The Fiat Grande Panda has come under Jeremy Clarkson’s judgment in the pages of The Times, generating a review that moves between the British journalist’s typical sarcasm and a level of appreciation that feels less predictable than expected. The Italian compact car became a small media case, showing that Fiat’s project has managed to attract attention even beyond its natural market.
The model chosen for the test was the Hybrid version, the configuration expected to represent the commercial core of the range. The mechanical setup combines a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, for a total output of 110 hp. This solution does not aim to offer sporty performance, but rather low fuel consumption, ease of use and more accessible costs.
Jeremy Clarkson gives the Fiat Grande Panda a pass, between irony and unexpected praise
The first element Clarkson highlights is interior space. The title of his review, built around the provocative idea of fitting an entire film crew on board, points with typical British humour to one of the model’s real qualities: offering more practicality than its exterior dimensions would suggest. The Grande Panda remains a compact car, but it uses its proportions and volumes well, keeping a city-friendly and family-oriented character while positioning itself as an alternative to the increasingly expensive compact SUV segment.
The design also receives a broadly positive verdict, although not without a few jokes. The pistachio paint of the car tested initially raised a smile, before the price put everything into perspective. On this front, Fiat seems to have achieved one of the project’s most important goals, offering a car that feels recognizable and different from the anonymous compact models that fill the market. The squared body, references to the original Panda and small crossover stance give it a clear personality, far from the attempt to create an artificial premium aura.
As expected, criticism is not absent. Clarkson does not describe the engine as particularly lively, and the car shows inevitable compromises in performance, finishes and refinement, all consistent with the project’s affordable positioning. However, he seems to understand the nature of the model, recognizing that it does not aim to be the fastest, most luxurious or most technological compact car in its segment. Instead, it tries to recover a formula Fiat has built over decades: practicality in a small footprint.
The fact that the British journalist, known for dismantling many of the cars he tests with sarcasm, ends up taking the Grande Panda seriously already represents a result for the Turin brand. The car does not aim to win over supercar enthusiasts, but to attract people looking for something simple, reasonably spacious and affordable. In this direction, The Times verdict sounds like a quiet endorsement, suggesting that Fiat may have understood better than many rivals what part of the market really needs.
