Just thought I'd mention how useful we find the multijet for 2 adults, a 2 year old and a 4 year old. We bought it for commuting as we have a 45 mile round trip to work each day, but it's amazing tardis-like features mean we use it most of the time. 65 mpg (granted that's as per the dash not calculated), boot big enough for a week's Lidl shopping or a small double buggy, fast enough, easy to park, copes well with dreadful potholed country lanes etc etc. Ours is not a 'city car'.

We do have another car (my MGZS) which is more fun but the economy of the panda usually wins out for general driving about. We only use the Rover if we're going to a car boot sale and need the extra space. It remains to be seen how the panda copes as our children get older (we've had it 18 months or so so far) but we don't plan to get rid of it any time soon!

And before I finish, why do reviewers compare the 3 door VW Up with the 5 door panda? Not the same niche!

Pete

Bikerweasel said:

Just thought I'd mention how useful we find the multijet for 2 adults, a 2 year old and a 4 year old. We bought it for commuting as we have a 45 mile round trip to work each day, but it's amazing tardis-like features mean we use it most of the time. 65 mpg (granted that's as per the dash not calculated), boot big enough for a week's Lidl shopping or a small double buggy, fast enough, easy to park, copes well with dreadful potholed country lanes etc etc. Ours is not a 'city car'.

We do have another car (my MGZS) which is more fun but the economy of the panda usually wins out for general driving about. We only use the Rover if we're going to a car boot sale and need the extra space. It remains to be seen how the panda copes as our children get older (we've had it 18 months or so so far) but we don't plan to get rid of it any time soon!

And before I finish, why do reviewers compare the 3 door VW Up with the 5 door panda? Not the same niche!

Pete

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The 100hp is our main car! Not so good with potholes or fuel, but fun.

If VW painted a turd and stuck a badge on it, people would buy it, good or bad.

I think the Panda's more than capable as a family car. I posted a similar thread on the Panda (2012) section:

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/332579-fiat-panda-great-family-car.html

The same thing still applies to its predecessor though, it's not that much different size wise anyway and it is pretty much the same shape isn't it!

But you're quite right; unless you actually need to have three car seats in the back, it's absolutely fine.

Maybe people with smaller families/larger cars just like the convenience of being able to lob stuff into the boot? Not sure really. When we've gone on holiday, I've had to spend an extra 5-10 mins packing stuff in carefully, and last time I just ditched the parcel shelf to give a bit more ease of access.

If that's the price I have to pay once or twice a year, it's no real hardship!

100 HP. lowered/konis and 16" abarth alloys.family of four. 1 three year old and 1 nine. two adults. lots of smiles and happy to have the fun. no real problems. love it.

Well, we use our Panda a lot more than we expected to do. Good little car, simply

As my signature says, we have 2 old cars along with the Panda.

Until 2011 we only had the 2CV and the Jag, but a series of repairs were lining up, and I found it smarter to buy the Panda as stand in and make the repairs myself than to spend a fortune and have the 2CV and Jag fixed quickly in a workshop.
Initial plan was therefore to sell the Panda again after I had changed the 2CV chassis and the Jaguar rear end bushes and shockers, but it has now turned out to be our main vehicle for daily driving. On short drives it uses half the fuel of the Jag and if driven gently the same as the 2CV.

We have 2 adult sons, and we have done some trips 40-60 miles without too much protesting, but people on rear seat were not really happy.

Same thing if we are doing trips more than 2-300 miles. I have done 300 miles once, since that we have used the Jag for longer drives. It uses 50-60% more fuel on long drives, but comfort is soooo much better

Indeed. I was told by several people that I couldn't possibly dream of putting two kids in my car and that I would need a bigger car. When the second child came along, the first wasn't quite walking so I needed double pram, but I managed to fit a Jane Powertwin in the boot (it was a squash and a squeeze), and a child seat and infant seat in the back.

The boys are now four and six and both sit happily in the Jane Momo isofix seats (which didn't work very well in the other car Honda Accord) watching DVDs in the back. Mummy mod-cons work well and keep them quiet!

