I picked up my new Panda Cross yesterday TA yesterday (via the Affinity Scheme) trading in my Cross diesel. I'm very happy with it in the 3 hours or so that I have driven it which is my first experience of the TA engine.

Is there a right and wrong way of driving the TA? I understand that the engine is different to a normal petrol engine and is quirky but if I follow the shift indicator it wants me to change into 5th at 30 mph and, to me coming from15 years of ownership of diesels, it sounds like it is labouring and I automatically change down! I know it will be a matter of adjusting to it but I was wondering how folks drive it! It is also very nippy


Also, is there a way of permanently disengaging the Eco button?

Hi.

The motors are TIGHT..

we have recently bought a 10k mile panda
Noticably sluggish compared to my 48k from new one..

I would ignore the change indicator .. until a few thousand miles.

Our ECO is still switchable.. so csnnot advise there.
Motorcylistcolin
Should know..

Charlie

Change into 5th at at least 40 and 6th at 50. Use Super Unleaded for quick smooth 10mph running in 2nd gear. Ideally run in until 1100 miles, change between 2000 and 3000 in all gears, check oil from 300 miles or every fortnight. Performance can improve from 2000 miles.

Also wait a minute to let turbo stop spinning.

Hi i change up the gears well up the rev range ...3.5 to4k it just wants to be reved all the time.Having said that mine is a 12 reg with nearly 48000 on the clock.I quickly learned to dismiss the gear change indecator.The panda is a fun car so i drive it with fun.I also stick to 8_9k oil changes...have fun.

lovely thanks all for the advice. I've figured out already that it likes to be revved! In no time I look down and am doing 4k revs! It is good fun though. I have a 7 mile commute but is quite hilly in places so am trying to figure out whether to leave it in Eco mode for the commute or just disable it everytime I drive it!

Daveweim said:

lovely thanks all for the advice. I've figured out already that it likes to be revved! In no time I look down and am doing 4k revs! It is good fun though. I have a 7 mile commute but is quite hilly in places so am trying to figure out whether to leave it in Eco mode for the commute or just disable it everytime I drive it!

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Disable it, at the end of the day it will make little or no difference mpg wise, and if your route is hilly it’s not going to be pleasant in eco mode.

it'll improve vastly with mileage and become a lot smoother and flexible, mines at 50k now and its lovely, I can trundle around in 5th at low revs no bother. Best mpg though will be got by not labouring the engine and keeping it between 2-3K rpm

It only sounds like it's labouring at low revs. Once you get used to the unfamiliar sound of it chuntering along, it's quite happy if you change to 5th at 30 etc. I often block change from 4th to 6th at around 40. If you rev it towards the red line, it may subjectively sound better, and feel smoother, but you'll kill the fuel consumption (and soon tire of the noise), and in any event there's no need to rev it out, because the TA produces its maximum power at comparatively low revs. Take time to experiment - the TA takes some getting used to.

You’ll get used to it. Ours pulls well at low rpm and the Eco mode has ample go to maintain progress with the flow of traffic, shifting as suggested by the little arrows - though I do recall it took a while to fully ‘loosen’ up. Light throttle on Eco, shift up at 2000rpm and you’ll keep up with the traffic and get decent economy. Of course it can be fun to give it a few more revs with eco off (it’s not as smooth with eco disengaged), but by 4500rpm, most of the torque is gone and you’re quicker shifting up and dropping the grunty little motor back into where it makes it’s best power. Driving like that you’ll find the economy disappointing, though. Enjoy your T/A!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and input. Judging by the responses it seems that folks have different ways of using the engine so I'll continue to experiment with it. It is quite characterful I have to say and I love it. Particularly love the DAB radio too!

The ECO switch is just above the gear stick, it's either on or off. Maybe you mean the Stop/Start system, in which case, there is no way to permanently disable it.

Yep I live in The French Alps and ECO mode isn't much fun. Oddly enough I seem to get better MPG by not using it when I'm on very mountainous roads.

Our TA Cross has done about 16k km now, definitively driving better now than in the first months.
Properly nippy car now and not a lazy engine - it likes to be given a good workout. For city use I prefer it to our family car, a Cupra Ateca with more than 3 times the power.

I still get irritated by the horrendous turbo lag when caning it through the gears. Kills any enjoyment, for me. But once it's picked up its skirts, you can maintain a very decent pace, as long as you're careful not to lose momentum. Just like driving a 2CV really, only without the epic lean in the twisties.

gar074 said:

I still get irritated by the horrendous turbo lag when caning it through the gears. Kills any enjoyment, for me. But once it's picked up its skirts, you can maintain a very decent pace, as long as you're careful not to lose momentum. Just like driving a 2CV really, only without the epic lean in the twisties.

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Having had a lot of 2CV's I could not agree more. Both Panda's and Deuches are FUN

PandaCrossInFrance said:

The ECO switch is just above the gear stick, it's either on or off. Maybe you mean the Stop/Start system, in which case, there is no way to permanently disable it.

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Fiat have changed the way the switch works. On my 4x4TA 2016 model, when you switch the engine on it remembers the setting eco on/off that was in use last time. We got a 2nd 4x4 last month for my wife, 2019 model (the panda, not the wife), and it defaults to ‘eco on’ every time you start it.

It’s a pain having to switch it off every time it’s used. It can catch you out too - if you forget and try to pull out of a junction sharp reaching for acceleration that isn’t there.

TinyTurbo said:

Fiat have changed the way the switch works

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Can anyone else confirm this? This is certainly not the case on my 2017 Cross. I believe, although mine is 2 years old, it is the current model.

Maybe it is a fault on yours TinyTurbo?

My 2019 cross does not seem to remember the state of the switch. Just tried start engine (eco mode was on), turn off eco mode, turn off ignition, when I turn the ignition back on eco mode is on again. I don't remember seeing any sort of setting in the car setup menu that would change this either.

Car defaults to Eco from cold (button not lit) for around 30 seconds. If latest model starts as Eco and you have to turn the button off that's surely emissions. If it stays on beyond 30 seconds with button unlit maybe there's a fault, as 8+ bhp a lot to lose and the torque as can't cope with hills at all. It makes a 1.2 feel quick. My 2013 and 2016 cars been identical. And Eco mode still feels lethal. You can't plan leaving junctions, traffic lights or roundabouts (and car done 42k).

Edit: if you have the revised 66 plate onwards they could have changed something so it remembers the Eco button like does the heated seats.

Is ECO mode really that bad? So far I've only driven my new cross in ECO mode and it did not seem particularly bad or anything. My previous 4x4 had a 1.3 MJ so obviously there is a difference there, but to be honest I've been pleasantly surprised at how good the TA seems to feel (though no so pleased with how the consumption is looking - but my MJ was very good averaging just over 66mpg over the six years I had it). I guess I should try turning off ECO mode and see how that feels!