General New order Panda Cross TwinAir

[TempraTDSX]

Hi All,

Finding ourselves once again returning to FIAT after 5 years ownership of a Chrysler Ypsilon Limited 1.3 MJ with all the trimmings (now up for sale). Sad to see the Ypsilon go as it's far more luxurious than a Panda and will miss the huge double Skydome roof. BUT, having moved to Rural Bucks, I've just ordered a White Panda TwinAir Cross with all the extras. However, haven't test drove one so hope I've done the right thing!

Any Cross Panda's out there with Tales to tell?

 

[crossman]

Hi there Tempra, welcome to the forum, you've made a good choice with the Cross, I have had one a couple of months now, and I had the 4x4 before this, great little cars. If you look on the Panda Classic section, look for the 1st National Panday Peak District heading. There are some great pics of the classic 4x4 pandas, and a video of them and my Cross going up a steep rocky green lane, enjoy?

 

[gar074]

Hi Tempra, the Cross will certainly get you noticed! I've had mine since May, and am generally happy with it, apart from the disappointing fuel consumption. It's surprisingly nippy with the TA, and generally quite fun to drive, with decent handling/roadholding (allowing for the fact that it's quite tall and narrow) and a comfortable ride on most surfaces. The interior isn't brilliant (the driving position is compromised and the seats are poorly shaped) but then it's still a Panda. As for the main reason people buy them - their capacity to deal with all conditions - I haven't yet had a chance to put mine to the test, although it coped admirably with 6" of flood water yesterday. Hope you enjoy it when it arrives!

 

[Panda 4x4 TA Antarctica]

You'll love your Panda - enjoy!
PS - we were noticing again today (cresting a particularly steeply angled driveway where others were bottoming out) how useful the extra ride height etc is on a CITY car! Let alone if you actually go off-road!

 

[samol]

Hi there Tempra, welcome to the forum, you've made a good choice with the Cross, I have had one a couple of months now, and I had the 4x4 before this, great little cars. If you look on the Panda Classic section, look for the 1st National Panday Peak District heading. There are some great pics of the classic 4x4 pandas, and a video of them and my Cross going up a steep rocky green lane, enjoy?

Nice video, How do yo think the cross compared with the classics off road?
I imagine, like me, you might of been a little cautious with a 2015 car!


As for owning a cross, I've had mine for 6 months now & love it, I still look forward to driving it. We live in Cumbria with lots of small roads and mountain passes & it suits where we live perfectly. I've not had the pleasure of a harsh winter with it yet.

As everyone else suggests MPG is a disappointment but it you go into the ownership knowing that and are prepared then it doesn't hurt so much. I'm averaging 40+ and thats with a roof rack on permanently and quite often bikes or a kayak on the roof. Carful driving can see 45mpg+ but wheres the fun in that?
Mine hardly ever ventures out of the county so not many motorway miles for me.
I hope you enjoy your Cross

 

[crossman]

Hi Samol, glad you liked the video, this is the third event I have been on with the classic 4x4 Pandas. They are brilliant and very capable off road, and apart from some creature comforts and technology they are as capable if not better sometimes than the modern Pandas. I don't have a problem with using a new car, as the first trip out was in my first 2010 Cross, and the second in a 2013 4x4. They are off road vehicles and cope very well in all conditions, hope you enjoy yours to?

 

[babbo_umbro]

Hi there Tempra, welcome to the forum, you've made a good choice with the Cross, I have had one a couple of months now, and I had the 4x4 before this, great little cars. If you look on the Panda Classic section, look for the 1st National Panday Peak District heading. There are some great pics of the classic 4x4 pandas, and a video of them and my Cross going up a steep rocky green lane, enjoy?

Looks like great fun; by the way, is the yellow Cross a diesel or TA?

 

[crossman]

It is great fun, the Cross is a diesel.

 

[babbo_umbro]

It is great fun, the Cross is a diesel.

The reason why I asked is because it looked as though the TA's lower first gear would have been a help, which I have found going up and down mountain tracks in Italy and, to a lesser extent, across Dartmoor.

 

[crossman]

You may have a point with the lower gearing. Although I was going a little slower than I would normally, as the family was on board absolutely petrified, so I did lose some momentum. So out of the three Pandas I have used on these trips the latest one with the most technology and gadgets, gets into trouble! To be fair though if I had walked the hill first and hit it the right speed I think it would have gone up quite easily.