Fiat Panda is BACK: New Grande Panda will be sold in the UK for under £19,000

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Some 45 years after it first Panda broke onto the scene, Fiat's iconic small car is back for 2025 - and it's affordable too. 

The all-new Grande Panda has officially been launched in Turin on Tuesday, signalling the start of a whole new growing family of Panda variants.

While it keeps with tradition and retains its legendary boxy shape, the Panda's compact package includes plenty of cute styling features - not least the unique pixelated headlamps which give it a stand-out presence on the road.

Almost just as striking are the prices ahead of UK order books opening in spring and first deliveries in the summer...

For traditionalist who still want to fill up with petrol at the pumps, a hybrid version will be available starting from £18,975 on the road.

As an alternative – ahead of the UK ban on new petrol cars being sold from 2030 - the Grande Panda EV starts from just £20,975, making it one of the most affordable electric models on the road this year.

At just under four meters long (3,999mm) long and 1.763m wide, Fiat says Grande Panda is ‘designed to be compact but practical and roomy inside, seating five adults in comfort’.

It also has a dashboard made out of bamboo-cane fibre while the door inserts and cabin parts are formed from recycled cups and cartons.

Fiat's Panda is back for a fourth generation in 2025: Available as a hybrid or EV, prices will start from under £19k

2025 Fiat Grande Panda: A choice of green powertrains

Let's start with the EV variant.

It is powered by a 44kWh battery and an 83kW (113hp) electric motor to provide an 'official' range of 199 miles.

In terms of performance, it can accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 11 seconds up to a top speed of 82mph. 

For storage it has a 361 litre boot. However, both fuel options also have 13 litres of space in the dashboard to bolster practicality.

There are two versions at launch: the entry-level Grand Panda Electric Red (which comes in this bold colour as standard) from £20,975 and the Electric La Prima from £23,975.

The former comes with white steel wheels in a tasteful nod back to the 1980s original. 

UK order books will open in spring with first deliveries of the new Grande Panda due in the summer

The new car takes huge inspiration from the mk1 model, which sold in millions over a 23-year production cycle starting in 1980

Entry versions even come with white steel wheels as standard in a nod back to the 1980s icon

For those not yet ready to make the leap to a full EV, the Grande Panda Hybrid might be an ideal stepping stone in your electrified journey. 

It combines an efficient 100 horsepower turbocharged three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine with a 48-volt battery, married to a six-speed automatic transmission to accelerate from rest to 62mph in 10 seconds up to a speed of 99mph. 

Fuel efficiency averages a money-saving 52.3mpg with low CO2 emissions of 118g/km.

It has a larger boot than the electric Panda, stretching to 412 litres.

The new Hybrid is also available from launch in two versions, with prices starting from just under £19k.

At just under four meters long (3,999mm) long and 1.763m wide, Fiat says Grande Panda is ‘designed to be compact but practical and roomy inside, seating five adults in comfort’.

Dubbed a ‘family mover’, the new Grande Panda was designed at Fiat's Centro Stile design centre in Turin. However, it will be manufactured in Serbia, Brazil and Algeria and be sold in 60 different countries

Fiat is part of the giant Stellantis conglomerate – which includes Vauxhall, Alfa Romeo, Citoren and Peugeot – and this is the first built on the Stellantis ‘Smart Car Platform’

The Panda dashboard is made out of bamboo-cane fibre while the door inserts and cabin parts are formed from recycled cups and cartons.

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For storage, the EV version has a 361 litre boot (the hybrid is bigger at 412 litres). However, both fuel options also have 13 litres of space in the dashboard to bolster practicality

Designed in Italy... but not built there

Dubbed a ‘family mover’, the new Grande Panda was designed at Fiat's Centro Stile design centre in Turin.

However, it will be manufactured in Serbia, Brazil and Algeria and will be sold in more than 60 countries around the globe, including the UK.

Pointing to a family of variants to follow, the Italian car maker said: ‘Several further new Fiat models will be launched in the coming years based on Panda Design.’

As well as the new compact SUV these are likely to include: a city car; sporty fast-back; pick-up truck and camper-van.

Fiat is part of the giant Stellantis conglomerate – which includes Vauxhall, Alfa Romeo, Citoren and Peugeot – and this is the first built on the Stellantis ‘Smart Car Platform’.

A concept version of the new Panda was teased in spring 2024 with a production version shown last summer.

Fiat said: ‘The new Fiat Grande Panda, the first model of the new global family, truly represents the brand with its Italian design, compactness, inclusivity, and sustainability.

‘The Fiat Grande Panda is notable for its compact size and features clean lines and a well-organised interior, making it ideal for family life and urban mobility.’

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The Fiat Panda became a legend after its 1980s release - selling over 7.5million units globally

The functional little car that made optimum use of space and was built around the design brief of a 'container'. It could carry 1,000 litres and weighed just 650kg

Living up to the iconic Panda name 

The original Panda was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1980 and was designed to bring affordable motoring to the masses; very much following in the tyre tracks of the 500.

The mk1 Panda was such a hit that it remained on sale for 23 years.

Right-hand drive variants didn't come to the UK until early in 1981 and British sales never really replicated its huge popularity back in Italy.

Slotting below the 127 supermini, the Panda was designed to be as basic as possible, with flat glass and simple body panels for ease of production and repairs.

It also got a no-frills interior with deckchair-style seats and a hammock for a dashboard, all of which complimented a 903cc four-cylinder motor producing a pedestrian 45bhp.

Given it has earned near-icon status back in Italy - especially as so many are still being used daily - and Panda 4x4 models are becoming more collectible, the original has become a bona fide classic in recent years.

Two generations followed - the second coming to market in 2003 - and, thanks to a combination of practicality and affordability - were relatively popular among Britons.