FIAT PANDA CROSS

What is it?

It’s a bit of a 4x4 icon to be honest, and one that never fails to put a smile on people’s faces.

Fiat’s Panda 4x4 has been with us since the early 80’s, and although there isn’t many left of the original model, especially in the UK, it’s still remembered fondly to many as an incredibly capable and affordable 4x4. Fast forward to 2022 and we’re still only on its 3rd generation, though the keen eyed amongst will notice that this particular press Panda is a 21 plate, and therefore not bestowed with some of the latest accessories.

Of course, being the range topping Panda Cross it comes with a lot more rugged styling and off-road features than a standard model.

On the road

The Panda Cross isn’t exactly the type of car you’d choose to do lots of miles in, yet that’s exactly what we did, and after a 6-1/2 hour, 400 mile round trip over two days, at an average of between 60-70mph, it managed to go through a full tank which equated to around 47mpg.

Its lively two-cylinder 875cc TwinAir engine thrums along nicely and it keeps pace with other road users surprisingly well. The ‘Cross fires up in Eco mode by default, but turn that off and you gain a surprising amount of extra umph, it’s almost sporty! Speaking of being sporty, the TwinAir has a very distinctive rasp about it, quite vocal if you’re in a rush but settles down at a constant speed.

The ride, which can be a little pitchy on certain roads due to its short wheelbase, isn’t actually as bad as you might think, and its front suspension handles speed bumps incredibly well. Not necessarily ironing them out, rather taking the sharpness out of them, quite impressive for such a short car.

Around town the Panda Cross is as nippy as any car can be, though the gear change isn’t as slick as others I’ve tested recently. On the subject of around town, although the steering has some weight about it, there’s a button on the dash with a steering wheel icon that once pressed lightens the steering quite considerably for city driving, or parking - handy if you have a dodgy shoulder.

The high seating position coupled to the extra ground clearance and large windows mean that visibility is fantastic, parking has never been so easy.

Off Road

The Panda Cross certainly looks the ‘off-road’ part, especially with its rugged styling and a pair of red front recovery hooks.

Sadly, during my week with the Cross the weather was dry, there was not a hint of rain or mud on the horizon, and the only hazard on my local lanes was plumes of dust.

To engage 4WD there’s a small dial between the seats, the first icon is Auto, the second looks like it’s wading, and third is Hill Descent.

In this next photo you can see the Cross with its wheel in the air. Other press 4x4s have climbed this step with ease, but the Cross struggled - its wheels spun and I went nowhere, until I added a bit of momentum to the mix. I expected it to one a bit more grippy.

On another lane that happened to be a bit greasy, the little Panda Cross managed fine, but you do have to be aware of grounding out on deeper ruts.

Interior

After 3½ hours in the driving seat I would be lying if I said my legs weren’t craving a stretch. That’s no criticism, at 6" 2' and 18 stone I am, after all, on the large side!

Apart from the inlays on the doors, the rest of the panelling is made of plastic, which is fine as it reduces the Panda’s overall weight. There’s a huge cubby area in front of the passenger that Muddy Madam managed to completely fill on our trip. Initially I was concerned with what would happen to the aforementioned ‘stuff’ if the airbag went off in the event of an accident, but I needn’t have worried, the Panda is only fitted with a drivers airbag.

As I mentioned at the beginning, this particular Panda is a '21 plate, and therefore not bestowed with the latest infotainment that has a Uconnect 7” display and control Apple CarPlay with Siri voice control, or even a touchscreen.

There are numerous bottle holders scattered around the front, but they’re tiny and wouldn’t even fit my smallest aluminium travel mug - not even a tube of Pringles! I think they’re only designed to fit those wasteful small plastic water bottles and seriously tapered travel mugs.

Muddy Madam also wanted me to mention that, when I was either taking a corner a tad too quick (Me? Never) or when bouncing her around green laning, there are no grab handles to hold on to (even though there seems to be spaces created in the interior roof styling for them).

Despite offering plenty of headspace, the back seats are really only suitable for children. During a few days away we managed to fill the boot with overnight bags, camera gear and lots of food that we’d collected from the Food and Drink show at the NEC.

Fold the metal backed rear seats forward and there’s a decent amount of space, though there’s quite a hole between the folded seats and the bumper, so if you have a dodgy back be careful lifting anything heavy out of it.

Amusingly, a farmer we chatted to who’s had a succession of 4x4 Pandas told us that you can fit at least three dead sheep in the boot! So now you know.

Conclusion

Reflecting on the above it appears that I’ve done nothing but moan about this diminutive off-roader, I didn’t mean to, it’s a fun car to spend time in. I love the look of the Cross, it’s funky, purposeful and wonderfully agile, and at £18,425, not badly priced.

One thing you can’t be in the Cross is shy as it receives a lot of attention, granted, not all of it may have been flattering, but I loved it.