After almost 7 months of consideration, ordering car brochures and reading endless reviews of superminis, I finally decided on a shortlist of either a Citroen C3, a Smart ForFour or a Fiat Panda for my first car! After passing my test and testdriving the Panda, I fell instantly in love with ... Read review
ABS Brakes, Air Conditioning, Alloy Wheels, CD Player, Central Locking, Climate Control, ... more
Drivers Airbag, Electric Windows, Front fog lights, Full Service History, Immobiliser, MP3 player, Multiple Airbags, Power Steering, Single CD Player,..and more
ABS Brakes, Air Conditioning, Alarm Fitted, Bluetooth car kit, CD Player, Central Locking, ... more
Drivers Airbag, Electric Windows, Full Service History, Immobiliser, MP3 player, Multiple Airbags, Power Steering, Split Folding Rear Seats, Trip Co..and more
Advantages: Cheap, sturdy, good value, cute, good interior Disadvantages: Appearance not to everyone's taste
...a Smart ForFour or a Fiat Panda for my first car! After passing my test and testdriving the Panda, I fell instantly in love with it! I bought a Dynamic 1.2 litre eng with Steel Grey paint and bright blue bubbly interior.
Although some readers may feel a 17 year old first time car buyer is not the best informed person to be reviewing a car, I feel that I am very well informed, as I saved every penny for this car myself and thus carried ... .../>
Other gadgets Fiat have come up with include a Trip computer which is very useful for novice drivers such as myself, and tells the driver such details as the average miles per gallon, etc etc. A nice little gadget that perhaps I wouldn't pay more for, but is very useful as it comes as standard.
In terms of looks, as I have been investigating the Panda for months its image has certainly grown on me, and I find it very quirky ... more
After almost 7 months of consideration, ordering car brochures and reading endless reviews of superminis, I finally decided on a shortlist of either a Citroen C3, a Smart ForFour or a Fiat Panda for my first car! After passing my test and testdriving the Panda, I fell instantly in love with it! I bought a Dynamic 1.2 litre eng with Steel Grey paint and bright blue bubbly interior.
Although some readers may feel a 17 year old first time car buyer is not the best informed person to be reviewing a car, I feel that I am very well informed, as I saved every penny for this car myself and thus carried out endless research in order to make a good decision!
I have previous experience driving a Mazda and a Mini One whilst learning to drive, and I must say that the Panda feels much much lighter on the road, and responds more readily to both accelleration and breaking. The road noise whilst driving is minimal for such a cheap car, and is similar to the Mini I learnt in, without paying 10 thousand extra! The Panda really feels safe on the road, and the elevated driving position is excellent. It really makes you feel like you can assess any road situation in advance, and makes previously blind corners much easier to negociate as the angle is perfect for junction observations!
The dashboard mounted gearstick is sensational! At first I felt it may prove a problem and be hard to adjust to, however after 10 minutes of driving it felt as natural as using a normal gearstick, and much much easier to change gear with! The power steering on this car is really good also, with the optional 'city steering' function making parking or turning in tight spaces so simple! You really have to try it to realise how much difference it can make. As a teenager, sound systems are a priority to me when choosing a car and my Dynamic came with an cd player as standard, with one of the best sound systems I've come across.
Other gadgets Fiat have come up with include a Trip computer which is very useful for novice drivers such as myself, and tells the driver such details as the average miles per gallon, etc etc. A nice little gadget that perhaps I wouldn't pay more for, but is very useful as it comes as standard.
In terms of looks, as I have been investigating the Panda for months its image has certainly grown on me, and I find it very quirky and cute. However, many of my friends pick on me for having the car that looks 'like its bum's been chopped off', as the boxy appearance of the back of the car is not to everyone's tastes. As far as the interior appearance, the boot isn't very big but as expected on a small car, and the back seats can be folded down or even taken out if neccessary. My bright blue interior is gorgeous and looks really classy compared with many of my friend's older cars, and the dashboard appearance is nice also, with all the buttons close to hand for the driver. Although the door handles and a few other bits and bobs look a bit plasticy, this is all that can be expected for a car that sells for such a cheap price, and isn't a concern for me at all.
I'm a bit clueless when it comes to economical-ness, but as a student with a part time job I can afford to run the Panda, as petrol lasts FOREVER and the insurance is really great, (this was actually one of the main reasons I initially looked at the Panda). I actually bought the Panda second hand from a Fiat Approved Used Car dealership, which I didn't think I could really afford, but after paying them a visit they dropped down the price on a 9month old for me, and so I still have the remainder of the 3 year warrently if any problems arise (which they haven't done so far!) The service was amazing and the staff seemed like pros, so I'd reccommend trying a dealership before resorting to the freeads like I initially planned to!
