Fiat Panda 4x4 (2005 – 2012) Review
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Fiat Panda 4x4 (2005 – 2012) Verdict
Impressively capable off road and in snow. Chunky looks. As practical as the standard Panda. Good quality and easy to use interior.
A front-wheel drive Panda rides better. Sluggish performance.
Find out more about the Fiat Panda 4x4 (2005 – 2012)
It's hard not to love the Fiat Panda. Chic, cheerful, small and cute. European Car of the Year 2004, it's comfortable, fun to drive, has the best-designed control panel of any car anywhere and comes in some great solid colours, including Guacamole green, Vanilla yellow and a kind of creamy turquoise.
But now we have the options of a Panda with a diesel engine, or a Panda with four wheel drive. Later, we might be able to buy both together, depending on how robust the drive system proves to be with the more torquey diesel. It should be okay though. There are plenty of original Panda 4x4s still romping around with over 200,000 miles under their wheels.
Reviews for Fiat Panda 4x4 (2005 – 2012)'s top 3 rivals
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Fiat Panda 4x4 (2005 – 2012) handling and engines
- Engines range from 1.2 4x4 to 1.3 MultiJet 4x4
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 37–56 mpg
The Multijet is the same 1,248cc chain-cam 16 valve Euro 4 70bhp common rail direct injected diesel also found under the bonnets of Puntos, Ideas, Corsas and now even Combo vans. It's a great little engine, slightly longer geared in the Panda at about 27.5mph per 1,000 rpm in top, capable of 65mpg on the combined cycle and emits just 114g/km C02 and doesn't need a particulate trap. It weighs a bit more than the petrol engines, but not enough to make the car feel clumsy, and it's actually the fastest Panda with 0-60mph in 12.7 seconds and a top speed of 99mph.
The 4x4 is a different sort of animal with raised 165cm ride height and chunky 185/65 x 14 or optional 185/70 x 14 M+S tyres. Its suspension is stiffer so on the road its ride quality suffers a bit, but it corners flatter so the extra height does not seriously affect its handling. It's slow, though. Zero to 60 takes nearly 20 seconds.
A driveshaft to the viscous coupled rear diff spins at the same speed as the front driveshafts. When slippage is detected at the front, the coupling couples drive to the rear. There are no limited slip diffs, diff locks or anything else to worry about. All the driver has to do is drive. Unlike the original Panda 4x4, which has a solid back axle, the new one has an alloy-cased diff with independent driveshafts to the rear wheels, though the torsion beam type axle only allows the same movement between them as on two wheel drive versions.
Off road the system is astonishingly effective. Short overhangs, good ground clearance and a short wheelbase enable it to keep going in deep, muddy ruts and cross ridges you would have thought impossible. It even made mincemeat of the course at Thruxton 4x4 centre, romping around in second gear. With its relatively light weight of 980 kilos it should also be as good in snow as the old Panda 4x4 was. While big 4x4s sink into the stuff, a Panda 4x4 crushes only the top layer and then effectively drives over the snow.
So, if you live in a country area frequently snowbound in winter, or your house is up a rough and muddy track, or you go skiing a lot then the Panda 4x4 is ideal. However, as is the case with most 4x4s, we could see rather a lot of them in towns and cities, endowing their ‘toff roader' owners with fake 4x4 cred while never venturing off road.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 4x4 | 43 mpg | 20.0 s | 155 g/km |
| 1.3 MultiJet 4x4 | 54 mpg | 18.0 s | 136 g/km |
Real MPG average for the Fiat Panda 4x4 (2005 – 2012)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
91%
Real MPG
37–56 mpg
MPGs submitted
25
Fiat Panda 4x4 (2005 – 2012) interior
- Boot space is 206–861 litres
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 3574–3581 mm |
| Width | 1605–1611 mm |
| Height | 1632–1643 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2305 mm |
The list price of £7,895 includes a radio/CD player, remote central locking, ABS with EBD and brake assist. But not a split, folding, sliding rear seat, which remains a necessary £200 extra because all the standard seat has is a flop-down backrest.
Fiat Panda 4x4 (2005 – 2012) models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 3574–3581 mm |
| Width | 1605–1611 mm |
| Height | 1632–1643 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2305 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 980–1090 kg |
| Boot Space | 206–861 L |
| Warranty | 3 years / 60000 miles |
| Servicing | 12000 miles |
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £11,695–£13,975 |
| Insurance Groups | 3–7 |
| Road Tax Bands | E–G |
| Official MPG | 42.8–54.3 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | 3 |
| Child | 2 |
| Pedestrian | 1 |
| Overall | - |
| Hatchback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 1.2 8v 4x4 5dr | £11,695 | 42.8 mpg | 20.0 s |
| 1.3 16v Multijet 4x4 Cross 5dr | £13,975 | 54.3 mpg | 18.0 s |
Model History
November 2004
The best small car based 4x4 returned for 2004 in Car of the Year body. 1.2 petrol engine option of 70bhp 1.3 Multijet diesel in Europe. Light weight should make it very good in snow. Price: £9,195 OTR.
August 2008
Panda Cross launched in UK, combining driveability and economy of Fiats 1.3 16v MultiJet turbodiesel engine with the proven permanent four-wheel drive system of the Panda 4x4 and a styling pack.
New round light units front and rear, chunky side protection strips in contrasting colours, roof-bars, 15-inch alloy wheels and new bumpers all come as standard; while inside, the functional style continues with special two-tone interior trims. Same permanent four-wheel drive system as Panda 4x4 with viscous coupling and electronic differential lock which ensure extraordinary off-road performance in low-grip situations.
MacPherson front and independent rear suspension allow exceptional wheel-to-ground contact and remarkable passenger comfort over any surface. 1.3 MultiJet turbodiesel engine produces 70 bhp and torque of 145 Nm at a low 1500 rpm, which is ideal for off-road use.
Standard equipment list includes ESP, air conditioning, radio and MP3-compatible CD player with steering wheel audio controls, and electric power steering. One new colour is available, Rain Dance Green, which joins the existing Goa Orange, Cumbia Beige and Crossover Black. Panda Cross returns 42.1 mpg on the urban cycle, 67.3 mpg extra-urban, and 54.3 combined.
The CO2 figure is 136 g/km. £11,995 on-the-road, making the Panda Cross the most inexpensive new diesel 4x4 available in the UK.
What to watch out for
Hand brake cables can be worn where they pass along the rear suspension arm and are held by a semi-circular clip from below but above this is a small triangular plate with a hole in the middle which abrades the Bowden cable.
In icy, snowy or very wet conditions the dashboard shows up a "4x4 mode unavailable" fault, which seems to relate to the electronic systems associated with 4x4 as the basic 4x4 system still cuts in when required. The problem seems to show itself within the first 2-3000 miles of the car's life and is cured by replacement of a electropneumatic valve/solenoid. The matter has been discussed at length on the New Panda section of www.fiatforum.com and, given the low sales of this car, appears to be a very common occurrence.
An intermittent noise, sometimes very loud, developed from the rear of the vehicle. This was eventually diagnosed as binding rear brakes and the callipers were replaced under warranty.
03-06-2011:Panda 4x4 failed its first MOT on 6th April due to excess play in the nsf lower ball joint and was therefore considered too dangerous to be driven away. Fixed under warranty.
03-05-2017:Report of intermittend EPAS failure on 2010 FIAT Panda 4x4.
