AUTONEWS

Fiat Grande Panda test

It is larger than any Panda ever produced, falling just 1 mm short of the four-meter mark in length. In fact, it isn't a replacement for the third-generation Panda—which has just been discontinued in the UK but remains on sale in Italy and elsewhere.

Yes, the old Panda will be replaced in a few years, according to Fiat. Popularly known in Italy as the "Pandina"—a curious name—it is a very small car.

The Grande Panda, meanwhile, is larger: supermini-sized, though at the smaller end of the supermini spectrum. For the larger end of the supermini spectrum—with slightly more sophisticated, albeit more generic, trim—consider the 600. Oh, and for a more upscale compact Fiat, there’s the 500. Fiat’s specialty, now as always, is small cars.

Just look at it. Fiat’s head of design, François Leboine, is the man behind it. Immediately before joining Fiat, he was part of Renault’s advanced design team and created the model that would become the Renault 5. A real talent, without a doubt.

The Grande Panda isn't retro, but it captures the vibe of Giugiaro’s original 1980 Panda: a boxy shape, flat surfaces, practical plastic cladding, and a dashboard inside that resembles a shelf.

Fiat believes you’ll love this car for its "Fiatness," which is why they’ve stamped the name and monogram (four diagonal bars) all over it: on the seats, door panels, and rear pillar. The letters PANDA are even embossed into the doors—a move that isn't just for show, as it actually makes the panels more rigid.

Inside, the instrument cluster surround echoes the shape of the banked test track on the roof of the historic Lingotto factory. The pixelated lights and square vents are meant to evoke the windows of that building. It’s a bit of a stretch, perhaps, but the result is interesting nonetheless. There is just enough room for adults in the back seat. Fitting three people side-by-side is a bit of a squeeze, but the car's boxy shape ensures the outboard seats offer plenty of shoulder and headroom. It is more spacious back there than in the Renault 5.

There is plenty of space to store small items in the cabin, though most compartments lack lining, causing things to slide around and rattle with every movement. It might be a good idea to invest in a rubber case for your phone, a rubber wallet, a rubber sleeve for your water bottle...

A practical touch is the coiled, retractable charging cable—yes, just like a vacuum cleaner cord—hidden behind the Fiat logo on the front. This way, you don't have to carry it in the trunk or worry about it getting wet or dirty. It is 4.5 meters long, so even if you park with the charging port facing away from the charger, it will still reach the connection point.