Fiat Panda 4x4 1.3 JTD 75 CV, road test (Engine, performance, handling and consumption)

Our test team took the wheel of the smallest 4×4 on the market, and when I say 4×4 I don’t say SUV, since the qualities of the Fiat Panda 4×4 are truly remarkable off the asphalt for such a small and at the same time economical car.

Picture a small mountain village in Italy, narrow roads, stone houses clustered together, a cold winter day, snow on both the rooftops and the road, and smoking chimneys on the horizon. In this typical scene, going out to buy bread or to the bar is no easy task for a car, and it is precisely at that moment that you can see several generations of the Panda 4×4 driving down the snow-covered road regardless of its condition. This is no fairy tale; it is the reality of many Italian mountain villages.

And the thing is, the Fiat Panda 4×4 combines several elements that make it unique, first of all its size: narrower and smaller than most 4x4s. Add to that an excellent steering angle, and it is king of tricky terrain and narrow alleyways. On top of this there is a powerful all-wheel-drive system with the ELD system, which simulates a differential lock, and good mixed tyres suited to snow (or winter tyres). With all this as a starting point, you will surely understand better why I consider it a 4×4.

Mechanically, it is only available with the 75 CV diesel engine, a small 1.3 JTD that seems sufficient although it does not offer much in the way of thrills, especially on the motorway, where you notice it only has 75 horsepower.

Engine and performance

The engine in our unit is a long-serving veteran, both in the Fiat and in other brands that also use this engine (such as the Opel in the Corsa). It is a small 1.25-litre engine with 75 CV of power, in other words a modest unit, though sufficient for almost any situation in the Panda we are testing.

As soon as you start it, you notice the typical diesel sound, it is somewhat noisy and not exactly a marvel of smoothness, but it does its job. It responds from 2,000 rpm up to 3,500 rpm, where it starts to lose strength. The drawback is the response at low revs, so you have to play with the gearbox to get the most out of the engine. Torque is 190 Nm, and it is fitted with Start&Stop to save more in town.

The gearbox paired with the engine is a five-speed unit, more than sufficient, with a feel that has room for improvement but is normal for the Panda’s segment. First gear is perfect for the car’s off-road use, and on the motorway at 120 km/h we cruise in 5th at 3,000 rpm.

To be clear, the engine is not made for sporty driving, but it is sufficient for getting around town, countryside and main roads. With the car loaded or on the motorway you will notice that you only have 75 horses.

Handling

The Fiat Panda 4×4 is a comfortable car, within the space an city car like this can offer. Its agility in town stands out above all, thanks to a good steering angle (something in which Fiat cars excel, seemingly designed for their congested urban streets) and its small dimensions, which make the car a perfect street-dweller, with the added advantage of being able to head out to the countryside at any time.

Interior comfort is reasonably good, some aerodynamic noise creeps in and the suspension is oriented towards off-road use, yet there are no major inertia issues thanks to its modest weight of just 1,190 kg and the firmness of the suspension. The car is comfortable over potholes and uneven surfaces.

That said, it is not a low-slung city car, and its ground clearance along with the suspension set up for off-roading are factors to bear in mind if we want to drive it dynamically. Although it lacks ESP, it is a predictable car. Furthermore, the mixed tyres are not the best for the road (unless the weather turns adverse, in which case they surprise, with strong grip in heavy rain).

The steering is also typical of a city car (soft and quite assisted). It is not very direct but easy to manoeuvre, and it also has City mode, which softens it even further so that parking is no effort at all. The brakes are discs on all four wheels, stopping the Panda 4×4 without problems.

4×4 behaviour

As I said at the start of the test, the Fiat Panda 4×4 has a series of elements that make it unique and at the same time make it the smallest 4×4 on the market. Capabilities that SUVs, which fill our streets, would love to come close to.

First is its all-wheel drive, which is fully automatic, although it has ELD, which electronically simulates a differential lock (below 50 km/h) and is always a help when leaving difficult terrain. This function can be activated via a button on the centre console.

The Panda 4×4 has a generous ground clearance, as well as mixed M+S tyres designed for off-road use or even snow. The downside is its protection, which is scarce and made of plastic. It is a pity, because the car is capable of being taken almost anywhere.

We have tested the Panda 4×4 on sand, on ramps with wet grass, and in mud, and in every case the traction response was very good. It really is a car that can cross almost any terrain, always bearing in mind the limits of the bodywork.

Also, off the asphalt, it has another advantage: its size. Being narrow and small, it can be taken through tight spaces or places that are hard to reach for larger 4x4s.

Consumption

On the open road it is easy to hover around 4.5 or 5 litres per 100 km, depending on how efficient you are at the wheel. This is where the Panda is most frugal, because on the motorway, lacking a sixth gear, consumption at 120 km/h is high.

Specifically, above 100 km/h consumption starts to rise, and on the motorway, cruising at 120 km/h, the average consumption was 6.5 litres per 100 km. Meanwhile, in town the average consumption was 7.3 litres per 100 km, on a stretch of urban driving in Vigo.

In the second part of the test we will analyse the distinctive exterior design, the interior, the space it offers its occupants and the boot.

Photos | Test team