Fiat Panda vs Volkswagen up!: Heroines by chance. – Sports cars
No, we didn't buy our brains: it really is a clash between Fiat Panda и VW Up!, two compact cars with low emissions and fuel consumption that we usually don't even notice in an EVO. However, both were created by Houses who know how to add a little magic to a potentially trivial and useful category, not entertainment. This is the reason for this call.
The goal is for a pair of non-sporting 160bhp vehicles to shine on challenging and fun roads. This is not an easy task! But let's hope that Panda and the Up! surprise us ...
The scenery for that ass is a 30km stretch of countryside road between Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. It may not be the Nürburgring, but this "EVO-schleife" includes many of the circuits we've used over the years in testing. Some of them have a special place in our hearts - and in our insurance records - and evocative nicknames. For example, to properly test them suspensions we have our own Flugplatz, a humpback bridge that we call Roger's Leap, Roger's Leap, in honor of Green, who once sent us TVR Cerbera into orbit. And then there's the legendary Barker's Hedge, a tricky 90-degree hedgehog that once served as forced parking for Barker's and the TechArt Porsche 993 he drove.
Today we'll do our best not to cause other accidents with associated nicknames ... but with all these twists and turns, ups and downs, chicanes and surface changes, we really hope these two challengers end up being more than just commuter cars.
None of the protagonists hide a barking V12 under the hood, the body is not made of carbon fiber, and Lewis Hamilton does not move through mountains and mountains. But if you are passionate about cars, you cannot stay away from the charm of these pocket cars.
Panda 13.700 Euro is the epitome of innovative engine Fiat twinair which, as the name suggests, is two cylinders and is powered by turbo, sound bite and cuteness as well as 85 hp thrust. return a smile after disappointing him with a not very sharp line (especially compared to his mythical ancestor).
The Twinair is not an engine that requires you to climb very high peaks, but is pleased - and indeed prefers - to have around 5.500 rpm, but it's best not to underestimate the power of the turbo. Peak 145 Nm couple that's just 1.900 laps and that means Panda has a lot of tenacity throughout the lap. If I didn't know that the engine alone has 875cc. See, I would swear it is at least double that. It certainly delivers great performance, so you find yourself driving faster than necessary (or allowed) on roads that would make the hardest-tuned sports cars sweat.
Le suspensions soft pandas generate enough roll but they allow it to absorb irregularities and irregularities without problems. IN steering more significant than expected ei brakes they are nimble, progressive and made for happy driving, and indeed they encourage you to move forward without fear. The only negative is the lack of sensitivity when entering a corner. Given also the suspension's slight lag in absorbing lateral load, there is a blind spot where it is not clear whether the front end will turn or not. Of course, there is, but not with the immediacy that one might expect. The secret to enjoying the Panda is to drive it as if it were someone else's, a car that can be driven without the hassle and worries of a rental car. If you're mindful of the limited front grip, you can easily push it to the limit by taking advantage of its natural docility.
La Volkswagen Up! It differs greatly from the Italian in its rounded shape, soft suspension and great torque. The sample we are testing has three doors and that gives it a slightly sportier vibe than the five-door little Fiat (but if practicality is important to you, don't worry: Up! is also available with rear doors).
Hiding under the hood three cylinders atmospheric 999 cc, which develops 75 hp. and only 95 Nm of torque. With this power the narrow one is at a distinct disadvantage compared to Fiat and its twin-turbocharged twin, but to bolster it up there is the weight only 929 kg against 975 Panda.
Like Turin Up! it is front-wheel drive, has fluid Speed five-speed and electric power steering. But this is where the similarity between the two ends ends; when moving, they are completely different. To begin with, the three-cylinder engine loves to rev up. And that's a good thing, because you'll have to scramble badly to keep up with Panda. A few hours ago, Henry Catchpole at the wheel of a VW vowed to me that the panda tore him up as soon as he slipped into third place. When he told me it seemed so absurd to me that I laughed in his face, but now I have to admit that he is right.
Despite the fact that Volkswagen loves to rev up, it does not hold up to Fiat's harshness at low and medium revs. But he has accelerator more responsive and Speed more accurate and therefore more interesting to fight for good. It also has an exhaust sound that is somewhat reminiscent of the old 911. But where is Up! it clearly outperforms the Panda in that it takes corners and absorbs bumps. Despite the fact that it is lighter than Italian, it steering from Up! he is also more accurate and communicative. Little Volkswagen has frame balanced and good grip. It would be easy to make turns, even just by pressing the accelerator pedal, if it were not for the stabilization system intervening, which clips the fenders of your desire for sporty driving. To make matters worse, you cannot turn it off completely and therefore can never really have fun.
However, of the two, VW is the most impressive and attractive. It's almost as comfortable and soft as the Panda, but it's much more controllable, and that combination of softness and stiffness combined with responsive yet linear steering is insane. Like Panda, I brakes from Up! they are powerful and progressive, but thanks to engine more reactive, heel-toe is smoother and more precise. Not many owners will be interested in synchronizing the mode with speed, but the simple fact that Up! you reward those who try it to earn a few more points.
It's amazing how a little German manages to get so many benefits from such a modest package. IN performance on paper, they are very imperceptible (0-100 - 13,2 seconds, and the speed is only 171 km / h) and lower than the Panda. But it's not just the numbers that matter on the road. Together with Skoda Yeti Up! (with cousins seat Mii e Skoda diligently) is another hidden gem of the VW group.
So what's the verdict? Well, like all the best compacts, Panda and the Up! there is something infectious about them. From the category they belong to, you don't expect too much from them in terms of absolute performance, so you get double the satisfaction of finding that they are much faster and more attractive than expected.
Even if Fiat is fun, of these two you would like to leave the next day Up.! But not enough to completely outshine the Panda: the Fiat has a decisive advantage in terms of pure acceleration, even if the VW excels dynamically. The more you drive it, the more you appreciate the balance and character of the German: I know it sounds absurd, but it has something of the Lotus Elise.
When Up! GT turbo (who will have to fight another sports 105 HP Panda, also on the way), two new heroines will appear in the compact sector under € 20.000. And if this first encounter is as reliable as I think we are, we can't wait to try them out.
