The Grande Panda signals FIAT’s return to Europe’s B-segment (supermini class) - and it is a comeback on a genuinely “Grand” scale.
FIAT went seven years without a B-segment model in Europe, following the end of the Grande Punto in 2018. That gap has been particularly painful for a brand whose biggest sales volumes sit in the lower end of the market.
The Grande Panda is designed to fill that hole, and it is FIAT’s first model built on Stellantis’ Smart Car platform, already seen in the Citroën C3 and the Opel Frontera. The engine choices mirror those cars too: an electric version with 113 hp and a petrol hybrid with 110 hp.
We have already driven the electric Grande Panda - watch (or rewatch) our video test - and it left a very strong impression. However, the Hybrid is more affordable and, because it does not carry a battery under the floor, that change brings some… positive side effects. Here is what you need to know.
The biggest boot in the class
Inside, the cabin feels impressively roomy: comfortable for four adults plus a child. Headroom is generous (around four fingers between head and roof for 1.80 m occupants), and there is respectable legroom as well.
Set against the FIAT Grande Panda electric, the hybrid sits higher off the ground (by 2.2 cm) and gives a more natural leg position thanks to a lower floor - a direct benefit of not packaging a battery beneath the cabin. All-round visibility is strong, and the rear seats being mounted higher than the fronts creates a theatre-like, amphitheatre view out.
At 412 litres, the boot is the largest in the segment (50 litres more than the electric), and with the rear seats folded it expands to 1366 litres. The boxy body shape helps make the most of the available space, even if there are steps between the loading floor and the boot opening.
Digital simplicity
FIAT’s designers have clearly tried to make the cabin feel as cheerful as possible. You will spot coloured accents around the air vents, along with contrast stitching on the seats.
A 10" digital instrument display and a 10.25" central touchscreen sit within a surround shaped to echo the oval outline of the historic Lingotto factory test track - complete with a small car graphic that looks like it is lapping the circuit. Climate control keeps physical buttons, and there is wireless charging plus wireless mirroring for compatible smartphones.
The transmission selector is shared with other Stellantis models. Materials are mostly hard plastics, but the overall build feels robust.
The glovebox lid drops down rather than lowering gently (typical for this class), yet there is also a second upper storage area. That upper compartment can be trimmed in a bamboo-fibre-based fabric - a playful nod to the panda’s favourite food. It is a packaging solution made possible by relocating the airbag.
Dynamics approved
This mild-hybrid set-up combines a 29 hp electric motor (55 Nm) built into the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine (101 hp and 205 Nm). Total output is 110 hp, although the combined peak torque figure has not been published. It is the same powertrain already used in cars such as the Citroën C3, Jeep Avenger and Opel Frontera.
On the road, the FIAT Grande Panda Hybrid comes across as well judged. Comfort does not quite match the ë-C3, which uses hydraulic bump stops, but the balance between composure and ride comfort is convincing. The semi-rigid rear axle can struggle to fully smother sharper potholes, yet the overall response is smoother than the electric version, which has to deal with the battery’s extra mass.
The steering weighting feels well suited to town driving, although with three turns lock-to-lock it demands more arm work in tight manoeuvres. Braking is a highlight, thanks to a progressive response from the very start of the pedal travel.
In-gear acceleration benefits from the electric motor’s assistance, which helps mask the petrol engine’s softer low-rev response (it runs a Miller cycle, prioritising efficiency). The 0–100 km/h time of 10 s improves on the electric model, and the 160 km/h top speed is higher too.
You can drive on electric power only for short stretches, using energy recovered during braking and lift-off, but the battery capacity is just 0.8 kWh - 50 times smaller than that of the electric Grande Panda.
There are no dedicated drive modes, though the gearbox includes an “L” setting that makes downshifts more eager. Without paddles or a manual control, this feature can still provide a useful engine-braking effect on steeper descents.
The e-DCT gearbox deserves specific praise for how smoothly it switches between petrol and electric operation, with no obvious torque interruption during changes. The 48 V battery also supplies the comfort and safety systems.
As for fuel economy, on a 156 km route driven at a more spirited pace than usual, we saw an average of 7.2 l/100 km - higher than the official 5.1 l/100 km, but still reasonable for this kind of first drive. We will need a longer test in Portugal to assess consumption in different scenarios.
Hybrid is only the beginning
The FIAT Grande Panda Hybrid is the first version to reach showrooms, starting at €18,600 for the Pop, €20,100 for the Icon shown here, and €22,600 for the range-topping La Prima.
Closer to the end of the year, a petrol-only Grande Panda with a manual gearbox will arrive, with a more tempting entry price for the line-up - expected to come in around €15,000.
Beyond that, the 4×4 - recently previewed as a concept car - is also due later on. It will be the most expensive combustion-engined variant, yet it should still sit below the price of the fully electric version.
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