Fiat Panda 2013 Review
As loveable as it might be, the final verdict on Fiat's Panda isn't quite so black and white...What we liked:
>> Competitive pricing
>> Thoughtful ergonomics
>> Efficient engine options
>> Four-star Euro NCAP safety rating
>> Slow-acting robotised transmission
OVERVIEW
From its humble beginnings, the Panda has evolved to become more than basic transport. It’s now a larger, more stylish and more modern five-door hatch with few of the idiosyncratic issues or quality concerns that plagued its early namesake.
Launched in Europe in 2011, the third-generation Panda rides higher than your average bear, err... hatch, and is best thought of as a competitor to the Nissan Qashqai (nee Dualis), Suzuki SX4, Holden Trax et al (see COMPETITORS).
It shares the essence of its underpinnings with the Fiat 500, including some engine offerings, which locally extend to a 0.9-litre two-cylinder or 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol and 1.3-litre diesel. They drive the front wheels via a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed robotised ‘automatic’ transmission.
A four-wheel drive version of the Panda -- imaginatively dubbed Panda 4x4 -- is available in Europe but will not be considered for the Australian market. Instead, we will rely on the higher ground clearance and clever traction control system of the two-wheel drive Panda Trekking.
The new Fiat Panda will arrive in local showrooms from this month (October 2013).
PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
The Panda Pop is priced from $16,500 (drive-away) and will be offered exclusively with a 1.2-litre petrol engine and five-speed manual gearbox.
Its equipment list includes such features as 14-inch steel wheels (space-saver spare), daytime running lights, fabric seats, manual air-conditioning, remote central locking, front power windows and a height adjustable steering column.
The infotainment package is a four-speaker audio system with CD and MP3 playback, AM/FM tuner, Bluetooth connectivity and USB and auxiliary inputs.
Stepping up to the second-tier Panda Easy we find the availability of Fiat’s 0.9-litre two-cylinder petrol engine with the choice of five-speed manual or five-speed robotised manual transmissions. These are priced from $19,000 (plus ORCs) and $20,500 (plus ORCs) respectively.
In addition to those features listed for the Panda Pop, Panda Easy adds coloured side mirrors, roof rails, a Comfort Kit -- comprising rear grab handles, driver’s side glasses holder and height adjustable front seatbelts -- idle stop-start and rear parking sensors.
The audio unit remains basically unchanged, save for two additional speakers.
On the third rung, Panda Lounge arrives with the same twin-cylinder engine of the Panda Easy, but this time is offered only with the robotised manual transmission.
Priced from $22,500 (plus ORCs) its feature list adds body-coloured door-handles, 15-inch alloy wheels (again with a space-saver spare), side body mouldings, front fog lights, tinted windows, leather-wrapped steering wheel, gloss black dash trim, climate-control, electric mirrors and a Low Speed Collision Mitigation (LSCM) system (see SAFETY).
Finally, is the high-grade Panda Trekking -- which sounds like a safari you might do in China -- which retails from $24,000 (plus ORCs). It is the only diesel-powered model in the line-up and arrives with a 1.3-litre four-cylinder oiler coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox.
In addition to those features listed for the Panda Lounge, Panda Trekking adds a model-specific body kit, high-rise centre console, advanced traction control system, heated windscreen and heated front seats. Unfortunately, it omits the city-savvy LSCM system of the Panda Lounge.
All models arrive exclusive of metallic paint, which attracts a $500 premium, while a Tom Tom dash-top satellite-navigation unit is available optionally on all grades for $540.50.
2013 Fiat Panda pricing:
Panda Pop $16,500 (man)
Panda Easy $19,000 (man) / $20,500 (auto)
Panda Lounge $22,500 (auto)
Panda Trekking $24,000 (man)
Fiat Australia says its pair of petrol engine offerings is capable of achieving a combined-cycle fuel economy figure from as low as 4.1L/100km for the TwinAir two-cylinder and 5.2L/100km for the FIRE four-cylinder. CO2 emissions are rated at 95g/km and 120g/km respectively.
The turbocharged TwinAir unit displaces 875cc and develops 63kW at 5500rpm and 145Nm from 1900rpm. It is mated to the choice of a five-speed manual or five-speed Dualogic robotised manual transmission depending on grade (see PRICING AND EQUIPMENT).
The naturally aspirated four-cylinder FIRE petrol engine displaces 1242cc, develops 51kW at 5500rpm and 102Nm at 3000rpm. Like the other petrol offering, it’s available with the choice of a five-speed manual or five-speed Dualogic robotised manual transmission, again depending on grade.
If diesel power is more your thing, the Panda is also offered with a Multijet turbocharged four-cylinder turbo-diesel mill displacing 1248cc. It manages 55kW at 4000rpm and 190Nm between at 1500rpm. It is offered exclusively in conjunction with a five speed manual gearbox.
The oiler consumes just 4.2L/100km on the combined cycle and emits 109g/km of CO2.
The Panda walks on 14-inch steel or 15-inch alloy wheels, depending on grade, and is suspended by a MacPherson strut arrangement up front and a simple but effective coil-sprung torsion beam at the rear.
Braking is a disc/drum combination aided by the usual electronic assistants (see SAFETY), while the Dualdrive rack-and-pinion steering system is electrically assisted through two self-explanatory modes (City and Normal).
The high-grade Panda Trekking also arrives with a clever traction system dubbed Traction Plus which uses brake input to halt drive to the wheel that slips, and sends drive to the wheel that grips. It’s a similar set-up to the Grip Control system found in Peugeot’s 3008.
