The latest generation of the Fiat Panda has been with us for nine long years and never once received a serious, range-wide update (localized minor edits notwithstanding). This changes now with new trim levels, upholstery options and features arriving to the market in late 2020.
Before the update, the Panda range included the standard model and two off-road-themed spin-offs called the Cross and the City Cross, both available in FWD and AWD variants. The refresh brings with it a new affordable spec called City Life, which has its own front bumper design, side sills and 15-inch wheels (the Cross now also ships with 15-inchers).
Another new trim – Sport – arrives with 16-inch bi-color wheels, special badging throughout, red brake calipers and blacked-out body accents (mirrors, handles and the roof). The catch is that most of the features listed above are optional/paid. The cabin gets a grey front fascia, a black ceiling and red stitching for contrast.
For the first time on record, the Panda gets a full-fledged modern multimedia system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. All older versions, even the top-of-the-line ones, shipped with a mundane car stereo, a tiny monochrome screen and a basic phone holder.
This is not to say that the design of the new infotainment strikes us as particularly intelligent: the seven-inch touchscreen overlaps the area where the central air blowers had been, so now there is a single air vent directed at the windshield. On the plus side, the air conditioner now supports a cleaning feature called D-Fence.
The powertrain palette keeps the old gasoline and CNG options intact. You may remember that the latest addition to the lineup came in early 2020 in the form of the Panda Hybrid, a mild-hybrid car that combined a 70-hp (52-kW) FireFly series gasoline engine with a 12V starter-generator device. As for the transmission, manual continues to be the only option.
Sales in Europe will start soon, Fiat reports. The car is the leader of the A+ market segment in the Old World, so it’s only natural to expect brisk sales.