AUTONEWS

New Fiat Grande Panda and Jeremy Clarkson

The Fiat Grande Panda has come under Jeremy Clarkson’s judgment in the pages of The Times, generating a review that moves between the British journalist’s typical sarcasm and a level of appreciation that feels less predictable than expected. The Italian compact car became a small media case, showing that Fiat’s project has managed to attract attention even beyond its natural market.

The model chosen for the test was the Hybrid version, the configuration expected to represent the commercial core of the range. The mechanical setup combines a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, for a total output of 110 hp. This solution does not aim to offer sporty performance, but rather low fuel consumption, ease of use and more accessible costs.

The first element Clarkson highlights is interior space. The title of his review, built around the provocative idea of fitting an entire film crew on board, points with typical British humour to one of the model’s real qualities: offering more practicality than its exterior dimensions would suggest. The Grande Panda remains a compact car, but it uses its proportions and volumes well, keeping a city-friendly and family-oriented character while positioning itself as an alternative to the increasingly expensive compact SUV segment.

The design also receives a broadly positive verdict, although not without a few jokes. The pistachio paint of the car tested initially raised a smile, before the price put everything into perspective. On this front, Fiat seems to have achieved one of the project’s most important goals, offering a car that feels recognizable and different from the anonymous compact models that fill the market. The squared body, references to the original Panda and small crossover stance give it a clear personality, far from the attempt to create an artificial premium aura.

As expected, criticism is not absent. Clarkson does not describe the engine as particularly lively, and the car shows inevitable compromises in performance, finishes and refinement, all consistent with the project’s affordable positioning. However, he seems to understand the nature of the model, recognizing that it does not aim to be the fastest, most luxurious or most technological compact car in its segment. Instead, it tries to recover a formula Fiat has built over decades: practicality in a small footprint.

Whenever Jeremy Clarkson takes a car for a test drive, the leaders of the auto industry are left scratching their heads, because it is impossible to get a good rating from a Brit who is very quick with his tongue. However, this time, the new “Fiat Grande Panda” – the pride of the Kragujevac factory – was under his scrutiny, and the result was quite unexpected and did not go unnoticed!

On the pages of the reputable British newspaper “The Times”, the former face of the cult show “Top Gear” tested the new hybrid compact trump card. A model that was created for everyday city driving, Clarkson turned into a real small media spectacle in his own style.

What he said will surprise many...The title of his review alone says more than a thousand words: Clarkson described in detail how he managed to pack his entire camera crew into this car! It was a provocation in his distinctive, rugged British manner, but at the same time a perfect way to emphasize one of the main qualities of the Grande Panda – the ability to offer much more space and practicality than its external dimensions would suggest. The car is a full 3.98 meters long.

The model tested was the hybrid version, the very one that is expected to be the backbone of sales. Under the hood, the new Grande Panda hides a 1.2-liter turbo gasoline engine paired with a 48-volt “mild hybrid” system, which delivers a total of 110 horsepower. It is a vehicle tailored for everyday use with reasonable consumption, compact dimensions and an extremely simple formula.

He compares the charging cable to a vacuum cleaner from 1980...As can be concluded from the introductory part of the review, Clarkson also had a fair amount of fun with aesthetics. The specific pistachio green color initially caused mockery and smiles from passers-by on the street, but the tables quickly turned when they heard how much this car actually costs. Here Fiat has clearly hit the nail on the head: it has offered the market an affordable and recognizable car that stands out drastically from the sea of ​​boring and anonymous models of today.

“They laugh at me when they see me in this pistachio-colored Fiat...but they stop when I tell them the price”

The design is definitely one of its strongest assets. The Fiat Grande Panda ingeniously takes over the famous “cubic” and intelligent spirit of the original Panda, but packages it in a modern outfit, with the proportions of a small crossover and a deliberately cute appearance. This car does not try to look “premium” at all costs, but plays on the card of strong character, raw practicality and that real national pride.

The engine is not exactly described as overly lively and lively...Of course, the strict Briton had some complaints. The engine is not exactly described as overly lively and lively, and the Grande Panda still remains primarily an economical vehicle, which brings with it inevitable compromises. He regrets the times of small, more temperamental Italian engines and believes that overtaking sometimes requires a little patience. He also mentions a technical curiosity on the electric version: an integrated retractable charging cable, a solution that he humorously compares to vacuum cleaners from the 1980s.

But the point lies in a completely different place: in today's market where new cars are increasingly expensive, heavier and unnecessarily complicated, "Fiat's" hope from Kragujevac once again speaks the language of the common man. And if even Jeremy Clarkson, through his well-known sarcasm, finally took it seriously - then this is already a huge victory for the Turin company and the Serbian factory.

The fact that the British journalist, known for dismantling many of the cars he tests with sarcasm, ends up taking the Grande Panda seriously already represents a result for the Turin brand. The car does not aim to win over supercar enthusiasts, but to attract people looking for something simple, reasonably spacious and affordable. In this direction, The Times verdict sounds like a quiet endorsement, suggesting that Fiat may have understood better than many rivals what part of the market really needs.