Hello, I own one of the older Panda's and will do for a few more years if I'm lucky. But I love hearing about how others get on with their Fiats and regularly read this section and the 500 section. Think I'm going to own small cars for a very long time based on how much I enjoy my mid spec 169 model.

This thread is one from my curiosity, the latest Panda in its ultimate form is the Panda Cross. It's such a unique specimen of a modern car - small, not afraid to look different and capable in ways no other car can be for its size and market.

I think if I had the money / when I do if love a 4x4 Panda or Cross but the Cross takes the 4x4 even farther.

Just a few questions to new Cross owners that I'd wonder about the ownership experience rather than someone who sees videos and pictures...

- Why did you buy the Cross?

- What colour and why?

- Which engine and why? (If there's a choice - Fiats configurator doesn't help right now as its broken)

- Do you love it or is it 'okay'?

- what comments do you get?

- what is it like on fuel?

- is it your only car?

- Best or Worst decision? (Picking the Cross mode)

- Servicing costs / problems with the Cross specification and extra unique features?

- Are you keeping your car or likely to trade it in?

- Did you drive any other Pandas to compare it to?


Looking forward to seeing what it's like / how you owners feel. After all, the Dealer ain't gonna expose its flaws! ;-)

Hope it's a very positive ownership experience! And that threads like this are welcome. More of a fun survey for owners and potential buyers who have discovered the Fiat Forum alike to get posting and for us to talk about the cars we enjoy!

- Why did you buy the Cross?
It is cool looking, Hill Decent and rougher tires.

- What colour and why?
Black, I like black.

- Which engine and why? (If there's a choice - Fiats configurator doesn't help right now as its broken)
Twin Air, no diesel option in my country. But I love the sound of the two-cylinder, I like the engineering behind it.

- Do you love it or is it 'okay'?
I love it, but I must admit, I love loads of cars.

- what comments do you get?
"My mother has a panda"

- what is it like on fuel?
I managed 0.45l on my way to work (30km). But honest combined is about 0.64l. That is however with a lot of stand still traffic, and once that ends it is 110kmh highway. Neither good for fuel economy.

- is it your only car?
No, I have and old Mini Cooper, and a Smart fortwo CDI and a BMW 120d M-sport. (I love them too).

- Best or Worst decision? (Picking the Cross mode)
Best: The exterior and interior. ( I cannot stand the off-white interior, not the grey-ish. Might have chosen Green normal 4x4)
Worst: To be honest, the normal 4x4 seems to be the same car in almost every way.

- Servicing costs / problems with the Cross specification and extra unique features?
I had to argue to get the Cross rims and tires.

- Are you keeping your car or likely to trade it in?
Probably keeping it.

- Did you drive any other Pandas to compare it to?
Yes, the normal 4x4 (in black).

Phantom3D said:

...
Worst: To be honest, the normal 4x4 seems to be the same car in almost every way.

Click to expand...

This is largely true. The Cross offers as standard, over and above the 'normal' 4x4:

• Hill Descent control
• Auto Climate Control
• Split/fold rear seats
• Ever-so slightly bigger, all season tyres (as opposed to full winters on 4x4)
• 5BHP more from the TA engine
• Additional (cool-looking) plastic bits on the body and a copper and silver dash.

Adding all this (those that you can) to the 4x4 as extras would cost more than the list price for the Cross. If you don't want the added plastic body bits, personally I'd by the 'normal' 4x4 and add the heated screen and seats option for less money instead.

Servicing should be little or no more than the 2WD versions - but, as you may have seen on another thread, the rear discs look tricky to replace so that's an added cost to factor in.

- Why did you buy the Cross?

Wanted (and thought I needed, for those hard winters we were promised!) a small 4x4. Panda fitted the bill, and I thought the Cross looked funky and a bit different.

- What colour and why?

Yellow. I like yellow cars. (And I'm a Norwich supporter, for my sins).

- Which engine and why? (If there's a choice - Fiats configurator doesn't help right now as its broken)

TA. Drove the diesel and found it boring. Drove the TA and couldn't stop grinning. No contest.

- Do you love it or is it 'okay'?

It certainly wasn't love at first sight - the first time I saw a (yellow) Cross my reaction was WTF??? It's grown on me, but I'm not buying it flowers any time soon, and it's certainly not among my favourites of the cars I've owned over the years. I've not had the chance to test it in difficult conditions yet. On the day that it gets me home through drifting snow, that's the day when respect may turn into affection. Still won't be buying it flowers, though.

- what comments do you get?

Daughter #1 : "WTF is that? Can we go in the Barchetta instead?". Daughter #2 : "I preferred the old car"

- what is it like on fuel?

