Placed an order for a new unregistered Tuscany green TA 4x4 on Saturday morning.

Have always had a soft spot for the 4x4 Panda so at long last have taken the plunge.

Switching from an Audi A4 avant to do a bit of cost cutting, just hope I can live with it, time will tell.
The wife has had a couple of 500s so I'm familiar with the brand.

I must admit though I'm really looking forward to it.

Pick it up Saturday morning

Maybe see you all around.

Simon.

I hope that you have a great time with the Panda.

That is probably my favourite colour.

I'm finding my wife's Panda 4x4 to be far better suited to the current road conditions than cars fitted with lower profile and wider tyres.

I'd have mashed my tyres up round here but enjoy pinching the Panda and not worrying about the potholes, let alone the floods. The lower running costs are another bonus.

Hello , and welcome to FF,

where are you based?,

Charlie - Oxford

Hi Charlie

I'm based in Lincolnshire.

1400sfm I totally agree also switched from an Audi A4 to save money ;-)

So how have you found the switch from the A4? Any regrets, is it a panda 4x4 you have now?

To be fair, there's a significant gulf between the two in terms or quality and performance but the Panda 4x4 TA is great fun to drive and blows the A4 out of the water in terms of day to day running costs, not to mention the improved chances of finding a parking space in the centre of Leeds

I've done 7000+ miles in my TA 4x4 - same colour - and I'm still very pleased with it. Fine on our twice-yearly trip to Italy, fine on gravel roads in Italy, will go anywhere I'd want to go. My umpteenth Fiat and replaced a 100Hp that I had for nearly five years from new. My only reservation concerns the looks - still think it's ugly, but you don't see it from inside.

Looks are subjective.. but, I took one of my elderly relatives on a trip to the coast today in my 4x4TA. She said it looked 'like a noddy car'.. I nearly left her there.

Seven years ago I changed from an Audi A6 to an Alfa GT and then two years later to a Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross 1.3 mjet. This model has the same 4x4 mechanicals as the new Panda 4x4. I've now covered over 100,000 miles in the Panda Cross.

I can hand on heart say the Panda has given me more pleasure and fun than either of the other two cars. Yes it's small, yes it's more noisy, yes it doesn't have the same on road performance (they are leagues apart) yet I look forward every day to getting in it and driving.

I hear people say it does't have the same build quality. I don't agree. What the Panda doesn't have is plush cabin materials in terms of soft plastics, thick pile carpeting etc. However, in terms of reliability it has far outstripped either the Audi or Alfa. After 100,000 miles there are still no squeaks or creaking from any of the interior trim, doors or rear hatch. Every time I got in the Audi or Alfa I was plagued by odd squeaks and creaking, noticeably from the rear hatch on the Alfa.

In terms of running costs the Panda cannot be beaten. If I drive carefully I can get more than 60mpg, and rarely drop below 52mpg. Servicing costs are reasonable. Consumeables (brake pads, tyres, discs, shock absorbers and so on) are reasonably priced and can be sourced from good factors such as shop4parts.

I guarantee that you'll end up driving the Panda 4x4 with a smile and you'll know that on the road, mud, tracks, off-road in all weathers you'll get where you want to go safely.