Fiat Panda Lounge 0.9 TwinAir 5dr Car Review - May 2013

The 875cc, 8-valve petrol engine in the mid range Fiat Panda Lounge TwinAir produces just 85 bhp, but feels unexpectedly punchy at high revs. Engine refinement is less impressive however, with engine noise and vibration both noticeable from inside the cabin. The elevated driving position in the Fiat Panda gives the driver an excellent view of the road, and with a well proportioned and ergonomic centre console the vehicle controls are easy to access and use. The upright body style which affords that high driving position does have its drawbacks though, as although the body roll is adequately managed the Fiat Panda doesn’t feel as composed a performer in the handling department as its rivals. The steering, while light and responsive at lower speeds and during urban driving, is less impressive as speed increases. Speaking of speed, the Fiat Panda Lounge TwinAir goes from 0-62mph in 11.2 seconds, and to a maximum of 110mph.

The 5-door hatchback Fiat Panda’s styling projects a quirky, fun image. However, one man’s quirky is another man’s ungainly, and it could be argued that the design an acquired taste with its trademark but devisive stepped rear quarter window. The Lounge trim level sits around the middle of the current Fiat Panda line up, and comes with power steering, central locking, alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, immobiliser, and CD player with bluetooth and MP3 connectivity all as standard. That means the Fiat Panda Lounge TwinAir benefits from some items, such as alloy wheels and electric door mirrors, which are only optional extras on lesser models in the range. However, it does miss out on some key items which its rivals boast as standard, notably stability control and front side airbags, however both can be added at an additional cost.

The tall sided design of the Fiat Panda results in ample head room, with decent leg room for the driver and front seat passenger too. However, the four-seater design is less practical, with the rear seat passenger also finding rear leg room at a premium. The folding rear seats don’t split either, a standard feature of rivals such as the Volkswagen up! with the Panda having an inferior boot capacity too. What does disappoint in the Fiat Panda Lounge TwinAir is the level of standard safety equipment. In the similarly priced Volkswagen High up! BlueMotion Technology 5dr you get stability control and front side airbags as standard, while it would set you back over £500 to have these features added to the Panda. The Fiat Panda Lounge TwinAir, like its rival, comes with a 3-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard.

The £11,250 Fiat Panda Lounge TwinAir’s 875cc engine does offer low running costs with a combined fuel economy return of 67.3mpg, and sub-100g/km of CO2 emissions that result in the car falling into the lowest tax band A for vehicle excise duty. It is not the most economical in the Fiat Panda range however, with the 1.2-litre diesel’s returning a better fuel economy figure. Let’s compare the Fiat Panda Lounge TwinAir to a similarly priced rival, for example the Volkswagen High up! BlueMotion Technology 5dr. The combined fuel economy for the two cars is absolutely identical, and both produce under 100g/km of CO2, so in terms of running costs there is little to choose between the two. However, the Volkswagen boasts stability control, front side airbags, bluetooth, satellite navigation, and split folding rear seats as standard, whereas the Panda does not. This is where the Panda looks a less inviting prospect than the Volkswagen, and may have a weaker performance in the used market as a result of its disappointing spec levels. As any good zoologist will tell you, getting panda’s to multiply is a frustrating endeavour, and Fiat will do well to convince buyers to choose the Panda Lounge TwinAir over its rivals from VW, Seat, and Skoda.