40mpg average over the first 10k. Driven spiritedly, or at a steady 70 on the motorway, it drinks fuel like there is no tomorrow (well, for a supposedly economical car it does: it's all relative). Driven like a nun, and avoiding motorways etc, I can get 45+, but you have to make the engine grumble along at around 2k revs, which is sooooo boring.

- is it your only car?

No. Barchetta for sunny summer days and Volvo V50 for longer trips, carrying stuff etc

- Best or Worst decision? (Picking the Cross mode)

Don't buy a Cross if you don't want to be noticed (unless it's a black one, where the plastic bits are less obvious). Given how the secondhand prices of the yellow ones seem to have fallen through the floor, it would have made more sense financially to buy a green 4x4. And I still don't like the Cross interior.

- Servicing costs / problems with the Cross specification and extra unique features?

Servicing costs are for Pandas generally, i.e. high for a small, cheap car. No problems to report with the spec/features - apart from the fact that the green light on the dial that selects 4wd etc is TOO DAMNED BRIGHT AT NIGHT!!!!!

- Are you keeping your car or likely to trade it in?

Jury's still out. I bought it as a keeper, with a view to spread the depreciation over 10+ years and, in a few years' time, buy another toy as a run-about and keep the Panda in the barn ready for the winter. Not so sure now.

- Did you drive any other Pandas to compare

See above.

Why?
I bought the cross due to my job.

what colour?
White, its what they offered me and I like it lol

Engine?
Derv due to the amount of miles I cover a year.

Do I love it?
Like all new cars you get there are bits you really like and other bits not so

Comments I get
Its quirky but farmers seam to like it

Fuel Consumption
I generally get 50mpg combined

Only Car?
No, I have a BMW 335D sport as a family car

Decision for the cross?
Good decision as I spend lots of time in farms on fields and tracks

Service costs?
Dont know yet as Ive only had it 2 months and done 7000 miles

Keep or trade?
il keep it for the 3 years and see how I feel as to getting another one

Generally Im happy with the car, it could do with a 6th gear for 2 reasons :- 1 its noisy at 75mph & 3000 revs and 2 it uses way more fuel at that speed, mid 40's mpg, ideally its at its best at 50mph, off road its very capable and probably the main reason I bought it, I dislike the fact there's no in/out adjustment for the steering wheel.

I think the Cross and 4x4 are probably the most capable cars one can buy for under £20k. Is the extra one pays for the Cross compared to the 4x4 worth it? The hill descent feature alone doesn't justify it so it all depends on what value one places on the Cross style and having a car that is rare on British roads. Having said that I did use the hill descent control on a steep, slush covered loose gravel surface this past week on a visit to Islay.

This trip epitomises the character and capability of the Cross/4x4. Three of us travelled from Norwich to Islay and back on a four day mini-adventure to do some sampling for rocks. All in 1170 miles, including a return 510 miles between Norwich and the ferry terminal at Kennacraig on the Mull of Kintyre and 150 miles on Islay. Both long journeys were completed in just over 10 hours driving time. The return journey started in snow between Kennacraig and Scotch Corner and torrential rain there after. Cruising at 70 on the motorways and making good time on A-roads we averaged 50 mph. The only delay was heavy traffic going south on the A1 in south Yorkshire. On Islay the driving was a mix of on road and loose gravel tracks so as to get as close as possible to otherwise inaccessible sites. Thank you to the Dun Lossit Estate for permission. We returned with 40kg of rock samples.

The overall economy from the TA for the trip was 45.4 mpg. Apart from the diesel version I doubt there is another similar car that could have made this trip with a similar economy. The TA engine is remarkably refined when cruising and characterful when accelerating or pulling up long inclines as on the A66. Personally I find the driving position of the Cross near perfect. A lucky match between my physique and the lack of full adjustment on the steering column. I also find the seats perfectly supportive. My two companions both assured me they were also perfectly comfortable too. The asymmetric split rear seat gave us plenty of luggage room.

A bonus was our visit to the Bunnahabhain distillery. Wanting to park there and work on the foreshore and cliffs next to the distillery they assured us it would be no problem. After five hours being buffeted by an arctic northerly we were welcomed back with 'You'll be needing a few drams to warm up' which we very happily accepted. So thank you too to the lovely people at Bunnahabhain. It's not one of the more widely recognised Islay distilleries such as Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Lagavullin, Bruichladdich etc. but their whisky is very smooth and distinctive in having a low phenol content. Highly recommended. As is the Panda Cross/4x4!

