General Uconnect app
- Thread starter Lorna87
- Start date
Currently reading:
General Uconnect app
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Uconnect is the slang for blutooth radio and you then need Panda app on a smart phone. As long as you dont rely on voice app to make phone calls its tolerable but you need to use the Panda app to see what music you have on your devices. I can now get it playing off the phone and a 64Gig stick. Phone displays biggish buttons for Nav and music, A number of Nav apps are included. It gives a where's my Panda display when out of the car which tells you where it was when you were last connected and a few things like service miles remaining, oil level and tyre pressures which is fun if nothing else. I find the holder very good for navigation. The cars with two USBs only charge from one and the charge output is poor. My dealer told me to get a 2.1A USB adapter and charge from the cigar lighter. If this is really needed its disgraceful. I suspect the advice is sound as I have had the phone run flat.... just as I got to central Manchester and needed the nav! There are lots of moans on here about the system (me included) but if you work within its limitations and laugh rather than grinding your teeth at the voice activation system its fine for a cheap system in a basic car. You can download the Panda App free and have a nose a around it. Pairing is OK once you find it, from the steering wheel buttons. I suspect you will love the car if its your first. The 2021 models may be very different as they have a built in display screen. I am referring to my 2019 model.
Last edited:
The new 2021 model has a much more complete uConnect installation, with a large, touch screen 'radio' more akin to that in models like the 500X, and no longer needing to use the rather poor 'Panda Connect' app. So, if you are getting a *new* Panda next year, you will be better off that we (those with 2018/19) cars are.
For me, my 2018 version, I've stopped using the Panda app, but find that Apple Siri works well (even if the 'radio' is turned off, it comes 'on' to give bluetooth connection to the phone when Siri wakes the phone up), and I can call up playlists from Apple Music which happily play through the car's speakers, all hands fee (using 'Hey Siri' to control it.)
I also use the Waze app using voice control (Siri can open Waze and take an address as a spoken command), and this all seems to work pretty well.
My Panda has two USB sockets (one in glovebox and one by the cradle), and the cradle one seems to be happily able to keep the phone at 100% charge while using Waze (or Google Maps) on a long journey (Hertfordshire to Leeds for example) without any issues (that's using an iPhone Xr, which needs a fairly high-powered charger). I believe on later models, where the glovebox socket was dropped, the cradle socket has a lower power output - it that right?)
As ThePandaNut says, Fiat's own 'Panda App' is pretty clunky and really best avoided.
For me, my 2018 version, I've stopped using the Panda app, but find that Apple Siri works well (even if the 'radio' is turned off, it comes 'on' to give bluetooth connection to the phone when Siri wakes the phone up), and I can call up playlists from Apple Music which happily play through the car's speakers, all hands fee (using 'Hey Siri' to control it.)
I also use the Waze app using voice control (Siri can open Waze and take an address as a spoken command), and this all seems to work pretty well.
My Panda has two USB sockets (one in glovebox and one by the cradle), and the cradle one seems to be happily able to keep the phone at 100% charge while using Waze (or Google Maps) on a long journey (Hertfordshire to Leeds for example) without any issues (that's using an iPhone Xr, which needs a fairly high-powered charger). I believe on later models, where the glovebox socket was dropped, the cradle socket has a lower power output - it that right?)
As ThePandaNut says, Fiat's own 'Panda App' is pretty clunky and really best avoided.
Last edited:
I read somewhere (maybe here?) that the new touchscreen on 2021 variants is not for us in the UK, as Fiat have decided it isn’t worth retooling the dashboard of a fag-end model for the very few units it expects to sell in RHD markets. 2021 models here get the same uConnect head unit as fitted to your 2018 (and my 2020) Panda.
I agree Fiat’s Panda app isn’t worth bothering with. I’ve given up on it. Not least because the audio player choices don’t extend to podcast players like Overcast.
