Fiat Panda 4x4: any opinions?

Hello,

Just wondered if anyone had any experience of the Fiat 4x4 Panda. I realise it will not be in the same league as an offroader, land rover type of 4x4.

There is a 2 cylinder petrol version (I didn't know 2 cylinder cars existed) which has really low car tax and allegedly does 50+ mpg. Small size should make city parking easy, I am hoping? There is also a diesel version but some reviews suggest the petrol is better.

I have heard that due to its 4wd and perhaps its lightness, it performs well in snow (repeat disclaimer that I don't expect it to perform like a land rover!)

With my car having died (see other thread) I was wondering about getting one of these to get me around, whilst I work out what to do next.

I would also be interested in hearing about the sedici, which I believe was another 4x4 Fiat. I've never had a Fiat before but I live on the edge of the town/countryside, so some AWD (again, I have never had this before) capability appeals to me for muddy or snowy roads.

I would like a "proper" 4x4 with low ratio but I think they will be out of my price league at the moment. What would be a good 4x4 with low ratio gearbox: a discovery?

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen
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It is a re-badged Suzuki SX4, built cheaply in Hungary (although the SX4 is usually FWD).

You would be unlikely to use a full low ratio. You might also consider Subaru which have an 'underdrive' to give slightly lower gear ratios.

Reply to
Nick Finnigan

In fact, they have been around for a while:

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but I doubt that you would find one around for sale now.

Reply to
Davey

Thanks, I knew they had dropped from four down to three cylinders but didn't know they had now gone down to two.

Had a re-read of the reviews and the petrol is supposed to be better than the diesel even thought the diesel has more torque (140 lb ft for diesel compared to 107 lb ft for the petrol). I have no idea what those figures would mean in real life; would you notice 37 lb ft?

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen

Can't help you with any personal experience but with its light weight and short overhangs it's supposed to be a very capable off-roader. It's quirky enough to almost persuade me to buy a Fiat. ;-)

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

a new panda would probably be fine for you, a subaru would be better, a discovery is a huge leap and requires quite deep pockets after a very few years. A kuga might do nicely. Unless you are actually doing work off road the low range never gets used.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

That's sort of how I got to that choice too!

Reply to
Stephen

Thanks. I will look into the Subaru, which do you recommend?

I don't think my pockets are deep enough to buy a discovery, sadly.

I did wonder about the Kuga being a Ford fan.

I have never done any 4x4 driving, so I would go on a course. Whether I would go off road I don't know. I would have to try it and see if I catch the bug. I have had FWD cars get stuck in snow or sink in muddy fields before, so some AWD capability appeals to me.

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen

The legend estate with diesel lump would appeal the most to me.

Discoverys/range rovers are nice but just too expensive to maintain for normal people.

Take a land rover off road course, they are incredible, but you come away thinking that you have to get one, and start considering knocking over a Post Office or selling the house/wife. My nephew got a morning course for two drivers thrown in with his new Range Rover and kindly took me along, it was quite incredible the things that a factory stock range rover will do on road tyres and until you experience it you won't believe it.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

I was given a Red Letter Day course where they used older Range Rovers and they deliberately used near bald tyres for the off road experience. I was impressed with what the vehicle could do whilst I was driving (under instruction). I was even more impressed when the day concluded with the instructor driving.

Reply to
alan_m

Thanks, I will look into this.

Reply to
Stephen

In message , Stephen writes

I know I'm very late to the party, and am ashamed to admit I only pop in when I want advice, but we had 2, 4x4 Panda's while the boys were growing up. These were the original versions, not the current ones, so this may be irrelevant, but, although ours were wrecks, they were absolutely brilliant.

First gear was very low, and had a "creep" mode that let you take feet off everything and tootle along at some incredibly low speed. They were excellent in snow - far better than the Discovery with its wide, ski-like tyres. We towed dinghies to and from a beach with a long tidal causeway, and I have many happy memories of push-starting as the tide came in around the wheels. They were good on sand.

They rusted and they broke down in the traditional Fiat style, but they had great carrying capacity and were great fun cars. Very low insurance, so ideal for 17/18 year olds.

I was here because I've recently been forced for financial reasons to replace the Disco (which burned out) with a Jeep Grand Cherokee with lots of warning lights and "codes". These Jeeps were made in the same factory as the old 4x4 Pandas.

Reply to
Bill

Not quite. Steyr developed the original Panda, but Fiat built 'em.

Still, Chrysler is owned by Fiat these days...

Reply to
Adrian

Thanks for your reply. You're not too late; I haven't bought one yet but after your review I am very tempted to :)

Your review was very encouraging. I'm not sure whether the 4x4 is a different type now, I think I read somewhere about a mechanical 4x4 being replaced by an electronic one but I can't remember if that was the Fiat panda or another car I was reading about at the same time!

Reply to
Stephen

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