Fiat Panda Cross review

That looks like a Panda 4X4...

In a sense, it is. The Panda Cross shares its foundations with the 4X4, positioned beneath it in Fiat’s three-model line-up of Really Very Tiny SUVs.

There are three?

There are indeed. The Cross is the most off-road-focused model, followed by the marginally less capable 4X4, while the Trekking is essentially a regular Panda fitted with chunky tyres and black plastic-clad bumpers.

Fiat Panda Cross Terrain Control and off-road hardware

Right. What has changed?

The Cross introduces Fiat’s Terrain Control system. A rotary selector beneath the gear lever offers three driving settings: Auto, Off-Road and Hill Descent Control (HDC).

Auto apportions drive between the front and rear axles automatically, requiring no driver intervention. Off-Road, meanwhile, keeps the Panda in four-wheel drive at speeds of up to 48 km/h. It activates the Electronic Locking Diff, switches off traction control to aid grip on slippery surfaces, and employs ESC to brake the wheel with the least traction before directing power to the others.

Behind its flared wheelarches and revised bumpers, the Cross gains extra underbody protection, higher-positioned air intakes and 9mm more ground clearance than the already raised 4X4.

Aside from those mechanical revisions, Fiat has added fresh interior and exterior trim details.

Fiat Panda Cross engines, performance and economy

What engines are available?

As with the rest of the Panda range, the Cross can be specified with Fiat’s lively TwinAir two-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Output rises by 5bhp to a mighty 84bhp, allowing it to reach 100 km/h in a barely believable 12 seconds. It is paired with a six-speed gearbox, whose first ratio is a crawler gear: useful away from tarmac, though less ideal when joining faster roads.

A diesel option is also offered: the 1.3-litre MultiJet, producing 79bhp. It delivers considerably more torque, with 140lb ft against the TwinAir’s 107lb ft, but it is noisier, slower and pricier than the petrol, so we would avoid it.

Fiat says the petrol model, priced from £15,945, returns 57.6mpg. The diesel costs precisely £1,000 more and has an official figure of 60.1mpg.

Off-road ability and road manners

That is all well and good, but can it really drive off-road?

Absolutely. Give the throttle a firm shove and the Panda clambers up unexpectedly steep inclines. There is a brief pause while the system apportions power, followed by an almost turbo-style surge as the rear wheels find purchase and the car clears whichever obstruction you are attempting to conquer. For a car of this size, its ability is genuinely impressive.

And what is it like on the road?

Ah... this is the Panda’s weak point. Its steering feels vague and lacks precision, an issue that becomes more noticeable at speed than when driving around town. It also hampers the car off-road, since there is little sense of what the front wheels are doing or whether they have any grip. Those broad tyres provide a reasonably supple ride, but body roll is substantial.

Should I buy one?

Perhaps not. The Cross is an endearing, likeable little car with considerable ability, but it is plainly over-engineered. We suspect that very few owners will come close to exploiting its full potential. If you genuinely require the additional traction, buying a 4X4 and saving £1,700 makes more sense. It may not scale slopes quite as steeply or wade through puddles as deep, but you are unlikely to need it to. Still, if its tougher appearance wins you over, we will not judge...