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General Best way to drive a TA 4x4 Cross

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General Best way to drive a TA 4x4 Cross

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gloomyandy

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I'm finding my new 4x4 Cross a little strange to drive after owning a 4x4 1.3MJ for a number of years and I'd wonder how to get the best from it. Most of my driving is motorway miles and in my MJ I typically averaged around 65mpg or better. With the new TA so far I'm struggling to get better the 40mpg. I've also found that in the default "ECO mode" that the car will struggle to hold 70mph going up some motorway hills in 6th gear (though it seems just about OK if I turn eco mode off). So far I have around 1800 miles on the engine so I've been trying to be gentle with it and have as far as possible been following the shift indicator (but it seems to indicate upshifts much sooner than I would normally choose).

Is this sort of performance normal with this engine? Any tips for getting the best out of it? Oh and if it matters I think my cross has the 85hp version (but see the other thread for the gory details of that story!).
 
varesecrazy more mechanically sympathetic than me. 40mpg is about right. Can get late 40's if using A roads too and motorway 55-60. But lot of hard work. Will however pull at 20 in 3rd and pull on motorway in 4th for 50-70. Eco lot better on the flat now at urban speeds but my TA 4x4 has done 43k. Expect 220 miles tops off a tankful and use Super Unleaded. Car lot more flexible at low speeds and linear when you rev it. Just don't expect better mpg whatever happens. Had all Panda engines since '04 excluding the 1.1 and the 2012 shape diesels. The Twin Air is the best, but is an acquired taste.
 
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gloomyandy said:
...as far as possible been following the shift indicator (but it seems to indicate upshifts much sooner than I would normally choose).
Click to expand...
It delivers peak torque at 1900 rpm, so will encourage gear changes to keep near that engine speed. The 4x4 MJ shows similar tendencies, as it too has max torque at just 1500rpm. No point revving either above about 2500rpm - although max power is at higher revs, there's less torque as the revs rise, so better economy and potentially more acceleration possible in the higher gear because you drop the engine speed back into the peak torque band.
 
Mmm, I never see 40s (4x4 TA 63K) but then local driving rather than motorways. Definitely see improved mpg with SuperUnleaded so cash neutral in the end. I think the combined test figure quoted, 37mpg, is fair and reasonable.
 
1800 miles..!!

Our panda is now on 15,000
And its still TIGHT ..

My punto TA is lovely..at 50k...
But took until 20k to free.off

The shift indicator is for MPG ;)

BUT when the motor is so tight I would keep revs a touch higher....and/or only use eco when up to temp and rolling ;)


Weve only had our panda 6 months.. from 12k to 15k

It has been noticably better after 2 hour 60+ mph runs.. can run ECO more readily.

Its the flexibilty it gains that helps the MPG ;)

My punto when under 1k miles would only pull 6th downhill :eek:
 
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As a newbie, my reading of the situation appears to be that the TA is a great engine but needs to be put through it's paces in order to get the best from it. Is that a fair summary?

Looking to the future, a 4x4 could be on the horizon for me and I don't think that relatively poor fuel consumption figures would put me off, but perhaps there are other disadvantages which haven't been discussed? The waste-gate issue only appears to be at higher mileages which wouldn't affect me.

So far, I'm happy with the 1.2, It's not at all powerful but steady through the revs and quite frugal. I could easily live with 38/40mpg if the trade off was a bit of fun.
 
My 13 plate 4x4 TA has just passed the 80,000 mile mark. My advice? Forget ECO, it's dangerously slow, making the car hopelessly unresponsive. It takes 8-10,000 miles for the engine to free up. Ignore the change indicator - it causes the engine to labour heavily. Keep the revs between 1500 and 5000. The TA pulls like a stream train even in sixth gear - mine romps up the miles-long climb to the San Gottardo tunnel with a good load of wine and olive oil - and two passengers. I get around 42mpg - a bit less around Devon and a bit more on its dozen or so trips to central Italy - partly because of main road cruising (it would do 90 mph all day with something in hand if it wasn't for all those speed cameras) and partly because of warmer conditions, which make quite a difference.

I normally start in first and slip into second almost straight away; for rapid getaways (?getsaway) I use second and feed the clutch in while keeping the revs up - surprisingly quick.
 
TA motor in our 4x4 and have no issues in ECO keeping up with the rest of the traffic, 6th gear on dual-carriageway/motorway at A steady 70mph, at that it returns ~45-47mpg at least. Granted not much overtaking power at that speed, but knocking ECO off or indeed Dropping a gear gives sufficient oomph to pick up another 5-10mph readily.
Maybe just got a good ‘un? ?? Definitely freed up a bit around 10k Miles.
We run in ECO 95% of the time and it’s perfectly fine for keeping up with the traffic. As a biker, I’m not one for hanging about, either. As it runs smoother (with less ‘pulsing’ torque), I’m hoping it’ll keep the DMF in good shape for a little longer.
 
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I've lost count on how many vehicles I've driven over the decades, some high end customer marks back in the 70's & the difference now & then is quite remarkable, a wee engine car, even the one litre cars can give a bit of poke compared to even larger cars of yesteryear. Obviously you are going to adhere to the speed restrictions in town etc, but when the situation arises;) well a good Italian service is just the ticket with any car.

Personally I'm in the position not to be bothered with miles per gallon.Again personally asking how to drive a car is to akin to asking how to make love to a beautiful women, if you don't know that, well!!! practice makes perfect as they say...;)
 
So all I need to do is keep the revs below 2000 doing what the shift indicator says while just driving it hard (up to 5000 rpm) and ignoring the shift indicator completely :) Sounds about right!

