Fiat Grande Panda review

From £18,035

Quasi-rugged retro throwback gains the option of a petrol-electric powertrain

Has the trend for retro-fuelled comebacks gone too far? Based on the Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid launch event, I’d say yes, it has. Not because of the car itself, you understand. Instead, someone within Fiat has clearly been listening to Now! 32 and decided it would be a great idea to ask Shaggy to re-record his 1990s hit Boombastic, except retitled – wait for it – Pandastic. And no, I’m not making that up.

Thankfully, the Grande Panda is a far more welcome revival than that wretched tune now embedded in my head. We first sampled the raised hatchback in its pure-electric form but, as with other cars on Stellantis’s cost-conscious Smart Car platform, it can accept a hybrid powertrain: a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine aided by a 29bhp electric motor mounted in the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

With a starting price of £18,035, the Granda Panda Hybrid will take on the likes of the Dacia Duster and Citroën C3 in the compact, affordable SUV market – so can its Italian flair and Shaggy endorsement make it stand out in a competitive market?

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DESIGN & STYLING

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Fiat describes the Grande Panda as a 'utility vehicle', so you can think of it as something of a raised hatchback. It's one of the smaller models on the Smart Car platform (which is also used for the Citroën C3 and Vauxhall Frontera) and measures 3999mm long, 1763mm wide and 1750mm tall. That puts it firmly in city car territory.

Don't mistake it for a new Panda, though. The styling might reflect the 1980 original, but this isn't a direct replacement: that will arrive in the coming years. 

This hybrid version is almost identical in terms of styling to the Grande Panda Electric we've previously driven. Only details such as a small ‘hybrid’ logo on the boot and the replacement of a charging port with a fuel cap are the only real giveaways.

Which is fine, because the Grande Panda is a fantastic piece of nostalgic yet fresh design. So you get the pixel headlights that are designed to evoke 1980s video games, blacked-out pillars and 3D-stamped Panda and Fiat lettering on the side panels and bootlid respectively.

We tested the Electric in entry-level form, but our first taste of the Grande Panda Hybrid is in La Prima trim. That means it features 17in alloys with a neat Fiat design, rather than the 16in steel wheels offered on lower-spec models. We quite like the steelies, but it still looks fantastic.

INTERIOR

The interior is also largely unchanged from the Grande Panda Electric and again mixes a high level of practicality with plenty of stylish design.

You'll delight in spotting little details like the Lingotto-inspired surround for the 10.25in infotainment screen, the bright yellow accents that help liven up the dashboard and seats and other neat features.

Our top-spec £21,035 La Prima test car featured a Bambox dashboard, made from a fabric featuring 33%-recycled bamboo – because pandas like bamboo, obviously. It’s actually quite stylish and pleasant to touch, so it works beyond the tenuous link. 

Sustainability has been a focus for the interior material choices of the Grande Panda. Fiat claims 140 recycled drink cartons are used in the making of each model for the Lapolen Ecotek blue plastic material that can be found throughout the interior.

With no underfloor batteries, the Grande Panda Hybrid is claimed by Fiat to offer slightly more rear leg room than the EV. It’s not exactly limo-like, but for a sub-four-metre car, rear passengers should be happy enough. 

The boot has a capacity of 412 litres, which is reasonably spacious for a car in this category – and it's a welcome 51 litres bigger than the Electric version. It's a relatively shallow but deep boot, so you'll need to think about doing some stacking to make best use of it.

There are some niggles, though. I found the accelerator pedal was too close to the footwell side and, as in other Smart Car models such as the Vauxhall Frontera, the information in the driver's display is minimal to a fault. The mandated driver safety warning bongs are particularly loud and annoying too.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Fiat will offer the Grande Panda with two combustion powertrain options: the Hybrid tested here and a pure-ICE version driven through a six-speed manual – although the latter has yet to be confirmed for the UK. As an aside, Fiat has also shown off a 4x4 concept, which is set to go into production and will probably use a version of this hybrid powertrain.

