Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 


Fiat rolls out Yeti-rivalling Panda. Image by Fiat.

Fiat rolls out Yeti-rivalling Panda
Arresting looks and more off-road capability for ultimate Fiat Panda 4x4.
<< earlier Fiat article     later Fiat article >>

 


News homepage -> Fiat news

Newer articles featuring 2014 Fiat Panda Cross

2014-07-23: First drive: Fiat Panda Cross

What's the news?

It's the Panda 4x4 Sisley reborn - Fiat has gone OTT on the all-wheel drive version of its hatchback to give us the startling Panda Cross. And you'd be a pretty cross black-and-white bamboo eater if you had a face like this.

Exterior

Don't get us wrong; we really like the front-end of the Panda Cross - by channelling the striking appearance of its predecessor (launched in 2004), it's approaching original Multipla-like levels of offensive ugliness, which is much better than being a bland Eurobox. Good work, Fiat!

The back is less aesthetically challenging, but still pretty wild, and the overall look of the thing is definitely going to put it firmly in the 'love it or hate it' camp - clad as it is in an abundance of silver and black plastic trim, it's not apologetic. Mind you, we've heard several people tell us they preferred the pre-facelift Skoda Yeti, which has just been prettified perhaps to the detriment of its visual character, so presumably these people will be pleased to see the Cross.

Further to the body addenda, it features oversized 185/65 R15 all-season tyres compared to the normal Panda 4x4 offerings.

Interior

There's plenty of kit on the Panda Cross and it also has unique upholstery, which is a mix of fabric and eco-leather. The copper dashboard finish is new and you'll get a leather steering wheel with remote controls, a leather gear knob, climate control, Blue&Me Bluetooth connectivity, electric door mirrors and a Terrain Control selector. There'll also be the option of City Brake Control, Fiat's take on the auto-braking low-speed safety system many manufacturers use.

Mechanicals

The two engines you can spec in the Cross are both 5hp up on the same units in the 4x4, and they are the excellent 0.9-litre TwinAir Turbo, now giving 90hp at 5,500rpm and 145Nm between 1,900- and 3,000rpm, or the 1.3 MultiJet II turbodiesel, down on power at 80hp at 4,000rpm but up on torque, with a meaty 190Nm at 1,500rpm. In fact, the TwinAir 'de-torques' itself in Eco mode, offering just 100Nm at 2,000rpm. Quoted fuel economy is good on both, at 57.6mpg combined for the petrol and 60.1mpg for the MultiJet, while CO2 emissions are 114- and 125g/km respectively.

There's a Torque-on-Demand transmission, which uses an electronic locking differential and recalibrated electronic stability control to manage torque delivery in tricky conditions. With Terrain Control's three driving modes, Auto (distributes drive front and rear according to grip), Lock (all-wheel drive optimised for off-road use at speeds up to 30mph) and Hill Descent (for the obvious or driving down 'extremely bumpy laneways'), it promises easy off-road capability and minimum maintenance for Panda Cross owners.

The diesel has 160mm of ground clearance and the petrol 150mm. The approach and departure angles have also been increased over the old Panda Cross, with 24 degrees at the front and 33 degrees at the back - the same figures on the previous car were 21- and 32 degrees respectively.

Anything else?

If you're reading this with a puzzled expression, thinking that there's surely already enough choice for rufty-tufty Panda fans, the Cross is the third in the range of mini-SUVs from Fiat. You can have the regular 4x4, as already mentioned, which is certainly prettier but perhaps also blander, or you can go for the Trekking, which looks capable but is in fact only front-wheel drive - all mouth and no trousers, as some say. So the Cross represents the pinnacle of Panda off-roading.

A great factoid from Fiat is that 500,000 all-wheel drive Pandas have been sold since it first appeared way back in 1983. The cheerfully hideous preceding Panda Cross model found 30,000 willing buyers, so the new one is sure to be a hit. Prices will be confirmed later this year ahead of an autumn on-sale date but no doubt it will be more than the 4x4 upon which it is based, and that starts at around £14,500.



Matt Robinson - 24 Feb 2014


2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.

2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.2014 Fiat Panda Cross. Image by Fiat.









www.fiat.co.uk    - Fiat road tests
- Fiat news
- Panda Cross images






Fiat updates Tipo and adds Cross. Image by Fiat.
Fiat revises C-segment Tipo family
Revised Fiat Tipo range from £17,690, new Tipo Cross lifestyle model starts at £21,690.
 
Fiat 500 and Panda go hybrid. Image by Fiat.
Fiat 500 and Panda Mild Hybrids announced
Fiat 500 and Panda Mild Hybrid models have petrol-electric drivetrain with 70hp/92Nm.
New Fiat 500 Star and Rockstar take to the stage. Image by Fiat.
New Fiat 500 Star and Rockstar take to the stage
Two new special editions join the Fiat 500 range.

