New Fiat Grande Panda Electric is a Different Animal.
New FIAT Grande Panda Electric is a Different Animal.
The Fiat Panda is a city car produced by the iconic Italian manufacturer across three generations since 1980. Known for its robust, utilitarian, and boxy design, over 8.5 million units have been built in the intervening years. The original Panda was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro as a modern, cheap and easily maintained vehicle, and it even spawned a highly-capable 4×4 variant in 1983. The completely redesigned second-generation Panda made its debut in 2003 and went on to win the prestigious title of European Car of the Year in 2004. The third generation launched in 2011 and introduced modern engines and hybrid tech, remaining a top-seller across Europe.
Increased Dimensions.
The all-new, fourth-generation variant adopts the name Grande Panda due to its increased dimensions and SUV stance. The car is based on the Smart Car Platform, and its 3999mm length, 1763mm width and 1570mm height represents increases of 313mm, 91mm and 27mm respectively over the previous Fiat Panda. The Grande Panda has a boot space of 361 litres in the EV version, with up to 412 litres available in Hybrid guise. This represents an increase of up to 60% over the previous generation Panda. Rivals to the Grande Panda Electric include its Stellantis relatives, the Citroen e-C3, Opel Frontera, Peugeot e-2008 and Leapmotor B10, along with the Kia EV2, Renault 4 E-Tech, Ford Puma Gen-E, and BYD Dolphin Surf.
Trim & Pack Options.
The Grande Panda Electric is available in three trims: Pop, Icon and La Prima. Additionally, the Icon trim has the option of adding a choice of two packs, the Tech Pack and the Style Pack, while La Prima can also avail of a Winter Pack. Both the Icon and La Prima electric models include a 7kW on-board Front Spiral Cable for convenient charging and have a WLTP electric range of up to 320km on a full charge.
Retro-Inspired Design.
The design on the Grande Panda takes inspiration from the first generation model with the use of squared lines, and a proud, upright look. The front features headlights composed of opaline cubes that are inspired by the windows of Fiat’s Lingotto factory facades and has X-shaped LED daytime running lights which can illuminate the cubes on the gloss black grille (model dependent). The side features embossed ‘Panda’ lettering on the lower part of the doors and X-pattern alloy wheels. The rear features 3D vertical taillights housed inside transparent caps, the Fiat name embossed onto the tailgate and a sloped rear windscreen. The Grande Panda is the first production vehicle to feature an integrated charging cable which is stored behind the flap with the Fiat logo on the front fascia. This charging cable can only support AC charging with speeds up to 7.4kW, but the charging port on the passenger side of the car has a DC fast-charge capacity of up to 100kW.
Deceptively-Spacious Cabin.
The deceptively-spacious cabin features a rectangular dashboard with rounded sides inspired by the shape of the Lingotto circuit in Turin, and the oval theme is repeated throughout the cabin. The 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display and 10-inch digital instrument cluster are housed within a similar rectangular-shaped element, and the transparent yellow rounded section adjacent to the central display features the silhouette of the original Panda model climbing uphill. There are several yellow decorative elements marking the contours of the air vents, dashboard and centre console. A range of contrasting materials are used, such as textured fabrics, tinted acrylics and bright coloured plastics. The front and rear seats have a chequered finish, with contrasting yellow stitching and an inscription in yellow that reads, “Panda made with love in Fiat”. The cabin contains up to 13 litres of storage space, including the “pocket” retrospective to the original model in the form of an upper glovebox.
Test Car.
My test car was a new Grande Panda Electric in Icon trim, and it looked very eye-catching in its Limone Yellow metallic paintwork (a €595 cost option). Key standard features in mid-spec Icon trim includes 16-inch steel wheels with aero covers, LED headlights, LED rear lights, black painted exterior door mirror covers, black door handles, black rear spoiler, electrically operated door mirrors with defrost function, acoustic windscreen, rear headrests, 10.25-inch touch screen with wireless mirroring, audio system with 4 speakers & 2 tweeters, cruise control with speed limiter, front & rear power windows, and 2 USB-C ports. This is in addition to the manual air-conditioning, Monobloc foldable rear seats, voice recognition, connected services Smartphone station, rear parking sensors, 6 airbags, Lane Keeping Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking System, Speed Limit Information, Drowsy Driver Detection, and tilt & telescopic steering wheel that come as standard in entry-level Pop trim. Powered by a 44kWh battery and 111bhp electric motor, the car is agile and nippy around town, and the suspension is tuned for comfort rather than sporty handling, so it soaks up speed ramps and rutted road surfaces with ease. The flat bonnet and squared corners make it easy to place the car on the road, while the light steering and rear parking sensors take the strain out of parking. The car can maintain motorway speeds without any issues, although it does take time to get to the national speed limit – which is totally acceptable for this class of car. The car seems to revel when it comes to back road driving, as there is plenty of grip from its tyres, and it is entertaining in terms of its responsiveness and agility. The electric motor is impressively refined, and the cabin is well insulated from the worst of road, wind and tyre noise during spirited driving, while handling and body lean through corners is well controlled. The original Fiat Panda was a city car for the people, built around function and accessibility, and the Grande Panda carries this tradition forward for a new generation of drivers.
Verdict & Price.
The new Fiat Grande Panda’s heritage is firmly rooted in its 1980s design philosophy and democratic motoring values, but it has wisely evolved from a city car to a versatile supermini-sized SUV contender. As with previous generations of the Fiat Panda, the Grande Panda is a fun-to-drive car at a genuinely affordable price point. The Grande Panda Electric in Pop trim is priced from just €22,995 with the generously-equipped Icon model priced from just €23,995. For those who seek the best in every journey, the La Prima model is priced from €26,995 – all prices include an SEAI Grant and VRT Rebate for private buyers.
Visit www.fiat.ie for further information.
