Tested here with the Fiat’s tiny 0.9-litre two-cylinder engine, the latest 4×4 version of the Panda supermini represents a much smaller and lower-emitting alternative to conventional four-wheel drive vehicles.
But as full of character as the Twinair engine is, it’s also loud and, due to its miniscule displacement, needs to be revved hard, which means it isn’t as refined as conventional units at speed and is, in reality, unlikely to achieve the official 57.6mpg that Fiat claims.
The 4×4 also suffers from a below-par RV figure of 27% and questionable build quality. Even so, it’s still an interesting little car with good visibility and a comfortable ride.
As genuine 4x4s go, this is as clean (114g/km) and almost as cheap as you can get – the low-rent Dacia Duster is cheaper but much less efficient – but the slightly pricier Multijet diesel Panda may be more appropriate for fleet users, most likely public sector types who need affordable four-wheel drive.