Overall, I am in love! I adore my little Panda, it's cute, quirky, cheap to buy and run, feels safe and secure, drives better than a MiniOne, and has all the mod cons such as ABS, power steering, immobiliser, cd player, etc etc! A bargain and a great little first car that I hope to have for years to come!
Advantages: fun&esay to drive, economical, small but spacious, great city car Disadvantages: small boot, engine not so powerful
I purchased a Fiat Panda special edition Mamy (Dynamic 1.2 in orange) in May 2009. This is my first car, and I was looking to buy a car that would be economical to run, comfortable enough for small journeys, easy to drive and park, practical and affordable. Essentially a car that would suit a young city dweller with no family and a moderate need for a motoring vehicle. The Panda fulfilled all these criteria at a very reasonable price (£6300 new). ... ...that, in spite of its small dimensions, the car has 4 doors and the back seat is reasonably comfortable for two adults to sit in. Other cars of similar size or price range, did not. I find the 4 doors extremely convenient whether to put the shopping in or to host a friend or two when travelling around. Also the back seats can fold flat, turning into a very large boot which I find very convenient to put luggage in when going on longer trips (or camping) ...
nodale 26.06.2009
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Fiat Panda 1.2 8v
Advantages: Great fun to drive, economical to run, well designed cockpit. Disadvantages: Bland looks, upholstery.
...unfortunately. The interior suggests that Fiat are targeting the youth market with Fisher Price style buttons and knobs and a bright upholstery. We chose the blue upholstery as the yellow was a tad garish for our taste. I was most impressed with the build quality of the car. Historically, Fiat 's have appeared plasticky, tinny and basic. This is not the case with this car. I have read that this is probably the best built Fiat ever made. I have to ... ...A gold star for Fiat for the well thought out layout for the driver. Everything seems to be where it should be, with the dashboard mounted gearlever being a particular delight to use. The dash includes rev counter and speedo with integral clock and trip computer.The foot pedals are mounted high and are slightly offset which seems strange when changing from a car with a more conventional foot pedal layout but doesn't take long to adjust to. The car ...
saontd 11.10.2005 (12.10.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Fiat Panda 1.2 8v
Advantages: economical, green, easy-to-drive, power sterring Disadvantages: small
...we obviously checked out the fiat range, and ended up getting the Panda. It is great, easy to drive, even I can fit in and can drive for 2 hours without a break. The 5 doors help putting out 2 year old daughter in the back seat, and it is fun to drive. We went for a yellow/cream paint job, with blue seats, bright and cheerful. The dash layout is straightforward, and the extras (rev counter, clock, trip speedo (and lots of other fun things like trip ... ...said about Fiat Pandas, we helped me make my mind up, as he gets to try lots of cars, and he too is a mutant giant.
It is fantastic value fo rmoney, and I wish everyone would have one of these. Save the planet, one car at a time. ...
bigwibble6 03.07.2006
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Fiat Panda 1.2 8v
Advantages: personality,reliabilty,quality,space,interior,fun factor Disadvantages: 1.2 engine not in £35.00 tax bracket,poor seat material
...one other issue tho is car tax in the uk.the fiat pandas 1.2 engine is in a tax band above the new 500's seemingly identical motor which means paying £120 tax instead of £35.why??
all in all a great little car with its own personality and very few downsides.recommended. ...
ten-david 06.05.2008 (07.05.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Fiat Panda 1.2 8v
Advantages: price, drive, build quality Disadvantages: yet to find one
...then i came across this fiat Panda. as soon as i saw the name i thought heres another disposable car from fiat. but then i thought carefully, and decided it would be at least worth a test drive. when i got into the fiat i was suprised to say the least that after not driving a car for a year it felt like it had a perfect driving position but i was still skeptical. so I gave the car a test drive and was addicted to a car. i kept thinking about the ... ...say the boot in a fiat is to small but I got enough clothes for four of us to last a week into a large suitcase it fitted snugly in the boot leaving room for a holdall with shoes and other bits and bobs in it, 12 litres of milk, the kids games system and games, four pillows and some food. how much room do you need!
the kids aged 8 and 12 sat in the back and never moaned once about the space. perfect.
one other chalenge i have given my car was giving ...
porkypaul 13.09.2006
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Fiat Panda 1.2 8v
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