2003 FIAT Panda 4X4 1.3L Multijet 5MT AWD (75 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After a lot of hesitations, struggles, and gallons of coffee spilled by the engineering team, Fiat finally brought the second generation of the Panda in 2003.

This time, the Italian carmaker did the right thing and offered the 4×4 version right from the start. It wasn’t an easy task, though, since the engineers had to work on a platform that could cope with the all-wheel-drive system right from the start. That might be one of the reasons why Panda’s second generation was delayed, and Fiat kept the first generation on the market for twelve years.

Centro Stile Fiat was responsible for the Panda’s second-generation look. It all started from scratch, and the design team didn’t take anything from the previous generation. While it still used the boxy-proportions, it didn’t have any sharp corners or straight-cut lines. Only the headlights and the grille sported a rectangular look. The bumper featured a black center area. It mimicked a plastic shield to protect the underbody, but it was just a design thing. From its sides, the black molds on the doors and wheel-arches induced some off-road capabilities.

Inside, Fiat installed the same cabin as in any other Panda, with some color changes and upholstery options. Due to the tall greenhouse, there was enough room for four adults, with bucket seats at the front and a profiled, split-folding bench in the rear.

Fiat drastically improved the technical platform over the Panda MKI. It sported an electronically controlled center differential, and an ESP tuned especially for slippery surfaces. That helped the little car climb on snowy or muddy surfaces easier than many other respectable off-road vehicles.