Fiat Panda test drive since 2003 hatchback

The eighth laureate

Fiat Panda II
The three -door Panda (Panda) of the first generation debuted in 1980 and was produced for almost a quarter of a century, since 1983 - also in all -wheel drive modification.
At the 2003 Geneva salon, Fiat showed a four -seater prototype Gingo (jingo). Under the pressure of Renault, dissatisfied with the consonance of the name with Twingo, the serial model was renamed to PARDU II.
At the end of 2003, the international jury called Panda a 2004 car. Thus, Fiat set an absolute record - eight victories for 40 years of the competition.
Panda II is produced at the factory in Belsko-Bila (Poland) with gasoline engines of 1.1 and 1.2 liters or a new 1.3-liter Multijet turbodiesel. The gearbox is a five -speed mechanical, and with a 1.2 l engine - and the sequental machine Dualogic. Actual, Active, Dynamic, Emotion. This year, in addition to a five -door body, a three -door and all -wheel drive modification is expected.
In Italy, sales of the new panda began at the end of 2003, the price range - from 7950 to 10 950 euros. With the advent of a package for the northern countries, deliveries will begin to Russia - probably in the summer of 2004.

No guys, it's too much. Of course, I understand-comfort, service, the benefits of civilization ... but not to the same extent: to get from the Turin airport of Kassella to jet hotel, between which is just three hundred meters in a straight line, you need to take a taxi and circle for a dozen minutes For junctions! Well, there are no sidewalks or transitions there - this way we will soon learn.
But in the courtyard of the hotel there was a prize - bright red panda. This is yes - it is very tiny, a little larger than Matiza! And in the photo it looks much more solid - either thanks to a serious muzzle, or because of additional side windows in the stern. In the EMOTION configuration - with religions and a transparent glass roof, painted bumpers, alloy wheeled wheels - baby Panda seems to be an elegant toy.
The next morning the simple -minded on -board computer carefully warned: the temperature is minus 3s. Dangerous, ice!. Oh, don't laugh me! It was dangerous yesterday at home - when on the road porridge on the hub, under it ice, in the face of the snow and you need to go around the KamAZ hiding on the rise! And in this pastoral, I feel like a soldier who came to a visit, whom my mother is wrapping with a scarf - I would not catch a cold ...
The top complexation turned out to be very rich: a variety of servo drives, ABS, EBD, automatic climate control. A curious detail: the computer knows how to count in the unusual Fahrenhey -Milya - not otherwise, with an eye on long -range markets. The list of options (and my machine is equipped with them to the maximum) is completely unusual for a modest A -class: for example, there is, for example, the ESP stabilization system, six airbags, parking sensors, the lighting function spends me home and even Hill Holder - a system holding the machine holding When touched in the hill.
Of course, the left ranks of the highway are not for such a lobious machine (and it is on my shoulder high) with a 1.2-liter engine. Although, if you do not let the gas pedal for a long time, the arrow can be caught up to 160, but this is clear violence. It flashed, like a ghost of summer, the Solar Ligurian coast, and in the evening the tired panda rolled into the parking lot of the Fire exhibition complex in Bologna. These days, the engine show showed all-wheel drive modification of the new items. Unfortunately, the expected debut of the three -door version is still postponed.
In the city of Panda, Panda feels great, 60 forces are enough: after all, the equipped mass is only 860 kg. If desired, even on dry asphalt, you can start with a screech and wheel slipping. Of course, to maintain a dynamic pace, you have to switch intensively - but the box lever is short, with small moves and is located right at hand on the tide of the central console. Therefore, the excess switching is not a burden, although the inclusion of the rear gear could be honest.
For the city, there is even a special operating mode of the Dualdrive steering amplifier: it is enough to press the key on the console, as a small steering wheel resistance almost disappears and, without any exaggeration, can be rotated with one finger. Is it necessary to explain how convenient it is in the parking lot. Again, the ladies will probably like it. But I went half my life at all without an amplifier and even without slippers I will pull on the scales, like two elegant Italians! In general, having played, he chose to turn it off - not an hour, you sneeze at the wrong time and you will find yourself in the next strip.
The size of Panda turned out to me - rather big. Having adjusted the chair and the steering wheel in height, I found a completely convenient position in which, even given the thick roof with an electric drive of a huge hatch, there were still five centimeters above my head. But behind the seat is higher, the roof is lower - here the crown and rested on the ceiling. But the legs are expanded, you can’t reach the front backs. There are only two places behind - well, in any case, honestly. Higher requirements of comfort and passive safety dictate their conditions - Peregelv, increasing a little in size and gaining the second couple of doors, the new panda became four -seater. By the way, the rear seat can be moved forward by 160 mm, increasing the volume of a modest trunk.
And the next day he was already in the southern alps, in a fashionable ski Kurmeora: sorry, Signor, but the hotel parking is completely busy. Although ... maybe your machine will fit. Yes, it cannot be, but for sure! Having spun around, it seems, around her own bumper, Panda froze in place, elegant, like a gift. One who does not need to wait for the holiday.

Ray Hutton (Ray Hutton),
Chairman of the European Jury Car of the Year
The new Fiat Panda is the most inexpensive among the 35 -dispute the title of the car of the year. Nevertheless, he ahead of the closest pursuers - Volkswagen Golf and Mazdu -3, who divided the second and third places, by 40 points. According to 58 jury members from European countries who participated in the vote, Fiat returns to his roots and he completely succeeds. The company focuses on small practical cars that are inexpensive, but give pleasure from driving.
Here's what is still interesting: for the first time, a small class car was a car from which the model range of the company begins. The precedent is made: the A-class car was awarded the highest award.
New Panda has achieved success due to the fact that at a low price it has all the characteristics and qualities of a large and more expensive car. Unlike the winners of past years, Panda is carefully finished inside. There are almost no painted metal surfaces. In addition, the machine has a complete set of airbags, a steering electric amplifier, electric windows, a central lock and much more. But the most curious is that the machine with a 1.1 liter engine is equipped with ABS.
The struggle for the title of the car of the year was open. Here are the results of seven finalists. I note that only five points exceeded 200.
Finalists of the competition car of the year-2004
1 fiat panda 281
2 Mazda 3 241
3 Volkswagen Golf 241
4 Toyota Avensis 219
5 Opel Meriva 213
6 BMW 5-Series 144
7 Nissan Micra 111

SUMMARY
+ Compact dimensions, magnificent maneuverability, economical motor, spacious interior, excellent review, rich equipment.
- The limited height of the cabin behind (with a hatch), the laid back seat does not form a flat site.
 
Yuri Nechetov. Photo by the author

Source: The magazine "Driving"