Reinvention of petite Italian a smart move
LAUNCH NEWS/ Fiat has updated its Panda range and Lerato Matebese drove it in KwaZulu-Natal to see how it fares
The second generation of the Fiat Panda, launched in 2003, was one of the first vehicles I drove and reviewed when I started my career in motoring journalism in 2006. Thus, I have a soft spot for the vehicle and was keen to try the updated third generation.
While the model still has a cute-as-a-button visage, it looks more modern and substantial compared to its predecessor and comes with more oomph courtesy of a turbocharged, two-cylinder 875cc engine.
Yes, you read that right — but before you shoot it down as a car powered by a bike engine, it must be said that this is a brilliant little motor.
Having won the prestigious International Engine of the Year award in its category a few years ago when it was first introduced in the 500 range, I can happily report this Fiat motor is, indeed, a peach in the Panda, too.
More about that later, though, but let me introduce you to the range first.
There are four derivatives — all powered by the awardwinning engine — in the form of the Easy (distinguished by the plastic wheel covers and black door handles), the Lounge (with colour-coded bumpers and door handles), the 4x4 variant (with a part-time, all-wheel drive system) and the Cross, which has faux cladding, a skid plate, a lockable differential and hill descent control.
The Easy and Lounge are available in front-wheel-drive layout and a five-speed manual transmission. The Cross has slightly more power at 66kW (3kW more than the rest of the range) and 145Nm. The 4x4 and Cross variants are married to a six-speed manual gearbox.
At the vehicle’s launch in KwaZulu-Natal, we spent time at the wheel of the Lounge and Cross variants and both performed well.
The former was particularly exemplary on the open road and while that two-pot engine sounds a touch coarse at low revs, it has ample pulling power from about 2,000r/min onwards and settles quite nicely at the national speed limit, spinning at a casual 3,000r/min.
We then switched to the Cross with its Wellington boots and did some off-road driving, albeit merely shallow river wading and slight inclines and descents at the Killarney 4x4 facility, a few kilometres outside of Durban.
The toggle switch, which locks the differential and activates hill descent control, made easy work of crawling through the river and scaling and descending those inclines.
Granted, most owners are not likely to venture outside of suburbia, but I guess it is reassuring to know they can should they fancy.
The cabin has remained basically the same with its square theme on the steering boss, fascia buttons and speakers, while the plastics are of the hard variety, built for robustness rather than plushness.
According to Shane Howarth, head of marketing at Fiat Chrysler SA, the decision to bring the 4x4 and Cross variants was that preliminary research indicated buyers would be more inclined to use the 4x4 models off the beaten track more often than not — and the fact that it makes it the cheapest 4x4 on the market.
Personally, I think the latter point is likely to drive more people to the model and, at R229,900 for the 4x4 model, there is no disputing that fact.
The starting price for the range, however, is R184,900 for the Easy, while the Lounge will set you back R199,900. The flagship Cross comes in at R244,900, which is still great pricing for a capable vehicle.
However, the model does have a thorn in its side in the form of the recently updated Renault Captur.
With a fairly high specification disposition, bigger dimensions and a keen price starting from R229,900 it makes for a more rational buy.
There is also the Renault Duster range, which starts at R239,900 and offers C-segment dimensions to boot.
The Fiat Panda is keenly priced nonetheless, but once you start scouring various manufacturers’ offerings, particularly at the R250,000 mark, there are a number of options you could choose from.
However, if you have an affinity for the cute Italian offering, the Panda Lounge at R199,900 is your best bet.
THE TOGGLE SWITCH MADE EASY WORK OF CRAWLING THROUGH THE RIVER AND SCALING AND DESCENDING THOSE INCLINES