As previously mentioned we do have a bigger car now, but prior to getting it, the Panda was our main car and with a bit of careful packing in the boot and a Thule Ranger folding roofbox with the pram in it, we went on holidays. The roofbox came off when we arrived and was easily stored in the hotel room. Lol!

The kids mainly travel in the Panda and now that the pram isn't needed, I can use the boot for everything instead of having things packed at the kids' feet.

It was the 100HP which originally drew me to the panda, but as it's nominally my wife's car the MJ won principally because of the better turning circle. Also we've had our share of blowouts on local roads, low profile tyres don't help! Though we'd still have got one if the right car had come up before the MJ... And annoyingly, there's an Abarth badged black 100HP just moved in down the road (reg *10 OHP), just to torment me.

Our double buggy was a Twin Polka (which we still have if anyone wants it), fitted fine. As for holidays, I've been thinking about going the towbar route since we already have a 3'x5' aluminium trailer and no way of towing it, and our car didn't come with roof rails. I also still need to figure out the best way to transport bicycles.

The panda's not perfect, I'm not very comfortable driving it long distance, but we used to have a mini mayfair and that was far worse. Again, the more shaped buckety seats of the 100HP would probably have been better, but was meant to be for my wife!

Super Uwe, couldn't agree more! We just need to spread the word that these are perfectly acceptable, capable family cars.

Though we should be careful, our family of five (me the youngest) used to drive a Simca 1100 with a home made roof box to the Costa Brava for our summer holidays. The 3 day journey doesn't bring back happy memories!

I used my Seicento as our family car for years and never had an issue, the Panda will breeze through (I have a Rover 420 GSI as well). I had more fun in the little Fiat than the Rover will ever match. I think perhaps this is how I drove in it not what I was driving due to size and nippiness though. This may have been a fuel and spare parts issue lol

I use my 100hp as a daily and family car, it's reliable, quick and can get four in and a large dog in the boot!

We will hopefully be going to Skye and Italy next year in it all being well as well as a possible trip to the Ring

You should organise a mass fiat ring tour (wait till I get a better one though)

Numptey said:

(I have a Rover 420 GSI as well). I had more fun in the little Fiat than the Rover will ever match.

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We had a 416si, the ZS handles soooo much better! It's only a 1.8 so it's not quick, but you can really chuck it round corners! The panda's tyres do complain when I forget which car I'm in

I use my 100 hp to commute and go out and about. We are still a family of three, number will come out any day now, and I see nothing wrong with continuing to use he car the way we have been. I got this car for myself, largely on the infamous words of Evo, but also it has 5 doors so you don't break your back putting kids in. What a great idea car makers of the world. Brill car even my dad likes it. And even an idiot like me can park it in any space, winner! Tax is harsh though....

I dot mind organising the ring trip, I have many years of experience doing it for large groups of classic mini owners. I used to run brands hatch to nurburgring on the mini forum

Bikerweasel said:

We had a 416si, the ZS handles soooo much better! It's only a 1.8 so it's not quick, but you can really chuck it round corners! The panda's tyres do complain when I forget which car I'm in

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Good point I keep forgetting the lack of tyre grip, I just put this down as part of the fun. I quite fancy the ZS 2.5l though. Hoping when I get around to fixing the GSI it will return good grip, fast pace and granddad looks

Dev100 said:

I dot mind organising the ring trip, I have many years of experience doing it for large groups of classic mini owners. I used to run brands hatch to nurburgring on the mini forum

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That would be great, wait for a year or so and Ill be 50 and can do it for my birthday. *note to self, change Punto CVT to car that will drive round the ring in an exciting fashion*

So true! Got my Panda to go to work and back (in place of my beloved motorbike) but now at weekends find that I use the Panda over my 2 litre Hyundai Coupe lol!

We use our Panda 4x4 as a family car far more often than you would think. 3 of us and 3 dogs! Ok, it's a squash, mainly down to the small boot, but it is ok. Other car is a Subaru Legacy 3.0 tourer, but it averages 26 mpg against the 40 plus easily attainable in the Panda.

New Panda may well replace the Legacy!