Fiat Panda Cross – even more capable off-road

Fiat Panda Cross

The all-new Fiat Panda Cross is based on the Fiat Panda 4X4 but offers oversized tyres, improved approach and departure angles and increased ground clearance.

‘Torque-on-Demand’ all-wheel drive, Electronic Stability Control, Electronic Locking Differential and Hill Descent are all standard, and there’s now a new Terrain Control selector, offering the driver the choice of three driving modes depending on conditions.

The Panda Cross is available with uprated versions of the 1.3 MultiJet II and 0.9 TwinAir Turbo, now with 80hp and 90hp respectively, and the TwinAir engine gets a 6-speed transmission with a shortened first gear.

The standard ‘Torque-on-Demand’ transmission system utilises the vehicle’s ELD (Electronic Locking Differential) and advanced ESC (Electronic Stability Control) systems to manage the engine’s torque delivery in difficult driving conditions. The system is fully automatic and is controlled by the new Terrain Control selector, which offers three driving modes depending on the driving situation:

• AUTO – Automatic distribution of drive between the front and rear axles based on available grip
• LOCK – 4WD is optimised for off-road use at speeds of up to 30mph, with distribution of torque controlled by the braking of slipping wheels and transferring drive to wheels with the most grip
• HILL DESCENT – For control on steep hill descents

In addition, the Panda Cross is also fitted with oversized all-season 185/65R15 tyres, larger than those fitted to the standard Panda 4×4, which were developed specifically to combine drivability and traction in low-traction situations with positive on-road handling on both wet and dry surfaces.

The suspension of the Panda Cross has been developed to combine on-road comfort, handling, roadholding and safety with improved off-road characteristics.

In addition to its ground clearance – 16cm for the MultiJet II version and 15cm for the TwinAir Turbo version – the Panda Cross also benefits from improved approach and departure angles: Its 24° approach angle represents a three degree improvement over the previous model, while its 33° departure angle represents an improvement of one degree. The new FIAT Panda Cross also boasts a break-over angle of 20° and a 31.5° (70%) climbable gradient.

Two engines will be offered in the new Panda Cross, both with Start&Stop as standard and both offering a five horsepower boost compared to the standard FIAT Panda 4X4.

The new 0.9 TwinAir Turbo engine now produces 90hp yet also offers fuel economy of 57.6mpg and CO₂ emissions of 114g/km, and comes equipped with a six-speed manual transmission with a lower first-gear ratio for off-road driving.

The 1.3 MultiJet II turbo-diesel delivers a maximum power output of 80hp and returns 60.1mpg with 125g/km CO2 emissions.

The new Panda Cross, which will join the Panda Trekking and Panda 4X4, will make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show and is due to go on sale in the autumn.

Read our Fiat Panda 4×4 review