Review: Fiat Grande Panda

Fiat has dug into its back catalogue to mobilise its Panda hatchback amid an onslaught of electrified competition in the compact EV segment.

Following in the tyre tracks of Renault’s reinvented 5 and 4, the Italian carmaker is aiming to harness nostalgia to secure sales.

Prices for what is now called the Grande Panda start at £20,495 for the Icon Hybrid, which is powered by a 99bhp 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged engine and 48-volt mild hybrid system.

In EV guise, prices start at £21,495 with the range-topping Grande Panda La Prima driven here at £24,495.

That undercuts the Renault 5 and Hyundai Inster, sitting in the ballpark of Citroen’s e-C3 and the BYD Dolphin.

As well as a boxy silhouette evocative of the iconic 80s Panda, the Grande Panda wears its name with pride, with “PANDA” stamped on the doors down each flank.

It’s a distinctive design and features a clever retractable charge cable stowed behind a little door in its bluff upright grille.

Inside, clever design distracts from any sense that this is a ‘cheap’ EV.

A curvaceous dashboard is inset with a tactile bamboo-based trim which covers a useful storage area labelled as the Bambox.

Fiat’s push for sustainability also means the cabin’s plastics utilise recycled material from 140 cartons.

The most plasticky element of the cabin is a translucent Perspex trim around the 10.25-inch touchscreen and 10-inch instrument cluster, which features a little plastic version of the Panda. To my eyes this too closely resembles a cheap child’s toy.

Overall, the design is eye-catching and clever, though. There is also a decent level of trim, with an infotainment system which features smartphone mirroring and a reversing camera. La Prima trim also includes a heated steering wheel and front seats.

I found the driving position very good, with the driver’s armrests perfectly placed.

Furthermore, the rear offers more room than a Renault 4 – enough for two adults – while the boot is a healthy 412-litres. Impressive for a car less than four metres long.

The Grande Panda’s performance will not set the world alight, however, with 111bhp being channelled through the front wheels in rather reserved fashion. Fiat claims a 11.5-second dash to 62mph and an 82mph top speed.

Nonetheless, the 44kWh battery claims a potential range of 199 miles.

The Grande Panda feels very light and maybe a little imprecise out on the road. It is a driving sensation alien to most EVs, which tend to feel heavy.

Its lightness no doubt aids economy where the Grande Panda feels most at home – in urban surrounds. While surprisingly composed on A-roads, more twisting tarmac does reveal a slight lack of suspension control.

Overall, Fiat has created an affordable compact EV with character to spare. Specifications

Fiat Grande Panda La Prima Electric Price: £24,495 Engine: 44kWh battery Power: 111bhp Torque: 122Nm Transmission: single speed Top Speed: 82mph 0-62mph: 11.5 seconds Range: 199 miles (WLTP combined) CO2 emissions: 0g/km