The Panda Cross in twinair guise will be available here in Ireland in the new year after a long absence, was giving some thoughts to trading my 5 year old TA 500s against one. Having read up a bit I have a few questions if any existing owners could comment - Firstly, the low 1st gear - how much of a pain is this or do you just get used to it? Bearing in mind I do a fair bit of commuting in traffic. Secondly, body roll - is it bad? I’m used to been able to chuck the 500 around. Thirdly, what’s the 6 speed box like? - I hear mixed reports about not been the smoothest unlike the 5. Finally, what are the thoughts on the successor to the existing Cross and would I be essentially buying an old tech car which will be soon surpassed? I’m wondering are Fiat just trying to flog off remaining stock before introducing a new model later next year? There aren’t any available to test drive unfortunately.

I have my Cross TA since last week, done about 1000km in it now, in normal traffic, highway and congested city (Brussels). My other car is a Seat Leon ST FR, 150hp diesel.

1st gear is short, but I quickly got used to it. I found it very useful in city traffic, much nicer to drive at very low speeds compared to our Seat Leon.
Body roll is definitively present, but nothing abnormal. It is after all a high car with decent ground clearance...
Gearbox: can't compared with 5-speed Panda gearbox as I have not driven that, but I don't notice anything abnormal.

As for buying now vs waiting: if you need it, get one now. And negotiate a discount, on basis of new NCAP info .
New model, if it will come next year, will for sure be more expensive and more bugged down with unnecessary driver aids.

I'm pretty much in agreement with Perelaar. I've now done nearly 40k miles in mine.

I don't find 1st gear a problem, and it helps the little beast to take off like a stabbed rat when necessary.

Yes, there's some body roll, but it's still very capable on fast, twisty B roads. You can make it lurch if you're heavy-handed with your steering inputs, but drive it smoothly through the bends and its fine - helped by the decent road-holding. I'm still pleasantly surprised by how quickly it can be hustled along.

I find the gearbox just fine, and did so from Day 1, but my wife and son both have trouble with it, and keep selecting the wrong gear. It's heavily spring-loaded on the central plane, which may be the problem.

As for a new model, I guess they may be working on a new dash with a bigger display, like they did with the 500, but I can't see major revisions in the offing. That's not Fiat's way. You should certainly expect a big discount if you're buying new. I got over £3k off mine in early 2015, and 0% interest.

Oh, and they look mental in yellow!

Yes, first gear is a pain but does, as someone else said, at least have the advantage of being able to drive really slow when in a traffic queue. I don't find it good for quick getaways, unless you're prepared to rev it unreasonably high - it takes over 2K just to get a fast walking pace in first. You sort of get used to it and develop the habit of short-shifting into second, which is better. When I got some warranty work done I had a Ford Ka+ loan car, which is hideous to look at and very under-powered, but for a while I was seduced into thinking it was faster than my Cross because of the taller first gear. It was a breath of air getting the Cross back because it felt so much sportier in comparison!

I find the gearbox fine, nothing I would construe as lacking smoothness. The engine isn't smooth, of course, it's kind of noisy at higher revs but you only need higher revs to accelerate. Having six speeds is useful, can't say more than that as I have nothing but my previous 5-speed diesel Polo to compare with, but it does let you keep the revs down when just cruising.

I've done about 10K miles in mine from new.

Mark Hurst said:

I don't find it good for quick getaways, unless you're prepared to rev it unreasonably high.

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:slayer:

Great photo: low angle, contrasting colours and the white figure in the foreground!

Talking about gearboxes, I've been driving a friend's 12 year old Subaru Impreza WRX quite a bit recently - nice action in the box, but impossible to drive smoothly. Especially in normal traffic; it really is made for driving like a madman.

Very fast car on a twisty wet road, though. And even thirstier than a Panda TA!

I did a similar change to the one you are thinking about. The arrival of a dog meant going from a 500 S (105TA) to a Panda 4x4 TA. I was happy with the 500, but even more delighted with the Panda. I was going to buy a Trekking, but Fiat had just stopped making them, and I got a pre-registered 4x4 for the same money. I'm so glad I went 4x4, especially after the long snowy winter last year.