Great write up, and I'm very envious of your visit to the Bunnahabhain distillery - it's a little known gem of a whisky! I remain in awe of your ability to get 50mpg at motorway speeds, especially 3-up with a boot full of rocks! My economy has improved since I went past 10k (she's averaged 45 mpg over the last 2k), but that's mainly been at a steady 40-50 on A/B roads. Must try harder!

I'm now up to 24k miles and still feel the engine is loosening up. I now regularly pull away in 2nd, something that was very difficult before.

Yes, Bunnahabhain is a real gem. I hadn't tried it till this past week and it's now high up on my list of favourites.

The TwinAir's are incredibly tight when new - not sure if the Panda 4x4/Cross has the Eco button like the 85bhp 500 TwinAir has, but by the time we sold my Parents 500 at 33,000 miles, Eco mode felt as sprightly as the standard mode felt when new. When new, Eco mode was virtually un-useable!

Fiat kind of scored an own goal with the TwinAir I feel - they can return pretty dismal economy when new if driven even moderately hard and as such, the typical car that the motoring press tested, with only a few hundred miles on the clock, would appear quite disappointing. If Fiat had given them one with several thousand miles under its belt they'd have found an altogether more economical AND satisfying engine to punt along.

We used to get 46-52mpg out of our 500 - 48-50mpg being typical on a motorway run. I'd therefore say that to get 45mpg out of the Panda with its 4x4 running gear is pretty good

- Why did you buy the Cross?

My 169 100hp was written off & I always fancied a 4x4 Panda, the cross was new out & I managed to get a good deal with the privilege scheme.

- What colour and why?

Red, I'd of loved the bright orange or the bright green shown in the pre production photos but neither were available.

- Which engine and why? (If there's a choice - Fiats configurator doesn't help right now as its broken)

Twin Air because it was a bit cheaper and based on my milage at the time it would of taken over 3 years to get my money back on the diesel. Plus I think i's a little more fun to drive.
http://www.which.co.uk/cars/driving/driver-tools/petrol-vs-diesel/petrol-and-diesel-fuel-costs/

- Do you love it or is it 'okay'?

Love it

- what comments do you get?

Most of my work colleagues laugh, especially when they hear it

- what is it like on fuel?

Not brilliant you can see the plus side of 40mpg if you drive carefully but where's the fun in that.

- is it your only car?

No our big family car is a Yeti, which we can't fault, the Panda looks like a small yeti or the Yeti looks like a big Panda!
We also have a 1931 Vintage AJS
and because I missed the performance and handling of the 100hp I've just got a smart roadster coupe which I will tax and run for 6 months (garage for the rest) this also helps keep the millage down on the Panda.

- Best or Worst decision? (Picking the Cross mode)

Not sure what you mean by this, it was either the Cross for me because of how it looks or I'd of gone for the 2wd Trekking for a cheaper alternative

- Servicing costs / problems with the Cross specification and extra unique features?

I had a new bluetooth link radio thing fitted as it wasn't working properly this was done with no hasstle. I was told at purchase that I could get a 2 year or first two services package from fiat which would of kept the cost down but this wasn't available on the cross. Service intervals are bit close 9000 miles! They don't even change the oil on the 1st one but I insisted thy did.

- Are you keeping your car or likely to trade it in?

I'm planning on keeping it but will check around for deals when the finance is paid

- Did you drive any other Pandas to compare it to?

Yes Diesel cross and twin air 4x4's

Hope this helps, enjoy the choosing process.

One question I'd ask is do you really need a 4x4, would a trekking do? I was hoping for a harsher winter to justify it which didn't come last year. Having said that and living where I do I think the size and agility of the Panda is totally suited to my local roads whether it be a 4x4 or not. I live in the Western Lake district so to go most places involves a mountain pass, anything bigger is just an embarrassment.

JTD_Liam said:

The TwinAir's are incredibly tight when new - not sure if the Panda 4x4/Cross has the Eco button like the 85bhp 500 TwinAir has, but by the time we sold my Parents 500 at 33,000 miles, Eco mode felt as sprightly as the standard mode felt when new. When new, Eco mode was virtually un-useable!

Fiat kind of scored an own goal with the TwinAir I feel - they can return pretty dismal economy when new if driven even moderately hard and as such, the typical car that the motoring press tested, with only a few hundred miles on the clock, would appear quite disappointing. If Fiat had given them one with several thousand miles under its belt they'd have found an altogether more economical AND satisfying engine to punt along.

We used to get 46-52mpg out of our 500 - 48-50mpg being typical on a motorway run. I'd therefore say that to get 45mpg out of the Panda with its 4x4 running gear is pretty good

Click to expand...

Yup, regularly Ave 45+ now with 18000 miles driven