Fiat Panda in Beautiful Lombardia

DREAMING OF THE FAMOUS CINQUECENTO

I have never driven a Fiat 500. Throughout all the years I could drive, this Italian icon did all it could to avoid me. All the famous Cinquecento, popular both as a modern city car and an interesting classic, slipped away at every single occasion I have had. I decided to change it once and for all! Going to Italy for this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza I decided to rent the new Fiat 500 and take it for a short test and picturesque photoshoot. What better car there is to fit the beautiful landscapes of Lombardia?

SLIGHT DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE AIRPORT

When my flight landed in Bergamo my heart skipped a beat. In few moments I will sit at the wheel of the Italian automotive icon – a faster and a bit more modern incarnation of the legend. Having those expectations, when Europcar told me all 500s are gone, the disappointment was all the greater. Instead, I was given the keys to… Fiat Panda. Slightly upset I picked up the keys and found my companion for the next four days. In the meanwhile, I recalled it was actually the 2nd generation Panda I passed my driving license on – and those good memories blew the bad feelings away.

SHORT HISTORY AND SOME TECHNICAL FACTS

What Panda and 500 have in common is that they both have quite a bit of history. First Panda came off the assembly line in 1980 and the tested model is 3rd generation of this Italian city car, rocking the roads since 2011. Under the hood we can find an inline-four, gasoline-powered 1242ccm engine producing 69HP. The power unit characterizes itself with rather small torque of 102Nm, reached at 3000rpm. Was it sufficient for the mountainous roads of Lombardia? Let’s check it out!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

After a longer while at the parking lot spent on searching for the air-conditioning button, meticulously hidden in the air outlet knob, I hit the road. Despite the technical data could indicate otherwise, the small Fiat was eager to accelerate showing how swift it is starting from the parking lot ramp. The fact that I was travelling alone doubtlessly helped it, but the car is very light itself, weighing in at just above a tonne.

Driving on the highway to Como I had the chance to check how does the Panda do at higher speeds. Here came another surprise. An optimal speed for this city car is 110km/h, and even though it can easily go faster, at 130km/h it starts getting a little bit loud – the wind drag and tiny engine are not the best combination. After arriving at Como I decided to give my little Panda a break and took a walk to admire the always amazing panoramic view.

LOOSING HER BREATH AND DOWNHILL CHASE

The next day I decided to take the Fiat for a short trip to the mountains, around marvelous surrounding lakes. We started in the morning towards Lago di Lugano and although on the flatter roads the engine was doing great, it lost its breath on the uphill – all within the expectations.

Mountainous winding roads are definitely not the natural habitat of Fiat Panda, which doubtlessly is at its best in cities and towns – as it was designed for. Quite long climbs finished with hairpins required frequent downshifts and a bit of an effort from my side. The latter brought my attention to a fantastic steering wheel, slightly flattened at its bottom and well-matched for this class gearbox. The entire cockpit is very ergonomic and placed closed to the steering wheel gearstick makes the shifting fast and swift.

Despite Panda struggled at the climbs and maybe even jammed the traffic a little bit, it was more than capable at the downhill, with the help of really good brakes. Going down I felt really comfortable and I could delay the braking by quite a while. It was a positive surprise taking into account that the discs are only on the front axle, with the rear equipped in just drums. Driving alone definitely helped, and with four more people it could have been a different story.

THOUGHT THROUGH INTERIOR WITH ATTENTION TO DETAILS

I parked right at the shore of Lago di Lugano in the city of Porlezza and decided to take a closer look to the interior. It is definitely based on a rounded square motive all throughout and can be found in almost every part – from the dials, AC and radio switches, the gearstick, airbag cover, speakers and even the doorhandles. Despite using this shape everywhere, it is not disturbing. The interior is very coherent and made of materials matching the car’s price range. Nothing squeaks or creaks.

What made a big impression on me was the gearstick finishing (obviously squared) made out of see-through rubber and the door sides finishing. The latter are plastic, but with embossed all-throughout with small “Panda” lettering – it is a tiny detail, but implemented in such a basic car makes a difference. The seats are comfortable and allow for medium range travel. I tested the rear seating only when photographing the dashboard, but surprisingly, it had quite a bit of space. It will fit two adults up to 180cm, struggling only at knee-space.

The boot is relatively small but sufficient – it will hold the luggage up to 225 liters. We need to remember this is a city car - so even though it will usually carry the shopping, it can still allow a couple to go for a weekend trip outside the town.

WAVING THE PANDA GOODBYE

My last day with the charismatic Fiat I spent driving north of Como. I turned off the radio and AC, lowered down the windows and decided to fully enjoy driving this little charm. Although we are speaking here about a 10 thousand Euros car, the third generation Panda gives lots of driving joy.

The compact is well made, functional, amazingly consistent in its design and… very efficient. During my four-day adventure I drove a bit more than four hundred kilometres, during which the engine needed just six litres of gas per every hundred. In my book it is a great result, given the fact we travelled mostly on highways and steep serpentines. Additionally – and I have no doubt about this whatsoever – Panda is a car with a soul.

To summarize, if you are searching for a small daily drive to hit the city roads – 3rd generation Fiat Panda is a very good choice. I was disappointed for not being able to drive the Fiat 500 and because of that we started off the wrong foot with Panda. However, after four days together she showed me that it does not need to prove anything and feels good in her own skin… for more than four decades!

Text & Photos: Adam Pekala ©