babbo_umbro said:

Yes - just planning the autumn trip, which will be the 4x4 TA's fifth between Devon and Umbria. This autumn's stay in Italy is later than usual as I'm a volunteer at the Rugby World Cup in Exeter

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I want your life!!!

Gotta say that my TA is a joy to drive compared to my girlfriends 1.1 active

Don't forget the 1.2 engine has been retuned again for emissions and according to "watchdog" can no longer drive up hills!

I'd plump for the TA engine as I did with the Trekking, it's taken a bit of getting used to with the low down power and running out of puff at 5,000 rpm but crikey it shifts!
My first TA experience was in a 500 on test drive (i drove a 1.2 500 at the time) and I knew I'd have the TA engine at some point.

I went for a Trekking edition panda mainly as I didn't like the 6 speed gear box on the 4x4. Very good equipment and higher driving position and nicer console despite square cup holders which are useless for drinks!

In some respects I wish I'd got a lounge for the sunroof option but I couldn't resist the tangoed paint job.

The MK4 panda is a much more refined car in terms of road noise. holding and comfort than the MK3 and feels like a grown up car to me - only taken it 4 generations and 30 years!

I picked something up about eco mode? What does that do, exactly? This applies to the TA engine, yes?


Thanks for all the input, all!

The Eco button cuts the power. Makes it feel like the engine's been strangled. Once engaged, the TA couldn't pull the skin off the proverbial rice pud, and you have to floor it to get up even the slightest incline. Waste of time - unless you prefer to drive pedal to the metal in Ghetto Cruise Control mode

gar074 said:

The Eco button cuts the power. Makes it feel like the engine's been strangled. Once engaged, the TA couldn't pull the skin off the proverbial rice pud, and you have to floor it to get up even the slightest incline. Waste of time - unless you prefer to drive pedal to the metal in Ghetto Cruise Control mode

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So far i know it does "not" only cut power, but also reduce throttle response, making the engine sluggish.

Whatever, it knackers it as a driving machine.

gar074 said:

Whatever, it knackers it as a driving machine.

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So, not really recommended (unless you happen to live in Jersey where you`re lucky to get up to 30mph, never mind 40mph!)

Just not recommended full stop. But if you do inadvertently switch it on you will soon turn it off.

To be fair to it I find the ECO mode is perfectly adequate for driving in the city. I have it on easily 99% of the time and just pootle around no problems even in Sheffield were there's plenty of steep hills. I find its perfectly fine on motorways too for the vast majority of the time. The only 3 scenarios where I'll turn it off are on a motorway on-ramp if I think it'll be very busy, in heavy motorway traffic if I'm going to need to change into a busy lane with not many gaps and on hilly bendy roads in the countryside.

Whether it's saving petrol or the planet I can't say as I've never compared it but for me having it on is perfectly fine.

Oh, nearly forgot there's a 4th scenario... When I fancy ragging it for a bit and putting a smile on my face

Take it easy,
M

I agree with Mick G on all points - personally, I find the TwinAir in Eco mode has ample go for driving locally and I drive in Essex, where the driving is very aggressive. Maybe they've changed the map at some point? It's not that I only drive low-powered cars either - our other car is a 200bhp turbo-diesel and prior to the Panda, we had a 175bhp Cooper S Mini, both of which get/had their engines stretched. If there's a particularly tricky junction I might knock it off, or maybe fully loaded on a busy dual-carriageway or motorway, if I need the extra in-gear acceleration.

Fully agree it's much more fun disengaged, but Eco-on should be fine for 30-40mph Jersey roads and will help you get better mpg. In fact, I'd guess the TwinAir, with Eco-mode enabled, is more akin to the FIRE engine in terms of performance. It also tends to feel a little smoother when driven in Eco-mode. Though you might argue that the FIRE engine is probably adequate and the extra expense of the TwinAir is unjustified on this basis...

Eco is absolutely fine but the engine needs to be fully run in otherwise it is a bit dull. Some owners reckon once run in Eco is similar to normal mode when the car was new - not far off IMO. My gut tells me though that a 1.2 might be more suited to Jersey.

MickG said:

To be fair to it I find the ECO mode is perfectly adequate for driving in the city.
Take it easy,
M

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That is the only place to use it, for city driving, for the rest turn it off.

It's instructive to watch the instant fuel consumption read-out when using Eco mode. If you need to make the wretched car move at more than a snail's pace, you have to give it some gas, and that really hits the fuel consumption. It even struggles to maintain momentum up a gentle incline at 50 without a deep prod on the accelerator. At such times I suspect it's no more fuel-efficient than when driven in normal mode. But the clincher for me is how it feels in Eco mode. So sluggish - it's like there's a big elastic band attached to the back of the car that's pulling you backwards. Horrid. Other manufacturers manage to make small but sprightly engines that give decent fuel economy without such nonsense.

Eco button. Where is that??? LoL

In ECO model the power is dropped from around 85bhp to 65bhp, it also makes the throttle less responsive
(which is why owners complain of having to mash the pedal, it's not really needed, it's slower to react, not matter how hard or fast you press it)

It's a manufacturers way to lower the emission rating yet still sell a driveable car. (yeah, they cheat)

You can potter about towns and cities quite easily with it on or "Connected", it makes a bit of sense in slow, crawling traffic jams)

Motorways and faster roads it's not so good as any incline you'll be changing down and waiting and waiting for it to pick up, nervously looking in the mirror, hoping that that lorry doesn't flatten you from behind!

Though I find it useful towing my trailer or trundling through those 50mph, my mum works here, road works that blight every motorway these days.

I've not noticed a blind bit of difference in mpg between the two settings though!

Jerseywurzel said:

Actually, I hadn't even thought to try a 500, that's a good idea!

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Or do as we did and buy one of each!

TwinAir Newbie said:

Or do as we did and buy one of each!

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Here's the difficult question....which one do you prefer?

Super Uwe said:

Here's the difficult question....which one do you prefer?

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Good question.

It depends on what they're being used for.

The 500 is definitely nippier and the Panda needs more planning and room for overtaking for example.

If the weather is foul then the Panda is more reassuring.

Picking up my infirm mother- Panda is excellent with it's raised height.

Better interior, exterior looks? 500.

Both have a feel good factor in their own way.

Frankly it's nice having both, though my daughter is making noises about selling the 500 as she is hardly ever around.