2014 Fiat Panda Review: Pop, Easy, Lounge and Trekking
2014 FIAT PANDA REVIEW
What’s Hot: Funky styling, drives well, TwinAir is a gem
What’s Not: It’s a bit of a pricey Panda
X-FACTOR: Fun to drive, endearingly cute and Italian to its core.
Vehicle Style: Light hatchback
Price: $16,500 driveaway (Panda Pop) to $24,000 (Panda Trekking)
Variants Reviewed | ||
Engines | Power/Torque | Fuel (l/100km) |
1.2 petrol 4cyl / 5sp man (Pop) | 51kW/102Nm | 5.2 |
0.9 turbo petrol 2cyl/5sp man (5sp auto) | 63kW/145Nm | 4.2 (4.1 auto) |
1.3 turbo diesel 4cyl / 5 sp man | 55kW/190Nm | 4.2 |
OVERVIEW
What’s this? Another diminutive Fiat lobbing into the sub-$20k bracket?
And why not? A comprehensive re-think of pricing and model strategies across Fiat's Australian range has seen sales soar - especially of the tiny Fiat 500.
Of course, a $14,000 drive-away price for the 500 Pop certainly helps, but it's proving to be the right product with the right pricetag.
The arrival of the Punto gave prospective Fiat buyers a five-door option for just $2000 more than the entry-level 500 Pop. But now there’s a new budget option in Fiat Australia’s catalogue: the Panda.
The Panda slots in just above the Punto with a $16,500 drive-away price, and, despite costing slightly more than the Punto, it's actually slightly smaller.
But with funky style and city-friendly proportions, the Panda has more than a few things going for it.
THE INTERIOR
The Panda trades significantly on its visual aesthetics, aesthetics that are primarily based on the 'squircle' - the illegitimate lovechild of a square and a circle.
2014_fiat_panda_first_drive_01