Picked up our all new Mk4 Pandas on Friday...quick pros and cons for me of the Mk4 1.2 Easy over the Mk3 1.2 Dynamic Eco I traded in...just my 1st impressions, not an 'in-depth' review...
pros:
1) It's bigger.
2) It's more comfortable, a LOT less bouncy but still quite fun.
3) It's quieter and more refined inside, in terms of road/wind noise...real improvement over the Mk3.
4) It feels a lot more 'planted' on the road, down to the added weight and wider tyres.
5) It seats 5...(3 of which must be hobbits)
6) Gear change is nice and smooth.
7) Coming from Mk3, this 1.2 engine feels familiar in a good way
8) It's kinda round, but square, all over...I like the new shape!
9) The inside of the windscreen isn't wet through/frozen when I get in it unlike my Mk3, which always had a real moisture problem in that area, even from new.
10) Splash n dash filler nozzle is genius.
11) Fuel economy seems quite respectable already. It keeps telling me to put it in 5th gear at 30mph, something I didn't feel comfortable with in my Mk3 (not sure why!) Maybe it's because it is so quiet and refined therefore I can't hear it grumbling the same.
cons:
1) It's bigger! Bit of a bloater by comparison, engine feels a bit breathless as a result but I expect it to loosen off in time...I'm not feeling the 69bhp, and my Mk3 was the lower powered variant (54bhp?) The fact that it's so curvy by comparison and the bonnet curves out of sight is still freaking me out slightly
2) I think the steering is a bit too light, the Mk3 seemed just right but this Mk4 feels like it's in city mode full time. I'm surprised by this lightness as the tyres are a fair bit wider than the skinnies on my Mk3. It's slightly twitchier than the Mk3 too so I'm finding roundabouts a little unnerving in this thing (I've been driving 20 odd years)
3) Instruments definitely aren't as clear to read as my 2009 car, stylish for sure...but slightly too fussy for my liking.
4) I preferred the robust interior of my Mk3 ('nasty' plastics and all!). This one is all very pretty but it's got very pale seats which I can't imagine lasting as long. Seat adjusters feel flimsy. Cockpit switchgear feels nice but the Mk4 stalks don't feel any better than the Mk3 ones to me, again I find them a bit fiddly/fussy and counter intuitive, particularly things like the dual rings for front/rear wipers. I miss the air vents from the Mk3 too, so simple, well designed and easy to clean...not a fan of these Mk4 louvres.
5) Central dash computer...hmmm, I prefer analogue gauges for things like temperature and fuel...*if* it fails, you stand to lose a lot of instruments.
6) Glovebox seems a lot smaller, I'd have left the dash shelf off (mine seems particularly nasty and unfinished with some plastic fibres and a sharp edge, ouch, which I found when I put my phone on shelf). I'd never put anything on view in the car like that due to the sheer volume of scrotes wandering the streets. I'm just not a 'shelf person'
7) No spare! (it's a stock car so I couldn't spec one) I'm not sure about the economics at work here, I expect those compressors cost a pretty penny.
8) Stupid gimmicky handbrake. It's stupid. Anyone who buys one of these is going to roll back as they grab air the first time they apply the handbrake.
9) Expensive, glad I didn't pay full price (although mine was MASSIVELY discounted with a trade-in so I only gave just over £3.2k for it...happy days.)
10) Brand new and the boot unlock mechanism doesn't work...I wonder if it was cannibalised to satisfy another customer (as we know, a common fault this one!)
11) It wasn't made in Poland.
Verdict:
Overall it's a definite step up from my Mk3, but I was a fan of the simplicity of that car, which I think has been slightly lost here. I didn't fancy a twin air, not civilised enough for my tastes and I couldn't justify the extra dosh as this was an exercise in getting the most car for the least money
I'm sure this Mk4 will grow on me...I just need to live with it a bit longer. the comfort level alone is a real cut above, and I can imagine enjoying my motorway driving, and covering longer distances more often in this baby
pros:
1) It's bigger.
2) It's more comfortable, a LOT less bouncy but still quite fun.
3) It's quieter and more refined inside, in terms of road/wind noise...real improvement over the Mk3.
4) It feels a lot more 'planted' on the road, down to the added weight and wider tyres.
5) It seats 5...(3 of which must be hobbits)
6) Gear change is nice and smooth.
7) Coming from Mk3, this 1.2 engine feels familiar in a good way
8) It's kinda round, but square, all over...I like the new shape!
9) The inside of the windscreen isn't wet through/frozen when I get in it unlike my Mk3, which always had a real moisture problem in that area, even from new.
10) Splash n dash filler nozzle is genius.
11) Fuel economy seems quite respectable already. It keeps telling me to put it in 5th gear at 30mph, something I didn't feel comfortable with in my Mk3 (not sure why!) Maybe it's because it is so quiet and refined therefore I can't hear it grumbling the same.
cons:
1) It's bigger! Bit of a bloater by comparison, engine feels a bit breathless as a result but I expect it to loosen off in time...I'm not feeling the 69bhp, and my Mk3 was the lower powered variant (54bhp?) The fact that it's so curvy by comparison and the bonnet curves out of sight is still freaking me out slightly
2) I think the steering is a bit too light, the Mk3 seemed just right but this Mk4 feels like it's in city mode full time. I'm surprised by this lightness as the tyres are a fair bit wider than the skinnies on my Mk3. It's slightly twitchier than the Mk3 too so I'm finding roundabouts a little unnerving in this thing (I've been driving 20 odd years)
3) Instruments definitely aren't as clear to read as my 2009 car, stylish for sure...but slightly too fussy for my liking.
4) I preferred the robust interior of my Mk3 ('nasty' plastics and all!). This one is all very pretty but it's got very pale seats which I can't imagine lasting as long. Seat adjusters feel flimsy. Cockpit switchgear feels nice but the Mk4 stalks don't feel any better than the Mk3 ones to me, again I find them a bit fiddly/fussy and counter intuitive, particularly things like the dual rings for front/rear wipers. I miss the air vents from the Mk3 too, so simple, well designed and easy to clean...not a fan of these Mk4 louvres.
5) Central dash computer...hmmm, I prefer analogue gauges for things like temperature and fuel...*if* it fails, you stand to lose a lot of instruments.
6) Glovebox seems a lot smaller, I'd have left the dash shelf off (mine seems particularly nasty and unfinished with some plastic fibres and a sharp edge, ouch, which I found when I put my phone on shelf). I'd never put anything on view in the car like that due to the sheer volume of scrotes wandering the streets. I'm just not a 'shelf person'
7) No spare! (it's a stock car so I couldn't spec one) I'm not sure about the economics at work here, I expect those compressors cost a pretty penny.
8) Stupid gimmicky handbrake. It's stupid. Anyone who buys one of these is going to roll back as they grab air the first time they apply the handbrake.
9) Expensive, glad I didn't pay full price (although mine was MASSIVELY discounted with a trade-in so I only gave just over £3.2k for it...happy days.)
10) Brand new and the boot unlock mechanism doesn't work...I wonder if it was cannibalised to satisfy another customer (as we know, a common fault this one!)
11) It wasn't made in Poland.
Verdict:
Overall it's a definite step up from my Mk3, but I was a fan of the simplicity of that car, which I think has been slightly lost here. I didn't fancy a twin air, not civilised enough for my tastes and I couldn't justify the extra dosh as this was an exercise in getting the most car for the least money
I'm sure this Mk4 will grow on me...I just need to live with it a bit longer. the comfort level alone is a real cut above, and I can imagine enjoying my motorway driving, and covering longer distances more often in this baby