Fiat Panda (04-11) - Review

Review by David Ross on
The original Fiat Panda was a low cost, compact, cheap to run, lightweight car. The new Panda stays true to that ethos but unlike the earlier version, is well built, comfortable and durable. Thanks to the upright body it's also surprisingly spacious inside and you can easily carry two adults, a couple of kids and luggage (if you pack carefully). It's also good fun to drive, with light but precise steering making it great in town while it is equally capable on motorways where it can happily cruise along with minimal fuss. The interior is fairly basic but well laid out and the seats are comfortable too. But what really makes the Panda appealing is it's value for money and low running costs. This really is Fiat doing what it does best.
4 out of 5

Other Fiat reviews

3.5 out of 5

Running costs

A low list price, three-year/60,000-mile warranty and fuel-efficient engines mean the Panda is very cheap to run. Insurance will also be low but servicing can be pricier than you'd imagine and Fiat dealers don't have a great reputation, although they are improving.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,077 - £1,252 *

Diesel

£957 - £986 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12,000 miles.

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£20.00 - £120.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
    109
  • C
  • D
  • E
    133
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The Panda scores remarkably well on the eco front and with an average of 126g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are low for a small car. There are two ECO versions available - the Panda Active ECO which is powered by the 1.1-litre engine and the Dynamic ECO which uses the 1.2-litre engine. Both versions emit 119g/km of CO2 and are capable of 57mpg

Find the exact engine and CO2