FIAT Grande Panda | Test Drive

Wanna know what am I thinking right now? At those winter evenings playing football with friends. Five of us crammed into a Panda, waiting for hours for the windshield to defrost. And it always ended the same way: you had to wipe it with your sleeve, otherwise we’d probably still be there now. A Panda on Auto Class? Wait, don’t close this! Some of you might have expected at most the 100hp, and instead here we are talking about the Grande Panda. Yes, “grande”— because it actually is pretty big. The point is, it doesn’t replace the traditional Panda, but sits alongside it, while the latter is now also called Pandina. With the Grande Panda, it was inevitable we’d face the most classic dualism of human behavior: you either love it or hate it.

And as usual, the truth lies somewhere in between, far from those who defend it blindly, just as much as from those who criticize it without really knowing why. I waited to live with it for several weeks before forming an opinion, trying to understand it both from a design perspective and as a product. Because ultimately, this is a car built for everyday life, one that leans heavily on nostalgia by bringing back many of the defining traits of the classic Panda from the 1980s. After all, anyone reading this in Italy has probably had some experience with a Panda at least once in their life.

The Grande Panda is here to dust off those faded memories and drag them into the new century, with a project born under the Stellantis umbrella. Yes, there’s a lot shared with other group models, starting with the Smart Car platform also used by its step-sister, the Citroën C3, and — setting aside the fully electric version — the infamous 1.2 PureTech engine, which finally drops the oil-bathed timing belt in favor of a timing chain, far more reliable. This is probably the small but annoying pebble in the shoe for those who turned up their noses, not so much because it’s a modest three-cylinder, but because you can say many things about FIAT, just not that it hasn’t produced good engines in the past.

It’s 2026 and, inevitably, the Grande Panda is also hybrid (mild-hybrid, to be precise), meaning there’s a turbocharged petrol engine paired with a 48V battery pack, useful for start-up and low-speed driving. In practical terms, it can travel very short distances in purely electric mode at very low speeds, but the electric boost comes in handy more often than you’d think, especially considering the total output reaches 100 horsepower. That said, it’s not the heir to the small sporty model produced from 2006 to 2012.

For me, the Grande Panda is an object with undeniable style. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s its strength. The bodywork, which looks like it was pulled straight out of a Minecraft level, is the ultimate expression of boxy shapes. Just look at the rear lights. There are FIAT and Panda logos scattered everywhere, like the embossed one on the door panels. There are nods to the brand’s history, such as the stylized classic Panda within the outline of the Lingotto, surrounding the 10.3-inch touchscreen, complete with satellite navigation and infotainment perfectly in line with the needs of the typical customer.

Inside, there’s space for five people, with only the middle rear passenger somewhat compromised. The trunk is adequately sized, and scattered around you’ll find storage compartments, as well as a wireless charging pad for your smartphone. I like the steering wheel design, I like the material choices, and above all the color contrasts emphasized by the recycled bamboo fiber dashboard section, which hides a useful extra compartment called Bambox. And what about the lemon-yellow accents around the air vents? Or the “Panda made with love in FIAT” seats? The same goes for the many other Easter eggs referencing the historic logo of the Turin brand. In short, if you owned a Panda a few decades ago, this one can’t help but bring a nostalgic smile to your face.

Of course, since it’s not just meant to be admired, the Grande Panda also has the tough task of convincing behind the wheel. After all, a starting price of at least €18,900 for the hybrid doesn’t leave much room for compromise. Front-wheel drive only — for now, until the 4×4 version arrives — and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. No driving modes to choose from, just an “L” button that increases engine braking by holding lower gears. The steering isn’t the most precise, and visibility over the front three-quarters and especially at the rear is slightly compromised. But then again, my friend Mario’s Panda certainly wasn’t without flaws either.

That said, the Grande Panda is genuinely pleasant to drive, it’s economical — though not as much as I expected, at least in the city — and in this color it stands out in traffic immediately. The 1.2 engine isn’t the quietest ever, but it’s never excessively annoying, especially when transitioning between electric and hybrid propulsion. Everything is smooth. Mario could only dream of something like this. There’s air conditioning and a few ADAS features like speed limit recognition and lane departure warning. The good news? You can turn them off with a single click thanks to two dedicated buttons at the base of the dash.

And off you go. You do so taking advantage of a generous ground clearance (around 180 mm), which effectively makes it a crossover and sets the stage perfectly for the future 4×4 variant. I can already picture it, appreciated by those who drove the old one for decades and maybe also loved by those who want something quirky, with a distinctive look and those callbacks to times when half the evening would be wasted waiting for the windshield to defrost.

Absolute hatred toward the Grande Panda is just as misguided as unconditional love. It’s not perfect, but so what? It’s a Panda and that’s enough. Sure, you won’t be able to fix it with duct tape and a screwdriver like Mario did for decades, but then again, no car built in recent years can boast the mechanical improvisation of the romantic era of motoring. The Grande Panda doesn’t revolutionize mobility like its ancestor did, because first and foremost, the world around it has changed. This is where I could say things were better in the past, but when you’re in a hurry and need to defrost the windshield to get going, this Grande Panda isn’t as bad as some would make you believe. Good old Mario would agree with me.