2025 Fiat Grande Panda: small SUV gets mild hybrid and electric power

On sale December 2024 | Price from £20,000 (est)

In the wild, Giant Pandas are notoriously shy, only venturing into areas where humans live if they’re driven by hunger or fleeing from danger. The new Fiat Grande Panda, on the other hand, couldn’t be more sociable if it tried.

From its bright yellow paintwork to its rufty-tufty body cladding, the new Grande Panda is a small SUV which will have no trouble attracting attention. People won’t even need to ask what it’s called, because the Panda name is stamped into the doors and spelt out on the boot lid. The car’s headlights are LED units which form part of a checked visor running the width of the Panda – and transform into indicators when you signal to turn.

Based on new underpinnings already in use in the recently launched Citroën C3 and e-C3, the Grande Panda will join that car in being offered with electric and mild hybrid power from the outset. Other rivals include the petrol-powered Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Cross, as well as fully electric models such as the Dacia Spring and MG ZS EV.

The mild hybrid option is expected to take the lion’s share of sales in the UK, and is based around a 99bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine and small electric motor. We've already sampled that engine in the C3 without the mild hybrid assistance, and though it can struggle on faster roads, it has no trouble in providing peppy performance around town.

The electric version, meanwhile, is powered by a 111bhp electric motor and a 43.7kWh (usable) battery that delivers an official range of 195 miles – more than you'll get from a Spring, but slightly less than a ZS EV. The battery also has a maximum charging rate of 100kW, which means a 20-80% charge takes around 26 minutes (the same as its sibling, the e-C3). A full charge with a 7kW home charger is expected to take around seven hours.

Given the Panda’s positioning as a global model for Fiat, and that its new underpinnings can support a wide range of power options, it’s possible that a four-wheel drive mild hybrid version could be offered. Fiat is yet to confirm this, however.

Inside, a large oval-shaped instrument binnacle houses a 10in digital driver’s display and 10.25in touchscreen, the latter of which houses a new infotainment system that has the potential to use artificial intelligence for the voice controls. Thankfully, there’s a bank of physical toggles below the central screen for the climate controls, which should be easier to operate while driving than the touchscreen-based controls you get in the BYD Dolphin.

Along with the tech, there are some fun styling details dotted around the interior, including an old-style Fiat logo on the steering wheel, a pocket-sized original Panda on the edge of the instrument binnacle, as well as rectangular air vents that mimic the taillights.

We’ve had the chance to sit inside the new Panda and can confirm it’s a very pleasant place to sit. It’s bright and airy, which is helped by the big windows and boxy shape, plus the mix of materials, textures and colours give it a youthful feel. Interior quality isn’t the best, with plenty of hard and scratchy plastics dotted around the place, but this is to be expected at this price point.

Space is surprisingly good considering the car’s small dimensions. There’s a good amount of head and leg room up front, and there’s plenty of adjustment for the driver’s seat and steering wheel. In the back seats, those over six-feet tall will find leg room a bit tight, but head room is reasonable.

In the boot, the Grande Panda offers up to 361 litres of space for the hybrid and electric versions. That’s less than what a Kamiq, T-Cross or ZS EV offers, but it should have more than enough room for a large weekly shop or a couple of carry-on suitcases.

The Grande Panda is the first of a new line-up of models inspired by the original Fiat Panda. Eventually, it will be joined by a coupé SUV and a larger SUV. The full line-up should be on sale by 2027, and all will be available with both hybrid and electric power.

Prices for the mild hybrid version of the Grande Panda are expected to start from around £20,000, with the electric model priced from around £22,000. In both cases, this could make it one of the most affordable small SUVs and electric SUVs on sale, undercutting both the petrol-powered Kamiq and T-Cross, as well as the fully electric ZS EV.

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