welcome news to off-roaders regularly tracking mud through their cars. Controls, like the rest of the interior, are chunky and purposeful, with big buttons that make it easy to see what’s what, while the leather-trimmed steering wheel and gearknob lend a solid and trusty feel. Sitting at the top of the Panda range, standard kit on the Cross is impressive. Automatic climate control, Fiat’s Blue&Me infotainment system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity are all standard, alongside steering-mounted controls and a SatNav dock.
The model we have here also includes a couple of optional extras, which includes rear parking sensors, tinted rear windows and the special bright yellow paintwork. This car also comes with Fiat’s Winter Pack, which adds a heated windscreen and heated front seats for an additional £250. With similar dimensions to the regular Panda, the Cross is a breeze to navigate around town and easy to park. Unfortunately, rear legroom does suffer a little, while boot space clocks in at a slightly limp 225 litres. Regardless, front and rear headroom is excellent, while 60:40 folding seats and five doors means that the Panda Cross is certainly a lot more practical than many of its rival city cars. Like other cars in Fiat’s range, the Panda Cross has light steering that makes it easy to manoeuvre at slow speeds and in town, though it can feel a little vague once you get up to speed. Raised body height gives extra visibility of the road ahead, though by the same coin can cause quite a bit of body roll in the corners. This model comes with a 79bhp 1.3-litre turbocharged diesel engine, which offers plenty of punch and torque. It’s actually surprisingly eager once you put your foot down, and despite its faults it’s a real hoot to drive, happily scooting along B-roads with relative ease.
Fuel economy is pretty impressive as well. This diesel model manages up to 61mpg with 125g/km of CO2 emissions, while the smaller 0.9-litre petrol isn’t far behind it. The main problem, however, is a lack of refinement. Once you take it past 2,000 revs or so, the diesel starts to get noisy, while the diesels five-speed manual gearbox has short gear ratios and could really benefit from a sixth gear for motorway cruising. Off-road, however, is where the Panda Cross really shines. Twisting the All-Terrain Selector control to the right engages the off-roading mode, which alters the car’s setup for more grip on steep, uneven and slippery surfaces. The hill descent feature is also extremely useful when trying to make your way down steep or slippery slopes. Simply twist the dial until the light turns green, plonk it into neutral and watch the Panda do the work all by itself.
It might seem a little unlikely, but combined with the raised height and the Panda’s range of tough upgrades, which includes all-weather tyres, an electronic locking differential and optional steel underbody protection, it’s genuinely as capable as many larger and much more expensive SUVs. Charming and surprisingly able, the Fiat Panda Cross offers a whole lot of fun wrapped up in a funky and unique-looking compact package. It drives well, comes with a wide amount of equipment and, like the Panda 4x4 before it, its ability as a bona-fide off-roader makes it easily one of the most entertaining models in its class. It has its faults, of course, being rather noisy at speed and having not quite as much space as you might like, but as a cheap and easy to live with off-roader, it’s pretty much as good as it gets. Could you see yourself in a Fiat Panda Cross? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to hit the subscribe button. To research your next car and find great deals, visit carkeys.co.uk and, to watch more reviews, click on the links at the end of the video.
