The Pint-Sized Fiat Panda Cross Kicks Ass Off Road But Can't Cut It On The Black Stuff

Did you know that one in three small city cars sold in Europe are Fiats? That’s quite a remarkable figure. Understandably the Italian manufacturer is pretty damn proud of that fact, and is keen to lure even more buyers into its compact cars for complete domination of the A-segment. Which is where the new Panda comes in. Included in the range are a front-wheel drive model, a little 4x4 version for all seasons and also this dinky Cross version which is FWD most of the time and 4WD when the car needs traction.

Now I’ve always been sceptical about cars like the 4x4 Panda Cross, but if BMW et al can make a fortune creating ‘niches within a niche’, why not Fiat with its rugged little runabout?

Starting with the interior, you’ll find a well-sized wheel and the Panda’s ‘squircle’ theme running throughout in the shape of the instrument binnacle, heater controls and radio fascia. The seats are comfy, though the large Cross logo stitched into the fabric is a little tacky. An immediate positive in the cabin is that all-round visibility is great, which makes life a little easier when on the move.

There are two engines available, a 1.3-litre MultiJet turbo diesel that produces 79bhp and 140lb ft and an 875cc TwinAir turbo petrol with 89bhp and 107lb ft. Both engines get manual gearboxes, with the diesel running a five speed and the petrol getting a six-speed with ‘crawler’ first gear. The oil burner is the one to go for.

The petrol is noisier, and that crawler gear is an absolute pain in the backside out on the road. Pulling out of a junction you’ll hit the limiter before you’ve even straightened up, and on the motorway attempting overtakes, you have to drop to fourth to get any kind of acceleration; sixth feels like an unnecessary extra cog. The diesel, on the other hand, is relatively quiet, and with taller gearing you’re not constantly fishing around for the appropriate gear.

On tarmac, the Panda Cross is hilarious fun for all the wrong reasons. The steering is devoid of feeling, and artificially weights up in your hands, which is off-putting. The Cross - in both petrol and diesel flavour - understeers at the mere hint of a corner, rolling its weight onto the outer door handles.

The suspension, though, is delightfully soft and wallowy, which soaked up the broken roads of northern Italy (our test route) very well. If you don’t have trouble keeping your inner hooligan locked away, the Cross is perfectly pleasant; if you’re expecting a chuckable runabout, however, look elsewhere…

As we turn off the Autostrada and along a dirt track, the soft ride comes into its own, soaking up every bump in the stoney path. I think it’s time to get our wheels dirty on the proper off road course.

First impressions are good. Considering that this isn’t a fully-fledged off-road car there is some decent kit. The Terrain Control dial beside the gear stick allows you to switch between Auto, Off Road and Hill Descent. The first two options manage the electronic locking differential’s behaviour. In Auto, 98 per cent of torque is sent to the front wheels with torque redistributed where necessary. Off Road engages permanent four-wheel drive and puts the ECU on high alert to redistribute torque in a tenth of a second. Hill Descent allows the driver to crawl down a hill without feet on the pedals by automatically braking wheels.

Based on the 4x4, the Panda Cross - which costs from £15,945 in petrol guise or £16,945 as a diesel - benefits from an increased ride height, increased approach and departure angles, chunky scratch-resistant bumpers and a functional skidplate that protects its undercarriage. It also gets special mud and snow tyres wrapped around 15-inch alloys that increase grip in poor conditions, and as I approach the first of many steep inclines on this course I’m mightily impressed by the grip that this little thing achieves.

If you don’t have trouble keeping your inner hooligan locked away, it’s perfectly pleasant.

With Off Road mode engaged on the Terrain Control dial - torque distributed to all four wheels - I plant my foot in first. The Panda Cross can climb a claimed 70 per cent incline, and that wouldn’t suprise me given the way I’m nimbly navigating this steep climb. It’s out here that the petrol’s crawler gear makes perfect sense, so if you’re genuinely going to use your Cross off road a lot, then ignore my earlier frustrations.

I can feel the wheels slipping and gripping as the ELD does its thing, then, once at the top, the only way is down. Hill Descent works like a dream, holding the car steady as it drops, even when the path is so steep that I feel like I’m going to fall through the windscreen.

The Panda Cross, then, has a split personality. It wants to be good at both on road and off road driving, but it’s only on the rough stuff where it really impresses. To be fair, however, if you want a small, affordable car that’s capable off road, you can’t do much better. Except that there is an alternative, and it’s a Panda. The 4x4 model is, obviously, just as adept off road and is a full £1500 lighter on your wallet. For me, though, the Cross isn’t good enough on road to warrant the extra cash.