4×4 and Trekking, or Pandas for all roads
Fiat Panda is not only a great car for the city. Since 1983, the Italians have been producing an all-wheel drive version that is perfect for snowy roads and light off-road. The new Fiat Panda 4×4 will hit showrooms any moment now. It will be accompanied by a Trekking version - front-wheel drive, but visually related to the all-wheel drive variant.
Is there any point in a small four-wheel drive car? Of course! Panda carved a niche in 1983. Since then, Fiat has sold 416,2 4 Pandas 4x4s. The model is very popular in the Alpine countries. In Poland, Pandas 4× of the second generation were bought, including by the Border Guard and construction companies.
With plastic fender flares, redesigned rims and bumpers with unpainted inserts and simulated sheet metal bottom plates, the third generation of the Panda 4×4 is easily recognizable. The car will be offered in two new colors - orange Sicilia and green Toscana. Green also appeared on the dashboard - plastic of this color adorns the front of the cabin. For the Panda 4×4, Fiat has also prepared green seat upholstery. An alternative to it are sand or pumpkin-colored fabrics.
Fiat Panda 4×4
What's new under the body of the Panda 4×4? The rear beam has been improved, leaving room for the drive axle and cardan shafts. It is important to note that the changes did not reduce the volume of the trunk, which still holds 225 liters. The rear seat has the ability to move, which allows you to increase the trunk at the expense of the cabin. Due to the modified suspension, ground clearance has increased by 47 millimeters. A plate appeared in front of the chassis to protect the engine compartment from snow and dirt.
The drive is transmitted to the rear axle by an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch. Responds in just 0,1 seconds and is capable of transmitting up to 900 Nm. The powertrain, which Fiat calls "torque on demand," works automatically. Switching between 2WD and 4WD modes is not provided.
However, on the center console we find a button marked with the abbreviation ELD. Behind it is Electronic Locking Differential, a system that, upon detecting excessive wheel slip, attempts to limit wheel slip by adjusting pressure in individual brake calipers accordingly. This increases torque on the wheels and improves traction. The ELD system works up to 50 km/h.
Fiat Panda 4×4 It will be offered with a 0.9 MultiAir Turbo engine developing 85 hp. and 145 Nm, and 1.3 MultiJet II - in this case, the driver will have 75 hp at his disposal. and 190 Nm. Fiat Panda 4 × 4 accelerates to "hundreds". The petrol version takes 12,1 seconds for such acceleration, and the turbodiesel takes 14,5 seconds, and at highway speeds the dynamics slows down noticeably.
A 5-speed gearbox is provided for the diesel, while the petrol unit will be combined with a gearbox with one more gear. The first is shortened, which partially compensates for the lack of a gearbox - it makes it easier to ride in difficult conditions and allows you to force steep climbs.
The Panda 4x4 will come with 175/65 R15 M+S tires. The manufacturer opted for winter tires to improve grip on loose surfaces. Of course, on dry pavement, they lose driving performance, although it must be admitted that for a car not designed for fast driving, the Panda 4x4 does a good job with dynamic corners.
For test drives, Fiat provided a gravel area with various obstacles - steep ascents and descents, descents and all sorts of bumps. The Panda 4×4 handled bumps very well. The suspension did not beat or make noise even on the largest of them. Thanks to the short overhangs, climbing the slopes was also easy. Fiat representatives stressed that the angles of attack, exit and ramps of the Panda 4×4 were embarrassing, including the Nissan Qashqai and Mini Countryman.
Fiat Panda 4×4 it also feels great on smooth gravel. Four-wheel drive translates into stoic calm and predictable behavior. Thanks to additional elements, the Panda 4×4 is well balanced and does not irritate understeer. In extreme situations, unwanted vehicle behavior will be limited by the transmission. If the electronics detect understeer, it will increase the amount of torque sent to the rear axle. In the event of oversteer, the rear-wheel drive can be completely disengaged to help pull the vehicle out of a skid.
Of course, the Panda 4×4 is far from being a true off-road vehicle, and neither are off-road parts. The biggest limitation is ground clearance. 16 centimeters in the case of vehicles with a MultiJet engine and one centimeter less if the MultiAir gets into the hood means that even deeper ruts can be a serious problem. Under certain conditions, the Panda 4×4 can be invincible. The big advantage of the car is its size - off-road Fiat has a length of only 3,68 meters and a width of 1,67 meters. We're pretty sure the Panda 4x4 will go much further than the average user expects. Suffice it to say that the previous generation Fiat Panda 4×4 reached its base in the Himalayas at an altitude of 5200 m above sea level.
Fiat Panda Trekking
An alternative to crossovers that will perform well in the city, and at the same time pass the exam in slightly more difficult conditions, is Panda Trekking. Visually, the car is very similar to the all-wheel drive version - only the imitation of metal protective plates under the bumpers and the 4 × 4 inscription on the plastic door linings are missing.
The green insert on the dashboard has been changed to silver and the button has been replaced. ELD took T+. This is the trigger for the Traction+ system, which also uses the braking system to limit spin on the less grippy wheel. Fiat emphasizes that Traction+, capable of reaching speeds up to 30 km/h, is more than just an ESP extension. According to the designers, the solution is as effective as the traditional "shpera".
Fiat Panda 4×4 will arrive in Polish showrooms in the coming weeks. Not much success is to be expected. Mainly because of the prices. True, the Polish price list has not yet been published, but in Western Europe you will have to pay 15 euros for a Panda with all-wheel drive. The stylish but less popular Panda Trekking costs €990. How is competition assessed? This time it is impossible to give an answer, because in Europe the Panda 14×490 is in a class of its own.