 
 215 Racing
 9ff
 A. Kahn Design
 Abarth
 Abt
 AC Cars
 AC Schnitzer
 Acura
 Aehra
 AIM
 Alfa Romeo
 Alpina
 Alpine
 Amari
 APS Sportec
 Arash
 Arden
 Ares
 Ariel
 Arrinera
 Artega
 Ascari
 Aston Martin
 Atalanta
 Atomik
 Audi
 Austin
 Auto Union
 Autodelta
 Autofarm
 Autosport
 AVA
 Avatar
 Axon
 Aznom
 BAC
 BAIC
 Bentley
 Bertone
 Bizzarrini
 Bloodhound
 Bluebird
 BMW
 Bosch
 Bowler
 Brabham
 Brabus
 Breckland
 Bridgestone
 Brilliance
 Bristol
 Bugatti
 Buick
 Burton
 BYD
 Cadillac
 Callaway
 Callum
 Caparo
 Capstone
 Carlsson
 Caterham
 CCG
 Chang'an
 Changfeng
 Chevrolet
 Chevron
 Chongfeng
 Chrysler
 Citroen
 Climax
 Connaught
 Cooper Tires
 Corvette
 Cummins
 Cupra
 Dacia
 Daewoo
 Daihatsu
 Daimler
 Dartz
 Datsun
 David Brown
 David Brown Automotive
 DDR
 De Tomaso
 Delta
 Detroit Electric
 Devon
 Dodge
 Donkervoort
 Drayson
 DS
 Eagle
 Eagle E-type
 EDAG
 edo competition
 Eterniti
 Everrati
 Evisol
 Exagon
 FAB Design

 
 Factory Five
 Faralli & Mazzanti
 Fenix
 Fenomenon
 Ferrari
 Fiat
 Fisker
 Ford
 G-Power
 Geely
 Gemballa
 General Motors
 Genesis
 Ginetta
 Giugiaro
 Glickenhaus
 GMC
 Goodwood
 Google
 Gordon Murray
 Gordon Murray Automotive
 Gordon Murray Design
 Gray Design
 Great Wall
 GTA
 GTM
 Gumpert
 Hamann
 Hartge
 HBH
 Heffner Performance
 Hennessey
 HERE
 HiPhi
 Holden
 Honda
 Hulme
 Hummer
 Hyundai
 I.D.E.A
 Icona
 IFR
 Infiniti
 Ionity
 Isis
 JAC
 Jaguar
 Jeep
 Jensen
 Jetstream
 JJAD
 Joss Developments
 Kahn
 Kamala
 Keating
 Kia
 Koenigsegg
 KTM
 Kumho
 Lada
 Lagonda
 Lamborghini
 Lancia
 Land Rover
 Lexus
 Liberty
 Lightning
 Lincoln
 Lister
 Loma Performance
 Lorinser
 Lotus
 LupiniPower
 Luxgen
 Mahindra
 Mansory
 Maserati
 Mastretta
 Maybach
 Mazda
 McLaren
 Mercedes
 Mercedes-AMG
 Mercedes-Benz
 Mercedes-Maybach
 Mercury
 Metrocab
 MG
 Michelin
 MINI
 Mitsubishi
 MMI
 Monte Carlo
 Mopar
 Morgan
 Mosler
 MTM
 Munro
 NAC MG
 Nichols Cars
 Nissan
 NLV

 
 Noble
 Novitec
 Opel
 Overfinch
 Pagani
 Perodua
 Peugeot
 Piaggio
 Pininfarina
 Polestar
 Pontiac
 Porsche
 Praga
 Preview
 Prodrive
 Project Runningblade
 Project Velocity
 Proton
 Protoscar
 Qoros
 Radical
 Range Rover
 Red Bull
 Renault
 Reva
 Rimac
 Rinspeed
 RoadRazer
 Rolls-Royce
 Ronn Motor Company
 Rover
 RUF
 Saab
 SAIC
 Saleen
 Saturn
 Scagliarini
 SCG
 Scion
 SDR Sportscars
 SEAT
 Sin
 Singer
 Skoda
 Smart
 Soleil
 Spada
 speedArt
 Sportec
 Spyker
 SRT
 Ssangyong
 SSC
 Startech
 STaSIS
 Subaru
 Suzuki
 Suzusho
 TAD
 Tamiya
 Tata
 Techart
 Tesla
 The Little Car Company
 THINK
 Thunder Power
 Tojeiro
 Tommy Kaira
 TomTom
 Toray
 Toyota
 Trabant
 TranStar
 Trident
 Tushek
 TVR
 UKCOTY
 Vanda Electrics
 Vauxhall
 Velozzi
 Vencer
 Venturi
 Veritas
 Vizualtech
 VL Automotive
 Volkswagen
 Volvo
 VUHL
 WCA
 WCotY
 Webasto
 Westfield
 Wiesmann
 Xenatec
 Yamaha
 Zagato
 Zarooq
 Zeekr
 Zenos
 Zenvo



 
 






External links:   | Irish Car Market News |

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©