I've not regretted the purchase at all. Yet the Panda certainly has a less sporty feel. It is still good to drive: positive steering, characterful engine, highly manouverable. It's not as quick: as the Panda is 10% heavier. The tyres are chosen for traction in poor conditions. If you push it in a corner, there is body roll, and the seats don't have good lateral support (they don't in some 500 models either, but mine was an 'S' with sports seats). The nature of the Panda means I've not been inclined to throw it into corners in the same way as I did in the 500.

Obviously the Panda has a huge practicality advantage. Ride comfort is also superb - the extra suspension travel afforded by the raised ride height on the Cross, 4x4 make this by far the best riding city car, and better than most in the class above.

I don't mind the low first gear. I like driving - changing gear is part of it, not a chore. I usually use 1st as a 'get you rolling' gear. However, in situations like getting into a gap on a busy roundabout, it makes the Panda very quick off the mark, and with 4x4 traction the power is not lost to wheel spin.

Indeed, I find my TA Cross remarkably comfortable, especially on rutted tracks.
Only wish it had more room for my right knee (LHD).

Does anyone here by the way know how to disactivate the seatbelt warning tone? On shoot days I drive a lot of low speed short distances, offroad. Seat belt is a damn nuisance in such circumstances, especially as I'm wearing a coat as well.

perelaar said:

Does anyone here by the way know how to disactivate the seatbelt warning tone? On shoot days I drive a lot of low speed short distances, offroad. Seat belt is a damn nuisance in such circumstances, especially as I'm wearing a coat as well.

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Buy a cheap dog seat belt restraint, cut off the strap, and insert the clip in to the seat belt socket. Or you could cut one out of a scrap car.

perelaar said:

Indeed, I find my TA Cross remarkably comfortable, especially on rutted tracks.

Only wish it had more room for my right knee (LHD).



Does anyone here by the way know how to disactivate the seatbelt warning tone? On shoot days I drive a lot of low speed short distances, offroad. Seat belt is a damn nuisance in such circumstances, especially as I'm wearing a coat as well.

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It can be done but you need to connect a laptop with examiner - maybe get it done at next service if your dealer is willing, some are wary of switching off safety warnings which is understandable

I'll have a word with the dealer

Would something like this do?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-SEAT-BELT-BUCKLE-Car-Alarm-Eliminator-Clip-Warning-Light-Stopper-Safety-Plug/192572343624?epid=1922809014&hash=item2cd634c548:g:CeYAAOSw6xJbxbmq:rk:2f:1&frcectupt=true

It would surely do the trick, but I'd rather not have these rattling around in the car when I am wearing the seat belts.

I'll have a word with the dealer first.

Just an FYI, my dealer technician said it was entirely possible but that they couldn't do it because Fiat management doesn't permit it in our country. It's apparently also possible for independent technicians to perform as it's simply a body computer setting accessible through the access port and once it's enabled, it appears in the configuration menu that you access from the radio controls. That being said, if you enable it again (intentionally or by mistake), the setting disappears and you need to visit a technician again.

perelaar said:

Does anyone here by the way know how to disactivate the seatbelt warning tone? On shoot days I drive a lot of low speed short distances, offroad. Seat belt is a damn nuisance in such circumstances, especially as I'm wearing a coat as well.

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I just fasten the belt across the seat, and then sit on top of it. If you are wearing a coat, you will never notice any discomfort.

Sitting on seatbelt is what I do now, but it is a faff to have to stop and get out of the car to undo the seatbelt once I'm done offroad

perelaar said:

Sitting on seatbelt is what I do now, but it is a faff to have to stop and get out of the car to undo the seatbelt once I'm done offroad

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If you're solo in the car why can't you just use the buckle on the passenger's belt to click?

Word of warning, my Dad's first Honda CRV we had harness for dog with seatbelt clip. Went in fine. Then wouldn't come out. Main dealer got it out in the end, dog wasn't attached at the time. Is it worth the risk off road if anything happened and you're not secured properly?!

I'm mostly not alone in the car, placing the older and less mobile participants

Not concerned about something happening, as I'm the panda is the only vehicle used at the time, at low speeds (<15 mph) and on rather level terrain.
To be sure, I don't drive on road without seatbelts!