Before Fiat goes ahead with their planned gamble to launch a crossover version of the 500, they gave the treatment to the less important Panda to see how things work out. The result is the Fiat Panda Cross, a rugged, versatile version of the city car which will make its debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show next month.
The transformation to a semi-off-roader for the Panda has not been easy, and you can tell that just by looking at it. To put it mildly, the car is not easy on the eyes. The good news is, all the extra bits like the new sills and mouldings, under body protection, the oversized wheels, and the jacked-up suspension are very functional. They give the car capabilities that a standard Panda cannot even dream about.
It is not just fake off-road garnish that sets the Fiat Panda Cross apart. It also comes with ‘Torque-on-Demand’ all-wheel drive, Electronic Stability Control, Electronic Locking Differential and Hill Descent all standard. It even has a Range Rover-like Terrain Control selector that alters different parameters to help you with deal better with the terrain you are driving on.
As for the engines, Fiat Panda Cross will launch with two engines, including updated versions of the existing 0.9 TwinAir Turbo with 90 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque, and the 1.3 MultiJet II turbo-diesel with 80 horsepower and 190 Nm. Both are small and weak enough to deliver excellent fuel economy, so we won’t bore you with numbers. Just know that they are both 57+ mpg engines.
It is a very good idea to have the practicality and economy of a small city car with the some off-road capabilities. We just wish this Fiat Panda Cross looked a bit prettier.
