"Back to the future": Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid - a gadget for time travel

Retro is currently the buzzword when it comes to new cars. After Fiat recently launched its "great car" from the 1980s as the electrified Grande Panda, the cuddly SUV is now set to conquer the hybrid market.

"Back to the future" – few things are currently more apt to describe the new car market than the title of the classic 1985 film: R4, R5, Ford Capri... Fiat is aiming to revive the Panda's success story. The practical, angularly styled small car made company history, with more than four million units sold between 1980 and 2003. At the time, its designer, Giorgetto Giugaro, described it as a "household appliance on wheels."

Today, one would probably call it a gadget. The "want-to-have" reflex is certainly present with the Grande Panda. This is due to the successful design, which appeals with its references to the original Panda and clever new ideas. For example, as with the 4x4 all-wheel drive vehicles of the past, the Panda logo is stamped into the doors. The tailgate is also adorned with embossed Fiat lettering, a further homage to the original Panda.

Inside, design references to the dashboard, with its 10-inch display behind the steering wheel and the centrally positioned 10.25-inch monitor, are reminiscent of the Lingotto test track on the roof – including a stylized mini-panda in the dashboard surround, driving through a banked curve. The rest of the dashboard in our test car, the top-of-the-line La Prima trim level, also features an innovative bamboo look – also a reference to the historic cockpit.

Fiat wants to make Grande Panda a global car

Following the launch of the electric version, the angular electric successor to the original Panda is now hitting the streets as a hybrid. It is powered by a three-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 74 kW/101 hp from a 1.2-liter displacement. The turbo gasoline engine is combined with a mild hybrid system. Its electric motor delivers an additional 21 kW/28.6 hp and is powered by a 48-volt lithium-ion battery. The system is integrated into the six-speed dual-clutch transmission (eDCT), which was specifically developed for electric drivetrains and transfers the engine power to the front wheels.

Like its electric sibling, the Grande Panda Hybrid is based on the new, flexible Stellantis "Smart Car" platform, which can be used with a variety of powertrains. It is the second model, after the Citroën C3, to be produced on the "Smart Car" platform. A pure gasoline engine with a manual transmission will be added to the range later. And the legendary 4x4, which in its original form is still a popular everyday companion in Italy's mountain villages, is also set to be reborn in the new Grande Panda guise and possibly hit the market as early as the end of 2026. From electric to hybrid to combustion engine – Fiat is simply turning current automotive evolution on its head for the Grande Panda.

The demands are high. The Grande Panda is intended to be Fiat's new global car, with 300,000 vehicles to be produced annually at three locations. This starts in Germany with a competitive base price of €18,990 for the Pop variant. Our test car costs around €23,500. However, for that price, you get a practically fully equipped car with automatic climate control, a rearview camera, a heated steering wheel and front seats, 17-inch wheels, and LED headlights and taillights.

Grande Panda has the potential to be a bestseller

The seats offer truly decent lateral support for a car in this price range and are comfortable, the steering is pleasantly linear, and the drivetrain is surprisingly agile. The chassis, including the usual EU-mandated electronic aids, also made a solid impression, especially when it came to anti-skid in truly torrential rain. Smoothing out the country's typical road bumps is also effortless.

Despite its compact dimensions, the Grande Panda offers ample space, thanks primarily to its generous 2.54-meter wheelbase for its class. Whether you'd want to take five people on long-distance expeditions in this impressive vehicle—as in its forefather—is debatable. But for everyday driving, there's absolutely enough room, especially since the trunk volume of 412 liters can be expanded to up to 1,366 liters by folding down the rear seat.

The Fiat Grande Panda evokes positive emotions both while driving and while stationary. The successful blend of retro and contemporary compact SUV could indeed make the 21st-century Grande Panda a new bestseller.