Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Fiat Panda 4x4 Swiss Army Knife For Hunters

A Magic Box, a City utility vehicle and a Swiss Army knife: The Fiat-press department is many a euphemism for the panda. The official reason for the pocket knife, no other subcompact offering as much choice in engines, transmissions and power trains. Fiat Panda 4x4 gives it not only with gasoline and diesel engines, as well as natural gas and in some places as LPG version. And since 1983, it is offered as a four-wheel drive, making it the only subcompact four-wheel drive. We have tested the new Panda 4x4.


FIAT PANDA 4x4 Image
Turbo petrol or diesel

The third generation of the Panda since March 2012 on the market. End of October 2012 comes to the four-wheel drive. As the front-wheel drive engine are two known units available: the two-cylinder turbo gasoline engine with 85 hp and the 1.3-liter diesel with 75 hp. The 69-hp basic gasoline and natural gas version is not offered for the Panda 4x4. We chose for our exit the diesel, which is combined with a five-speed manual transmission. The four-cylinder is initially on by a very high volume. With up to 190 Newton meters, the diesel but offers enough torque to even be approached on extremely steep slopes. Helping the most translated short first gear - hes even shorter than the reverse. Below 50 km / h is also an electronic limited-slip differential helps when starting. It can be activated by pressing a button. There is a wheel on some loose gravel and threatens to spin, and this slows down the electronics from the power gets to the other wheels.

Electronically controlled clutch
Of course, the all-wheel drive is also an advantage in such situations. It is based on an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch that directs the torque if necessary, to the rear axle. According to Fiat, the component can transmit up to 900 Nm, and the. In just 0.1 seconds Pride of the manufacturer is also on the large angles and the angle of the ramp. The ground clearance is about five inches taller than the front-wheel drive and is as high as 16 centimeters. Decelerated with disc brakes all round, while the front-wheel drive rear drums has.

No faster than 159 km / h
The performance of the Panda 4x4 1.3 Multijet - as a 75-hp diesel model to be expected - not too impressive. More than 159 km / h are not in it, and for the standard sprint 14.5 seconds you have to make time. Motorized comes under one but not with the vehicle in front - at least on the highway. And who is mainly highway driving, with the all-wheel drive Panda anyway to the wrong address. The fuel consumption of the standard-equipped with start-stop system to Fiat Panda 4x4 is at 4.7 liters per 100 kilometers. The increased consumption by the four-wheel drive is a half-liter.

Wankanfällig and wobbly
In sharp cornering it pops as a passenger in Panda 4x4 front also with a shoulder on the B-pillar. In general, the car looks and wankanfällig shaky. This is due to the vehicle height of 1.61 meters, handsome, it does not make the chassis slightly. For a bad cornering feel assured by the high seating position - already Medium look at the top of the windscreen - and the seats: Your leg support is short and the back is little lateral support.

Tristes cockpit
Also, the interior design is not a strength of the Panda 4x4. Apart from the armrests in the doors here, no back-foamed surface is discovered. The headrest is as hard as concrete, the hard plastic dashboard orgy one. In the test car, the surfaces are also kept in an olive green military acting on which the piano-fit parts will not go away. The materials used and the workmanship make a cheap impression too - just take for comparison only 500th times a glance into the high quality furnished Fiat

Much space in the rear
The seat comfort in the rear is good. Both before the legs and over the head remains more than enough space. As standard, the Panda 4x4 has a solid bench for two people - it is, therefore, a four-seater. Surcharge results in a five-seat version with split folding bench. The order should also, as the series has for folding bench seat simultaneously be unlocked on both sides - very inconvenient. If the feat is achieved, the bare metal comes on the back of the seat back to the fore. Just the hold is only if you ordered a so-called cargo box. The boot holds 225 to 870 liters, a good value.

Price: 17,290 euros
The Panda 4x4 with a 75-horsepower diesel engine is obtained for 17,290 euros. The charge against the same-equipped and motorized Panda trekking with front-wheel drive is impressive 2,000 euros. The equipment includes central locking with remote control, front electric windows - rear is always cranked to Panda - a CD radio and air conditioning. ESP and front and curtain airbags are standard, front side airbags, there is only an extra charge. On the extra list includes: a City Emergency Braking. As an alternative to the Panda 4x4 is the Suzuki Jimny in question. Style in the top version, it costs 16,790 euros. He is off-road with its all-wheel drive and higher ground clearance, but has a gasoline engine with much less torque under the hood. A convenient, if slightly larger four-wheel drive is the Dacia Duster 4x4, which is available with a 110-horsepower diesel from 17,890 euros.