Fiat Panda 100HP (2006 - 2010) 1.4 16v 5d Owner Review

Great little 'Wolf in sheep's clothing' , being a fiat panda it garners certain assumptions that are all dashed to pieces as soon as you hit the sport button and point it at a B road. The 100hp is not a powerful car and the ride is bone shakingly hard; its turning circle is medicore and when driven hard it burns through fuel alarmingly fast for a 1.4 NA (Made even worse by its small fuel tank). But despite all this its easily the best choice out there for a cheap to buy, run and insure hatchback that doesnt bore you to death. Its comparatively minimal kerb weight, extremely rev happy engine, stiff suspension and very chunky tyres combine to provide grip and throttle response unlike anything else in class. The panda will pootle gently around towns and cities easily with its very light default steering , and return decent MPG when driven this way (40-45mpg) while literally at the push of a button it transforms into something as enjoyable as it is surprising. With 3x the steering weight and double the throttle sensitivity (Plus supposedly 5nm more torque?) sport mode turns the panda into a puppy on steroids, launching itself forward with every microscopic movement of your right foot. The 100hp is therefore able to pose as both a practical every day commuting/ functional method of transport and something you can take out on weekends for the pure purpose of enjoying the drive immensely. Highly recommended any day of the week!