The Fiat Panda has always punched well above its weight. Affordable, practical, and genuinely likeable, it earned a loyal following across decades of city driving. Now, Fiat is taking that spirit into the electric era with the all-new Grande Panda, a bolder, bigger interpretation of the icon that sits on the same platform as the Citroën e-C3 and Opel Frontera. It's also just the beginning of a wider Panda family, with an SUV, a coupe, a mini-MPV, and a smaller city car all in the pipeline.

Performance and Drive

With 110bhp on tap and a 0 to 100km/h time of around 11 seconds, the Grande Panda isn't going to trouble any sports cars at a set of traffic lights. It lacks the instant, punchy response that makes so many EVs feel exciting off the line, and if you're coming from something like a Renault 5, you'll notice the difference. That said, for the vast majority of everyday driving, it holds its own perfectly well. The steering is light and accurate, the chassis feels composed and assured, and it genuinely rewards you on twisty urban roads and tight car parks alike.

Regenerative braking is on the mild side, even in the stronger B mode. One-pedal driving isn't really on the table here, which might frustrate those who have experienced it elsewhere, but it's unlikely to be a dealbreaker for the buyer this car is aimed at.

Ride quality is another relative highlight. The Grande Panda is a light car, so there's a slight firmness over sharper bumps, but the suspension generally does a solid job of smoothing out rough road surfaces. Interestingly, the 16-inch steel wheels that come as standard on some trims actually improve this further, and they give the car a distinctive, characterful look that suits it well.

Range and Charging

The Grande Panda runs on a 44kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, offering a WLTP combined range of 320km. LFP chemistry has a strong reputation for durability and resilience under frequent fast charging, so there's no need to be put off by the technology.

Peak charging speed reaches 100kW, and thanks to the relatively compact battery, a 10 to 80 percent charge takes roughly 20 minutes. For daily use, that's genuinely fast enough to keep things moving without disruption.

One of the cleverest features on the Grande Panda is its integrated 4.5-metre spiral charging cable, neatly housed in a dedicated compartment at the front of the car. It works with home wallboxes and public AC chargers up to 7kW, and it means no more fumbling with cables in the boot or arriving at a charger unprepared. It's a small detail that makes a real difference in day-to-day ownership, and makes the Grande Panda the first car since the Renault Twizy to offer this feature. DC rapid charging is handled through a CCS socket in the rear wing.

Design and Interior

The Grande Panda isn't trying to be retro, but the design team have made sure the connection to the original is clear. The two-spoke steering wheel, the extended instrument pod, the hammock-style storage shelf running across the dashboard, and even the grid-stitched seat upholstery all echo the Panda's roots without feeling nostalgic for nostalgia's sake. The seats themselves are genuinely comfortable, with a softness and support that you don't always find at this price point.

The dashboard layout pays a subtle tribute to Fiat's legendary Lingotto factory in Turin, where cars were once tested on a rooftop circuit made famous by The Italian Job. That curved design language frames a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch central touchscreen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both included as standard.

Boot space comes in at 361 litres, which is generous for this segment and notably ahead of rivals like the Renault 5, Hyundai Inster, and Peugeot e-208. The rear seats fold flat for extra practicality, and while there's a small step up from the boot floor, it's not something that's likely to cause any real inconvenience.

Value and Verdict

This is where the Grande Panda makes its strongest case. Pricing starts at €22,995, undercutting key rivals and making it one of the most accessible EVs currently on the market. The entry-level Red grade comes generously equipped with air conditioning, cruise control, and reversing sensors, while the La Prima adds a reversing camera, front sensors, and interior upgrades including a revised dashboard finish and improved upholstery.

The Fiat Grande Panda will never be the most exciting EV you've ever driven. But it was never meant to be. It's practical, easy to live with, well priced, and packed with enough clever features to make the ownership experience genuinely straightforward. As monthly finance deals begin to filter through, this could quietly become one of the most popular EVs on Irish roads.