0.9 TwinAir Wild 4x4

An absolute cracker

Earlier this year (2023) I part-exchanged my 2020 Fiat Panda 1.2 Waze for a barely-used very low mileage Panda 4x4 Wild T/A 85 - and I wish I'd bought one years ago.

The reasons were two-fold...I discovered my Panda Waze 1.2 wasn't homologated to tow anything whatsoever (apparently, they were up until the 2018/9MY) - and I'd wanted to get a small trailer for transporting camping gear and for 'tip' runs - and I'd long fancied buying a 4x4 because of its genuine all-round ability in all conditions.

It hasn't disappointed.

Granted, one will either love or hate the TwinAir Turbo engine's ro(a)rtiness: coming from having owned a 1.2 Fire engined Panda - that venerable unit was smooth and quiet compared to the T/A, but having owned and ridden a fair few medium-capacity in-line twin and V-twin motorbikes over the decades, somehow the T/A is a reminder of those days!

Fuel consumption is a very reasonable 48mpg in mixed conditions, so I'm at a loss as to how some owners are barely achieving 40mpg. Although the answer to that might possibly be that they're driving around with the engine set to its 'default' ECO setting. On one recent trip to Edinburgh I left it in ECO mode on the way up and deactivated ECO on the return leg (ie: full-power mode): the Panda was about 5mpg more economical - and way more fun - in full-power mode.

And there's my one complaint with the car: I'd prefer if the 'default' setting was full-power with ECO being the low-power alternative (as was the case with some Renaults and Dacias, certainly up 'til a few years ago).

The interior is hard wearing and is full of the usual quirky Panda details that I love.

It's a car that makes me smile whenever I see it and drive it - and is so refreshingly different from most of the other small cars on the road.

It's not trying to be something it isn't: it's a Panda being a Panda.

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