Fiat Grande Panda Electric review: The power of an Italian icon

The famous Fiat Panda city car is back with the name Grande Panda. For this test, we discovered it with the battery solution. An affordable electric car primarily intended for urban travel.

There are hints of the Panda of yesteryear in the Fiat Grande Panda. There are the shapes, even if it's larger. A logical weight gain in the 21st century. There are also some references to the past, including its wheels (white for the Red series tested here). But why Grande Panda? Because the 3rd generation Panda remains in the catalog, in its Cross version, at least until 2026, at times with the Pandina name in certain markets.

Let's return to the latest addition to the Panda family, the "Grande." It's very much in tune with the times with 3 solutions under the hood: gasoline, hybrid, and electric. The hybrid is already scheduled for a future test in the fall. However, for this end of summer, I was able to put the electric version on the test roads, after turning the key to start it.

Hated Motorway

One thing quickly becomes clear: as soon as the Grande Panda leaves the city, it struggles. Its 113 hp and 122 Nm engine can't really give the little Turin car much of a boost. The specifications table confirms this: 0 to 100 km/h in 11 seconds and a top speed of 132 km/h. That's better than the 1980 Panda I. Thankfully! But that doesn't stop its 43.8 kWh battery from suffering at 120 km/h, and even 110 km/h. Fuel consumption exceeds 22 kWh/100 km. Therefore, it's impossible to travel more than 150 km with peace of mind. And when we had to go to Liège to watch an ice hockey game, we had to rely on the charging stations in the parking lot to hope for a nighttime return without a break. Failed: lots of big German and American sedans and SUVs were taking up space. We'll have to accept less sleep tonight...

At fast charging stations, the Fiat Panda Grande does what it can with its maximum charging speed of 100 kW via the Combo CCS socket in the rear. The charging power to battery capacity ratio is quite attractive in itself. But of course, the charging power will fall well short of expectations, with peaks of 60 kW! Patience is the mother of all virtues. Even when going to Namur.

To connect to a slow charging station, Fiat had a brilliant idea: a retractable charging cable integrated into the grille. And that's a great idea. However, the charging speed is then limited to 7 kW. Now, there's an option for an integrated 11 kW charger (€400). But then you have to plug in the car with a dedicated cable that will be lying around in the trunk. What's more, in some markets, the retractable cable becomes an option (€50) when you choose 11 kW (get it?).

Ouch!

In the city, the Grande Panda is more comfortable. Its fuel consumption will decrease, and the range can then approach the promised 320km WLTP. My estimate, based on the limited information available from the rather uncommunicative on-board computer, is that we can expect 300km in urban and suburban driving in summer and 240km in winter. Needless to say, on the highway, in very cold weather, it's better to take the train. Back to the big city, Brussels in this case. The little Italian proves disciplined and efficient. However, in this urban area subject to a 30km/h limit, the cruise control won't be of much use. In fact, it doesn't work below 40km/h. But why?

The Fiat Grande Panda's simple furnishings aren't unpleasant to look at. However, the black lacquered plastic may not be very scratch-resistant. The rounded yellow trim, meanwhile, follows the lines of the old Lingotto test track on the roof of the factory in Turin.

Warning! When I reached behind the instrument panel, a loose plastic seam chipped my skin. The Panda isn't very nice with this haphazard fit. It's a shame, because the fabric on the dashboard itself is quite pleasant to the touch. There's also a blue plastic material made from recycled food cartons.

Fiat's teams have managed to install a second glove compartment. Small items that need to be kept out of sight will find their place there. There's no armrest cover above the central storage compartments. Furthermore, to benefit from smartphone pairing and navigation, you need a USB-C cable. This includes charging. The price of savings for staying affordable.  

Despite its prefix, the Panda remains a small car at 4 m. However, it is possible to fit 361 l of luggage in the trunk, thanks to the loading height available under the luggage cover. However, by folding down the rear seat, we reach the heights in the category: 1315 l. However, the opening height of the tailgate and the edge could complicate the placement of bulky objects.

Happy medium

The 2025 Grande Panda weighs 1,525kg. This, in itself, is quite reasonable for an electric car. Admittedly, this probably comes at the expense of some comfort options. But not the range of driver assistance systems. So, the essentials are there. Including a very practical button (by holding your finger for a few seconds) to turn off the speed alert. Navigation is paired with your smartphone via the UConnect system. On the steering wheel, the controls allow for cruise control on the left and multimedia on the right.

Everything is pretty well laid out with touchscreens and buttons. The ergonomics are simple and effective. Transmission selection is via a switch, and to increase regeneration, a button. You have to go through the screen to choose the driving mode: Eco reduces performance (avoid on the highway), Comfort for everyday use (recommended), Sport to drain the battery even faster (with a little extra dynamism as a bonus).

In its preferred terrain, the city and the countryside, the Fiat Grande Panda shows a certain talent. It can boast sound handling. Its steering is precise. Despite its shape, body roll is well controlled. The first push of the brakes at the green lights is enough to get by in city traffic. On the other hand, overtaking on country roads will be more tricky. It is sometimes better to stay behind a slightly slower vehicle and wait for a clear lane or a dual carriageway.

The Turinese also has the ground clearance and solidity needed to navigate the trails. It is also intended for markets where the roads are even worse than those in Belgium. Hence a chassis that is both efficient on asphalt and malleable on dirt.

Good price, lots of standard features

One of the Fiat Grande Panda's strong points, with its electric engine, is its price. With it, you can drive an electric car for less than €25,000. What's more, Fiat avoids the long options list. In Belgium, you can choose between the Red trim (€23,990 in September 2025) of our test car or the more elegant Prima (€26,990) with roof bars. On our Red test model, you also have to add the 11 kW charger (€400) and the addition of the spiral cable (Fix&Go kit), which is no longer standard with the 11 kW version (€50). This brings the total cost to €24,440. It is possible to choose other body colors, which will bring the price slightly above €25,000.

In the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the same Fiat Grande Panda Red will cost €23,090 as standard and €23,525 with the 11 kW charger and spiral cable retainer. In France, the price is €24,900 at the dealership and €23,400 for online purchase. With the options on our test model, the list price reaches €25,200 and the online price is €23,700.

In Switzerland, the Grande Panda Elletrica Red retails for CHF 24,990. 11 kW charging is standard in Switzerland. In the Netherlands, the Red with 11 kW is priced at €25,990. For your information, in the UK, the Grande Panda costs at least £21,035.

(Olivier Duquesne – Source : Fiat – Photos : © Olivier Duquesne)