PACKAGING
Depending on variant, Panda tips the scale from 950kg (kerb weight) and can tow as much as 900kg (braked, Trekking).
Its anthropomorphic front fascia is said to bring to mind a “smiling face extending an invitation to take a spin”; and while we’re sure there are some who will be charmed by this cheesy subterfuge, there are others who will be more discerning and look to the Panda’s practical merits.
Fortunately, practical merits are many. The Panda offers a level of flexibility that is not out of place in more versatile hatchbacks (take the Honda Jazz, for example), and combines it with the high-riding attributes so in-demand with keen-to-be-seen younger buyers.
Seating sees four adult passengers accommodated comfortably -- five can fit at a pinch -- while a sliding and 60:40-split folding rear seat extends what Fiat says is “one of the most spacious boots of its segment”. Depending on the position of the rear seat, cargo capacity grows from 225 to 870 litres. With the front passenger seat flipped down, the effective longitudinal load space exceeds two metres.
The parcel shelf is said by Fiat to be a good place to keep kids toys [not something we’d recommend], while various seat configurations, and 14 (mostly open) storage compartments, mean the Panda is quite the capacious little package.
From the driver’s seat, it’s obvious that ergonomic considerations are many. The steering wheel is completely round for easy twirling in tight spots (the turning circle is just 9.3 metres!), the gearshift falls readily to hand and foot room is plentiful about the pedal box.
Visibility considerations also deserve a mention with all instrumentation being easy to sight. The outward view of both the road ahead and lateral surrounds are greatly assisted by a large glasshouse, thin pillars and a commanding view from the Panda’s higher seat position.
SAFETY
The ‘safety assist’ portion of the score covers supplementary restraint systems and electronic driver aids; and to be fair to the Panda, the variant tested by EuroNCAP was not fitted with stability control, which is a standard inclusion on Australian-delivered models.
Other standard safety inclusions for Australian-spec Panda variants include anti-lock brakes with brake assist function, a hill-hold system, front, side and curtain airbags, ISOFIX and top-tether child-seat anchor points, three-point seatbelts and seatbelt reminders for all seating positions.
On third-tier Panda Lounge variants, a Low Speed Collision Mitigation (LSCM) system is capable of recognising obstacles in front of the car and of braking automatically when the driver fails to avoid the collision. It is said to be able to brake in time to avoid an obstacle entirely at speeds up to 30km/h.
COMPETITORS
The original players in this set includes the likes of Mitsubishi ASX (from $24,990 plus ORCs), Nissan Qashqai (nee Dualis, from $25,990 plus ORCs), Skoda Yeti (from $26,290 plus ORCs) and Suzuki SX4 (from $18,990 plus ORCs).
Recent arrivals including the Citroen C4 Aircross (from $31,990 plus ORCs), Holden Trax (from $23,490 plus ORCs) and Peugeot 2008 (from $21,490 plus ORCs) will also give mid-spec Fiat Panda variants a run for their money, as will future arrivals that include the Ford EcoSport, Nissan JUKE and Renault Captur.
In most instances the Panda has price on its side, though its lower engine output figures, slimmer feature list and slender safety rating may impinge on its popularity.
ON THE ROAD
The naturally aspirated petrol model requires considerable engine speed to maintain impetus. The gearing of the five-speed manual box is also set to cruise autostradas at 130km/h and, as such, means you’ll find yourself working the gearbox back to fourth or even third gear to tackle long grades.
On the plus side, the gearshift is positive of action, if a little long of throw, and the clutch is communicative, if light and late of action.
Although none were offered to sample, we should imagine the robotised manual transmission won’t improve the situation a great deal. We’ve sampled it in other Fiat products, and have noted previously that it is slow of action at the best of times.
The Panda also feels a little light on its feet, and with a sub-tonne kerb weight that’s to be expected. But in the wet conditions encountered on test we found this did impact on front-end grip, while braking performance under duress was also a little lacklustre.
Moving to the diesel it was curious to note that the additional weight of the larger engine actually improved the Panda’s front-end bite. However, the Panda Trekking did have a rather early threshold to its cornering grip, and despite the intervention of stability control proved determined to take the odd excursion to the other side of the white line.
The diesel is also incredibly lax in building turbo pressure and, combined with similarly long gearing to that of the Panda Pop, means momentum is leisurely at best. The other issue is that the diesel’s torque band is quite brief, so you really need to work the gearbox to keep the engine in its sweet spot.
We recognise that the Panda isn’t meant to be a sportscar, but compared to others in this class, its performance and dynamics are well below par.
In the urban environment the Panda did prove a little easier to live with. In stop-start traffic the lack of performance is less of an issue and the tight turning circle and excellent outward visibility make challenging narrow roads less challenging.
The idle stop-start system works reasonably well, though you will need to let the engine come to life completely before releasing the clutch. If you don’t, you’ll simply find yourself sitting stationary in traffic wondering why the car has ‘stalled’.
The other issue facing the Panda is road noise. In wet weather the rain hitting the windscreen and shuddering of the wipers across glass only added to the panda-monium of tyre and road noise already present, making the cabin uncomfortably loud at freeway speeds.
It might sound like the Panda is a out of its depth in the local market, but that’s going to depend largely on what you expect from a vehicle, and where it will be driven.
If you’re an urban dweller happy to go with the flow and want a car that is both easy to live with and keenly priced, the Panda is a versatile and happy runabout that is certain to tick a lot of boxes.
If, however, you will spend a lot of time driving difficult roads in exigent conditions, you’d probably be better served by something a little more robust under foot and under the hood.
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