Category: City Cars 
Price Range: £7,350 to £12,850
Amusing to drive, ideal for city life, lively 1.2 8v engine, sharp handling, low running costs, plain and simple
Unadventurous design, lacks visual charm of Seicento, Cinquecento and earlier small Fiats, poor NCAP crash test scores
The Panda is not a technological tour de force, nor does it set any new benchmarks in the city car sector, but it's (almost) everything you'd hope it would be, and is in the spirit of earlier, much-loved small Fiats.
Light and easy to manoeuvre, narrow and nippy - the Panda is ideally suited to city conditions and makes an excellent urban runabout. Its relatively high ground clearance gives good all-round visibility, its corners are clearly defined for bump-free parking and tight situations, and all the controls are distinctly laid-out and easy to find. It's utterly user-friendly, and can be thrown into the most aggressive of urban traffic without hesitation.
Given its short, narrow but tall body structure, a slight feeling of top-heaviness is inevitable at higher speeds - it's susceptible to cross-winds on the motorway - but it is nonetheless remarkably stable and secure, all things considered. Chuck it into a corner, whizz it round a roundabout or throw it from lane to lane - the Panda takes a thrashing well and brings you back smiling.
It's far more fun than an Agila, Wagon R, Matiz, Amica or similar. It may not have hugely powerful engines or sports car-like grip and poise, but it's zippy and responsive, the steering is sharp and direct, and the suspension is supple and agile.
The 1108cc engine is adequate for town use and general running about, but the lively 8-valve 1.2 is more appealing. Quick off the mark and plucky in all conditions, it holds its own at motorway speeds and has enough in reserve for overtaking manoeuvres.
The thoroughly competent 1.3 Multijet diesel is, as expected, the one with the most torque (pulling power) and makes a more relaxed long-distance drive, but as in the latest Punto range, it makes the Panda seem slightly more ponderous and nose-heavy - the 1.2 petrol is more in keeping with the character of the car.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Fiat Panda
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