I suppose I should have expected a range of answers!

On a serious note are any of you driving a late 2018 or 2019 TA? It seems that FIAT may have had to do some work to meet the newer tests and I wonder if that has changed how they drive (especially when in eco mode - which is now on by default every time you start the car)?

My TA is OK in 6th at 70 on the flat or small inclines, but on the hills of the M62 it most certainly can not hold that speed, definitely need to drop a gear for that. Perhaps it will loosen up a little as it gains more miles?
 
I wasn't joking, life's too short, & who knows what the government & councils will come up with in the future to take any fun left when you're behind the wheel. Enjoy your chosen weapon, sorry vehicle while you can....:devil:
 
Fully agree Jimboy - you drive it how you want! It’s your car, your money and your choice.
I’m just always a little surprised when I hear tales of ECO mode being ‘dangerously slow’ or struggling to maintain speed. Ours drives just like a regular city car in ECO and like quite a grunty city car with it off. I wonder what these cars are being compared to?
Comparing 0.9L petrol and 1.3L diesel cars, it is perhaps unsurprising to hear the Diesel has better mid-range in-gear grunt, or higher mpg - that’s what diesels do well. Compared to other 1.0L petrol city cars, the motor is torquey and powerful and CAN be economical. Context is everything.
 
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GloomyAndy - I’d suggest your TA is still very tight, we took my wife’s 4x4 TA round the M25 last night at an easy 70mph, with 2x adults and 2x kids in, with very little recourse to downchanging to 5th, even for overtaking.
 
babbo_umbro said:
My 13 plate 4x4 TA has just passed the 80,000 mile mark. My advice? Forget ECO, it's dangerously slow, making the car hopelessly unresponsive. It takes 8-10,000 miles for the engine to free up. Ignore the change indicator - it causes the engine to labour heavily. Keep the revs between 1500 and 5000. The TA pulls like a stream train even in sixth gear - mine romps up the miles-long climb to the San Gottardo tunnel with a good load of wine and olive oil - and two passengers. I get around 42mpg - a bit less around Devon and a bit more on its dozen or so trips to central Italy - partly because of main road cruising (it would do 90 mph all day with something in hand if it wasn't for all those speed cameras) and partly because of warmer conditions, which make quite a difference.

I normally start in first and slip into second almost straight away; for rapid getaways (?getsaway) I use second and feed the clutch in while keeping the revs up - surprisingly quick.
Click to expand...

My 2017 4x4 was as you say, but the new one (2019) is completely different, so I can see there are some differences somewhere. The new car is vastly more economical too. I use eco most of the time because it defaults there on starting and it goes perfectly OK in this mode. With eco off the new car goes much more like the old 100HP that preceded them both which is a real bonus.
 
The Panda Nut said:
My 2017 4x4 was as you say, but the new one (2019) is completely different, so I can see there are some differences somewhere. The new car is vastly more economical too. I use eco most of the time because it defaults there on starting and it goes perfectly OK in this mode. With eco off the new car goes much more like the old 100HP that preceded them both which is a real bonus.
Click to expand...

My 2018 TA 4x4 has only done 5200 odd miles (we have two cars a camper, nine motorbikes, a scooter and two electric bikes!!) and is clearly not yet fully loosened up it does around 37/38 mpg running about and up to 42/43 on longer runs, and I'm looking forward to getting it well loose. I have lost track of how many cars and bikes I have owned/driven in some 66 years but I can say, for all round fun and practicality the TA 4x4 Panda is second to none.:)
 
Motorcyclist Colin said:
My 2018 TA 4x4 has only done 5200 odd miles (we have two cars a camper, nine motorbikes, a scooter and two electric bikes!!) and is clearly not yet fully loosened up it does around 37/38 mpg running about and up to 42/43 on longer runs, and I'm looking forward to getting it well loose. I have lost track of how many cars and bikes I have owned/driven in some 66 years but I can say, for all round fun and practicality the TA 4x4 Panda is second to none.:)
Click to expand...

There’s something about the TwinAir that appeals to the bikers and those familiar with older, lower tech, motors (despite that in itself it’s quite high-tech!).
I just took the wife’s to drop off the eldest at cub scouts and I was noticing how it’s quite similar to the old A-Series Mini - it’s got a gruffness about it and that strong mid-range - just like the A-series - that I find endearing, but some would think is unrefined. Similar induction-roar too, when you put your foot down. It’s a fun little thing and encourages you to be cheeky blattering around the multi-storey or nipping through town, again, just like those original Minis.
 
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Panda 4x4 TA Antarctica said:
There’s something about the TwinAir that appeals to the bikers and those familiar with older, lower tech, motors (despite that in itself it’s quite high-tech!).
I just took the wife’s to drop off the eldest at cub scouts and I was noticing how it’s quite similar to the old A-Series Mini - it’s got a gruffness about it and that strong mid-range - just like the A-series - that I find endearing, but some would think is unrefined. Similar induction-roar too, when you put your foot down. It’s a fun little thing and encourages you to be cheeky blattering around the multi-storey or nipping through town, again, just like those original Minis.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree with everything you say. it would have been fabulous at the old Motocross. I had huge fun with a 1936 Ford 8 until I was overturned and written off (the car - not me! Oh I dunno, !!!):p
 
I have a (late) 2018 TA Cross, is now fully freed up after 19000km/11k miles. I never bothered with fuel consumption, it is too nice to drive. In comparison, our other car is a 300bhp Cupra Ateca, and both the wife and myself don't mind driving the Panda. Especially in the city, unbeatable.

Fuel consumption, with a healthy mix of highway, inner city, free traffic and open road, and offroad use: 34mpg.
 
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