The T-Gen3 hybrid powertrain comprises a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine that's linked to a 48V battery and a six-speed e-DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 29bhp electric motor is integrated into the e-DCT system, along with an inverter and central control unit.

Fiat claims the unit enables the car to run on electric power alone during low-speed manoeuvres, with up to 0.6 miles of EV-only driving at speeds below 18mph. So we're talking a pretty mild system here, basically. 

The hybrid clearly can’t match the EV when it comes to smooth power delivery or instant pick-up, but it's closer than you might expect for a small three-cylinder unit. In fact, it's actually quicker than the Electric version on the 0-62mph sprint, although we’re talking 10sec rather than 11sec here.

Still, the engine delivers its 109bhp pretty smoothly, with the hybrid unit working nicely to both smooth the gaps in power delivery and for a bit of electric-only running at lower speeds. The e-DCT box syncs reasonably well with the powertrain and it'll rarely feel short of shove in real-world use, and it doesn't feel out of its depth at motorway speeds.

The powertrain isn't the last word in refinement and, like Shaggy, it can get a little raspy and gruff if you ask too much of it. Hard acceleration can leave the wheels scrabbling for traction, especially in wet conditions, but for untroubled daily use, it's a decent package.

RIDE & HANDLING

The Grande Panda’s short wheelbase and relatively low, 1380kg kerb weight give a reasonable dose of dynamic pep, and the well-weighted steering provides a good deal of confidence behind the wheel. That said, it's not exactly a dynamic sensation. The handling might be predictable and nicely light, but it's not tremendously engaging. 

For a relatively small car, it rides really well. You’ll feel big imperfections in the road, but the suspension soaks up smaller bumps with aplomb. And it never really feels unstable like some short and relatively tall cars sometimes do in this class. It’s pretty fun for the sort of car it is.

It's unlikely to make many journeys feels particularly memorable, but there's nothing in how it rides or handles that detracts from the charm of its design and details.

We tested the Electric version with 16in steel wheels and did wonder how the ride would hold up on the 17in wheels of higher-end models. While we'd still probably plump for the small steelies for pure aesthetic value, the ride doesn't lose much composure on the larger options.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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The Grande Panda Hybrid will be offered in three trim levels: Pop, Icon and La Prima. It's also offered in seven exterior colours but, because Fiat is trying to be bright and cheerful, not grey.

Entry-level Pop models are priced at £18,035 and have 16in steel wheels, manual air conditioning and rear parking sensors. At £19,035, Icon trim adds 16in alloy wheels, roof rails, skid plates and a central armrest. Top-spec La Prima models, priced at £21,035, gain 17in alloys, heated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and the Bambox glovebox.

This is a competitive class, but thanks to its design, the Grande Panda feels like good value, with little indication that it's built to a relatively low-cost level.

The official fuel economy of our test car was 55.4mpg (that rises to 56.5mpg on the smaller wheels) and our first test outing in Italy indicated that you can get respectably close to that in the real world. The powertrain has official CO2 emissions of 115-117g/km, depending on spec.

VERDICT

The Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid is a thoroughly decent and solid city car wrapped up in an exceptionally stylish package. And if you're won over by the charming design, you won't find much in the way it drives or rides to put you off.

There are some slight annoyances and it's not the last word in performance or dynamic pep, but it's hard not to forgive such minor grumbles. Anyone tempted by the Grande Panda but not ready to go electric will find much to like with this hybrid version. 

It's well priced, reasonably efficient and cost-effective to run and offers a good level of practicality in a small package.  

Overall, the Grande Panda Hybrid provides enjoyable, affordable and upbeat motoring. In fact, and I really do hate myself for writing this, it actually is pretty darn Pandastic. Curse you, Shaggy.

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Associate editor

James is Autocar’s associate editor, and has more than 20 years of experience of working in automotive and motorsport journalism. He has been in his current role since September 2024, and helps lead Autocar's features and new sections, while regularly interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. Oh, and he once helped make Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets.