No compromise, low-priced electric cars are coming thick and fast, and the new Fiat Grande Panda is one of the best. Fiat has taken the recipe from the original 80s model with its boxy SUV-like shape and low price, and applied it to the Grande Panda which, actually isn’t all that grande – it’s about the same size as a supermini, only taller.
But where the original Panda was a no-frills family favourite, this latest car has all the safety kit you’d expect and a fair bit of luxury tech in there, too. It also has strong sustainability credentials. Plenty of the interior is made from recycled materials, and even the dash is partly covered in a material made from bamboo – a panda’s favourite food.
Space inside is better than you’d get in many other cars under four metres, although five adults will be a bit of a squeeze. But the view out is good and the ride around town is comfortable too.
Best of all are the funky features that make this car stand out – and make you smile. The embossed Panda lettering down the side, the name Fiat in the sustainable door panels and the oval shapes that take inspiration from Fiat’s famous Lingotto test track.
Then there’s the clever retractable charging cable that lives behind a panel in the car’s nose that means you don’t have an unruly snake of a cable living in the boot – very clever.
How we tested
We drove the Grande Panda in and around its home city of Turin, nipping in and out of Italian traffic and taking it out onto faster roads, too. As usual, we climbed all over the back of the car and checked what we could fit in the boot, too.
Fiat Grande Panda: From £20,975, Fiat.com
Independent rating: 9/10
- Pros: Well priced, funky styling; great town drive
- Cons: Rear space only adequate, 199-mile range
- Price range: £20,975 to £23,975
- Battery size: 44kWh
- Maximum claimed range: 199 miles
- Miles per kWh: 4.4
- Maximum charging rate: 100kW
Battery, range, charging, performance and drive
The Grande Panda’s 44kWh battery may mean a claimed maximum range of 199 miles, but if this Panda’s natural habitat is likely to be in stop/start traffic in towns and cities, that could be stretched even further. It should be more than enough for most Panda owners anyway.
When it does come to charging, the Grande Panda has one unique feature: a retractable charging cable that lives behind a panel in the car’s grille. At 4.5 meters long, it’s half a meter longer than the car itself and means you don’t have to live with a charging cable in the boot or under the boot floor, which can be a pain if you have luggage or shopping on board.
The front charging cable will only charge at up at speeds up to 7kW – fine for home charging or some on-street chargers – but there is a traditional charging socket at the back that will work with fast chargers at speeds up to 100kw. That means a 20 to 80 per cent charge will take 27 minutes.
Driving around city streets is the Panda’s forte. The distinctive square shape makes judging the car’s corners really easy, helped by decent visibility and big windows. Although a 0-62mph time of 11 seconds isn’t super swift, the car feels nippy enough.
Ride comfort is nicely judged – it keeps you in touch with what’s happening on the road surface, but won’t jolt you or your passengers over potholes. The steering feels nicely direct for a small city car, too.
Interior, practicality and boot space
Although this car wears the Grande Panda badge, it’s still a small car at 3,999mm. Fiat wanted to keep it under the four metre mark, where many of this car’s rivals are bigger. There will be an even bigger model which will follow along the same lines (although it might not be called Panda), while the existing 3,705mm long Panda will remain on sale until a replacement comes, probably in 2027.
The driving position is spot on, with seats – embossed with the Panda lettering – that are comfy and offer a good view. There’s a decent amount of storage area around the cabin, too, with a shelf for odds and ends and a flip-up glovebox that – in La Prima cars – is covered in a material made of bamboo.
There is an okay amount of space in the back. A six foot tall passenger will be able to squeeze in behind a six foot tall driver, but with smaller drivers and passengers on board, things will be a lot more comfortable. Kids will be fine in the back seats, although three adults in the back will be a bit tight. At least there won’t be any problems with headroom in the front or back thanks to the Grande Panda’s upright shape.
The boot door opens low and wide, with a drop down into a good sized boot for a small car. The 361 litres of space should be more than enough for family life.
Technology, stereo and infotainment
This may be a cheap car, but even the £20,975 RED model gets a 10-inch driver display and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto – there’s also wireless phone charging in the more expensive La Prima model, along with a host of other more luxurious features.
When it comes to safety tech there’s lane keeping assist, active safety braking and the now obligatory speed limit warning systems. Even the RED version gets rear parking sensors, with the La Prima offering front sensors and a rear-view camera.
We tried the standard fit audio system briefly, which provided enough punch and clarity to keep kids in the back entertained, although it wasn’t the most impressive in-car audio experience.
Among all the clever little styling features around the car, the digital displays take inspiration from Fiat’s famous Lingotto test track that sits on top of the firm’s old factory in Turin and even featured in The Italian Job. Many of the graphics are in the shape of the test track, as is the whole instrument binnacle. And the LED driving lights at the front and back of the Grande Panda aren’t trying to mimic panda eyes, they’re actually inspired by the windows of the Lingotto building.
Prices and running costs
It’s not just the fun, cheeky nature of the new Panda that’s so attractive, the prices are, too. The range kicks off with the RED model that’s sold in support of the RED charity that fights against global health injustice. The car is available in colours other than red, but it comes with wonderfully retro white steel wheels and a decent level of equipment for an impressively low £20,975.
Step up to La Prima and you get lots of luxury kit, alloys, roof rails, privacy glass and that bamboo material-covered glovebox for another three grand – at £23,975. Even that represents great value, although the RED model is currently the third cheapest EV you can buy in the UK after the Dacia Spring and Leapmotor T03.
The Grande Panda is reasonably efficient, too, with a claimed efficiency figure of 4.4 miles per kWh.
Fiat Grande Panda rivals
FAQs
How long does it take to charge?
On a 100kW fast charger, the Grande Panda will go from 20 to 80 per cent charge in 27 minutes. The Grande Panda also has a world first: an integrated retractable charging cable in the nose of the car that allows charges at 7kW.
How much does it cost – is it worth it?
We think the Grande Panda is great value, with the RED model (that supports the RED charity if you buy one) costing just £20,975 and the posher La Prima car costing £23,975.
Does Fiat replace batteries for free?
As with all EVs, the Grande Panda’s battery is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles, while there’s Fiat’s standard three-year warranty on everything else.
The verdict: Fiat Grande Panda
Fiat has done a brilliant job in taking Stellantis family hardware and putting it into a car that’s very much a Fiat and very much a Panda, too. I love the cool design details, the price that proves EVs aren’t all expensive and the comfortable drive around town.
