The slippy season has finally begun here in and around Stockholm and the Panda 4x4 has to be the most sure footed car I've ever driven. I've had Land Rovers and Jeeps and the Panda wipes the floor with them. It just sticks to the iciest of roads. So much so that you don't realise how slippy it is. Got out of the Panda a couple of days ago and immediately went arse over tit. You almost couldn't stand up it was so slippy, but you couldn't detect it in the Panda's roadholding. I am continually amazed by this car.

Yes, here in Scotland we are having a winter this year... Just. Last year couldn't test out the 4x4 as no snow or ice, so great to try out this year.... Panda bellissima

TheLibrary said:

The slippy season has finally begun here in and around Stockholm and the Panda 4x4 has to be the most sure footed car I've ever driven. I've had Land Rovers and Jeeps and the Panda wipes the floor with them. It just sticks to the iciest of roads. So much so that you don't realise how slippy it is. Got out of the Panda a couple of days ago and immediately went arse over tit. You almost couldn't stand up it was so slippy, but you couldn't detect it in the Panda's roadholding. I am continually amazed by this car.

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So you need to wear elbow & knee pads, back support and a helmet just for getting from the car to the house.
What rubber do you have on the wheels? The panda winter ones or the special winters you bought?


I'm in Edinburgh, winter has not arrived yet, its waiting til I get my Cross. Its positively warm for December, y-day & 2day.
Only had two days with ice on the windows so far.

I have the tyres it came with. Gave the others back to the stealer and got a refund. To be honest, they were very good about it, admitted their mistake and they had no problem at all about taking the tyres back.

The Contis it came with are REALLY good. Did the 40 km school run this morning on ice while it was snowing, and then slush on the way back, and I was blasting past everyone without a hint of any slide or breakout from any wheel.

I have to say that I am very pleased with this car. Great in the country, great in the city. Swallows me, the missus, two kids and a dog no problem (plus a 2.8 metre high Christmas tree on the roof). The heated front screen is brilliant, sound system is excellent, the little Twin Air is nice and punchy (I opened it up on the drive down to the airport last week and got it up to 160 km/h before I got scared and backed off). It U turns on itself. Has a nice driving position. And everyone lets you out/in and forgives mistakes on the road because they think you must be an old geezer (which I'm well on the way to being, but still...).

I've only seen two other Pandas over here and can't understand why they aren't swarming the roads instead of the ubiquitous and deathly boring angry Audis that plate the tarmac around Stockholm (perhaps if they switched to Panda's they'd be cured of their road-rage/arsehole issues and crack a smile now and again).

Not had the weather here yet, but I have played in the mud a little.

Last Sunday quite a few cars and vans were parked in a wet muddy field at an event I was at.

The bloke next to me seemed pleased as he climbed into his XC90 as others were waiting for the tractor to pull them out, seemed his pleasure was I little premature as the big Volvo and quite a lot of the other big 4x4 just sank or dug holes in the soft mud.

I just hitched my trailer and drove out without so much as a slipped wheel, didn't even touch the ELD button, just first gear and lifted the clutch without any throttle.
It's so light it scooted over the top with little more than a shallow crease in the mud/grass.

I was so smug, I drove back around the field to wave goodbye to everyone waiting for the tractor!

One thing with the mud is it can get to the brakes, 4 times now I've suffered noisy, gritty brakes after a bit of dirty stuff, this time it did start to confuse the ABS, one front caliper was banging and rattling as the ABS was kicking in everytime I braked until it managed to clear it's self.

Yes, I've noticed gritty discs too after buzzing around on the mud. They seem to clear themselves fairly quickly though.

Despite the fact we live 2 miles down a forest track at the foot of the moors 650ft ASL we had hardly a flake of snow since buying the Panda 4x4 MJ in Nov 2013.........until now.
Went out across the moors this afternoon to test some new Vredestein all season tyres I've had fitted to the Grand Vitara 2.4 we have, very impressive never missed a beat on hard packed snow and ice on even the steepest hills.
Then when the mrs's returned from shopping it was out in the Panda over the same route. It was absolutely fantastic! Never even bothered with the ELD button (think that will only be required for deep fresh snow or wet ice). Didn't sense any wheel spin when negotiating some really steep hills covered in hard packed snow. Brilliant.

And the idiots who call themselves the new importer are still saying there is no market for Panda 4x4 in Finland.....

-Tazio

The Panda is incredible on ice and snow. With the right marketing I'm sure the 4x4 and Cross could take a huge chunk of the Nordic markets (including Finland). They tick every box ever invented up here (great in the winter, almost no tax, cheap to buy, able to take a decent sized load, can tow a boat trailer, skis on the roof, relatively green and fuel efficient).

Maybe the reason they don't think it'll sell is that it doesn't come in slate grey.

For the Nordic regions, rust protection/guarantee's are a big consideration due to the huge volumes of salt on the roads. What do Fiat say about rust protection on the Panda?

In 20 below and colder, the clutch gets a little heavy, drivetrain and engine noises harder. The heater is coping fine. Great winter car!

That is SOOOO cold!

Glad the Panda is holding up though

I think it has a 10 year rust guarantee. Like most new cars I'm sure it's galvanised so rust shouldn't be much of an issue.

Resprayed in white!

More snow after my first post which obviously called for more extensive testing of the Panda today

Once again its performance was incredible even on some ridiculously steep snow covered hills. The only disappointment was when I drove round the road closed sign on Rosedale Chimney Bank to discover that it was the best bit of road I'd driven on all day.:nono:

Took a happy snap of the Panda in its natural habitat (climbing out of Westerdale)

Lovely photo.

I'm envious that I'm not there.

Just for you then another shot on the road between Kildale and Hob Hole.

Exiting the the ford at Hob Hole was the only time the 'ESC' light flashed but we were talking 20 yards of wet sheet ice on a steep gradient.

I could have go over there today not to far from Wakefield but to do that on its first day the wife would kill me! Lol.

Duffish like the look of your new Cross. I can tell you that you will have a truly capable car for poor conditions.

It'll be interesting to see what the Goodyear 4 Seasons are like, our car is fitted with the usual Continental winters (yes, yes everyone I know they're mud and snow .... don't start that one again). To be honest tyres are a big part of the story, I have used winters (Michelin Alpins) on an old battered Ford Fusion we have for a few years now and they make a massive difference.

I've been busting to try the Panda for over a year now and I haven't been disappointed when the time has come. Thing is we need it 'cos of where we live so it was important that it could cope.

Another happy snap of the view from the front door this morning.

Sigh.

I used to live in Yorkshire.