Fiat Panda 4x4 boot space, practicality and safety

Fiat Panda safety achieved a four-star rating when tested by Euro NCAP in 2011. It scored 82 percent for adult occupant protection, 63 percent for child occupant protection and 49 percent for pedestrian safety. All models have twin airbags, ABS and ESP as standard.

The car also comes with City Brake Control, a system that is capable of recognising obstacles in front of the car and of braking automatically when the driver fails to do so at speeds of below 19mph. Depending on certain parameters – vehicle dynamics, steering angle, accelerator position and pedal pressure – the intervention of the CBC system can completely avoid a collision or reduce its consequences.

The new Panda’s City Brake Control integrates three additional functions: Automatic Emergency Braking, Prefill (a system that prepares the braking system to provide a quicker response) and Brake Assist that alters the brake pedal’s response to achieve quicker braking in emergency situations.

Fiat Panda 4×4 practicality is excellent. Off-road it excels on rough terrain, steep inclines and sharp, sloping hills. It breezed through every challenge that was set in front of it and it would certainly embarrass more luxurious off-roaders with the way it cleared obstacles. This is no soft-roader, it’s a proper 4×4.

Inside, the Panda 4×4 is more practical than ever before. With the seats in place there’s a loadspace of 225 litres on offer. That’s equivalent to the Hyundai i10, Vauxhall Agila and the Ford KA (there are no other 4×4 city cars in this segment). This can be enhanced to 260 litres by sliding the rear seat forward into the fully-forward position. If you need to carry larger objects then the rear bench can be folded and this will increase the loadspace to 870 litres.

From bottle holders to door side pockets and cubbies for loose change, the Panda has 14 compartments in all. The front passenger seat can be fitted with a backrest that folds down to form a table. The table can be used to place a bag or a laptop or for oversized loads like a thin bookcase.

Another cracking feature on the new Panda 4×4 is the Smart fuel system. It replaces the classic cap that is fitted to the end of the fuel filler pipe. This feature automatically opens and closes when the pump is put inside and removed so you have no nozzle to unscrew. The new Smart fuel system also solves the problem of misfuelling as it does not allow petrol to be pumped into a diesel-powered car or vice versa.