The current Panda rolled out in 2011 and will continue production at Pomigliano d'Arco for a few more years under the Pandina moniker. The A-segment hatchback will be joined by the all-new Grande Panda, which stands out from the old model in many respects, beginning with length.
Just under 4 meters from bumper to bumper, the newcomer is underpinned by a completely different platform. The Fiat Mini architecture launched in 2003 with the second-generation Panda, whereas the 2025 Fiat Grande Panda uses a multi-energy platform dubbed Smart Car. It's a Stellantis design shared with the 2024 Citroen C3, which is almost an inch longer than the Grande Panda.
From the standpoint of exterior styling, this fellow has more in common with the Panda Cross than the Panda. However, as opposed to the recently discontinued Panda 4x4, the Grande Panda is a front-wheel-drive affair with electric and hybrid versions.
What kind of electric and hybrid powertrains? Fiat's debut release for the Grande Panda doesn't go into the finer details, but we all know – thanks to Citroen – that it's going to be a front-mounted electric motor and a 1.2-liter turbo three-cylinder mild hybrid with a dual-clutch box. The C3 Hybrid 100 puts out 100 horsepower plus 28 electrified ponies, of which only 12 can be used for acceleration, whereas the e-C3 develops 111 horses in combination with an LFP battery rated at 44 kilowatt hours.
Considering that C3 and Grande Panda are closely related to Jeep's all-wheel-drive Avenger 4xe and the Alfa Romeo brand's Junior Ibrida Q4, the Fiat could get all-wheel drive at some point in the coming years. Both the Avenger 4xe and Junior Ibrida Q4 bring together the aforementioned 1.2-liter turbo with two 21-kW electric motors, of which the rearmost electric motor shuts off at speeds higher than 90 kph (56 mph).
Photo: Fiat
Citroen intends to bring a more affordable e-C3 to market in 2025, with said version to be good for up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) on a full charge. There's a high possibility for the lesser battery to make its way into the floor of the Grande Punto, but as expected, Fiat couldn't be bothered to give us a hint in the press release attached below.
Grealy inspired by the Concept City Car, the Grande Panda rocks pixelated headlights and taillights. Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6, anyone? 17-inch alloys with a four-spoke design are present as well, along with lots of black cladding. The rugged stance may be a throwback to the original Panda 4x4 from the 1980s, but squinting your eyes a little shows a bit of second-gen Suzuki Ignis.
For some reason or another, Fiat hasn't published any photos of the interior. We're told the Grande Panda seats five, but the 3.99-meter overall length makes it hard to squeeze five in the B-segment crossover. Two adults in the front and two children in the rear is more likely.
Following the Grande Panda, the Italian automaker from Turin will launch a new vehicle every year until 2027. The future models are said to use the Grande Panda's Smart Car platform, meaning that Fiat will stay true to its small car mantra.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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