Fun drive in the young & funky Fiat Panda

Almost all of the top half of the car is glass, giving great visibility

Fiat always does a great line in interesting looking city cars and the new 2012 Panda is no different.

The decal motif from the exterior is carried through to the seating upholstery

On the funky side of stylish, the Fiat Panda is a really happy looking little car.

While it does look a little like a small van from the side profile, head on, it’s a much cuter affair, with fun looking stickers (decals) brightening up the bonnet and the rear.

The top half of the car is almost totally glass, giving great visibility from inside the car. Rear privacy glass provides just that.

Inside, you’re presented with a real funky looking interior, with Fiat embracing the concept of squircles – or squared off circles to you and me – in features such as the door handles and the decals.

The sticker motif from the exterior is mirrored in the upholstery, adding a fun dimension to the comfortable seats.

There’s a lovely recessed dash on the passenger side, ensuring nothing falls off or out of it. The glove compartment is also recessed, giving greater leg room in the passenger seat.

Overall, leg room is pretty good, especially in the front. In the back, space is fine for someone of my height (5’5”) sitting behind someone of my height, but taller people would be advised to sit in the front. The small looking boot is deceptively large.

‘Squircle’ decals brighten up the bonnet and rear of the new Fiat Panda

The Panda also has a stylish looking glossy centre console. It’s also well equipped. The model I was driving had the Blue and Me audio system, radio/CD/USB/Aux; Bluetooth; daytime running lights; front electric windows and steering wheel audio and phone controls. The volume in the stereo system is dependent on the speed you’re going at. My test car also had a removable TomTom SatNav and parking sensors.

The instrument panel is well laid out and functional, but the normal positions of the rev counter and speedometer have been reversed.

The Panda also has an unusual looking handbrake, which is chunkier than normal and is another example of Fiat’s squircles. The five-speed manual gearbox is elevated.

The model I was driving was a 1.2l petrol engine putting out 69hp, and to be honest, I really wasn’t expecting much from it.

The interior of the Fiat Panda has a real funky vibe to it

However, I was pleasantly surprised. Light and nifty, steering on the Panda was easy, and even lighter in city mode, and it performed excellently on the motorway, as well as in the city.

It takes 14.2seconds to get from 0-100kph, so while it’s not the fastest at the lights, it’s full of heart and has a lovely little baby boy racer sound to the engine on acceleration and a lovely purr when cruising. It didn’t have cruise control though, which I really missed.

I absolutely loved driving the little Panda and found it really responsive while running it through the gears.

Overall, I found the Fiat Panda to be a beautiful little city car that has a young vibe to it and was great fun to drive.

The new Fiat Panda is available in two trims and three engine types, with prices for the entry level 1.2l Pop starting from €11,995, and prices for the top of the range 1.3l starting from €15,545. The mid-level 1.2l Easy model I was driving costs from €12,995.

Tech Spec:
Engine: 1.2l 69hp (petrol)
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Acceleration: 0-100km/h in 14.2seconds
Top speed: 164km/h
Combined Fuel Consumption: 5.2l/100km
CO2 Emissions: 120g/km
Annual road tax: €160 (Band A)

Visit fiat.ie for further information.