Word in Britain of the FIAT Panda 100HP has spread from the motoring press to the mainstream dailies. And their opinions broadly follow those of the specialist publications and you'll find links to some of their reviews below, even those in papers I normally find reprehensible!

Also, there have been group tests in a couple of magazines recently. Issue 945 of AutoExpress (24/01/07) saw a 100HP pitted against a Ford SportKa, the capable but aging class benchmark (an irony as the next generation Ka will be based on the Panda's new sibling, the 500). Autocar (07/02/07) ran a group test with a SportKa and Suzuki Swift. Neither article however holds a candle to the excellent eulogy in Evo.

Reviews (2)

© 2006

Here is a second review by AutoExpress and - in the name of balance - a couple of slightly less favourable reviews. These latter two do contain a number of factual mistakes and tired cliches.

Comments, suggestions, found other interesting stuff about the 100HP?

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"You also get air conditioning, a CD player, electric windows and central locking. All for £9,995, with 43.5mpg and 154g/km of CO2 to aid your smugness. Suddenly, anything grander seems hard to justify."

"Best of all, because it is small, noisy and endlessly enthusiastic, it also conspires to feel much faster than it is, making it a car that can be enjoyed to the full without putting your licence on the line."

"Changes of direction are what this car is about. There might not be a lot of power available, but the sure-footed handling and the useful six-speed gearbox mean you can make the best of it. "

"The engine even has a throaty note to it under hard acceleration that encourages you to push the Panda to its limits. This is a little car that wants to be driven hard."

"Its performance isn’t so high that to enjoy it you’re constantly frightened for your license, and with combined consumption of 43.5mpg and just 154g/km of CO2 it’s a performance car that works in these environmentally-conscious times."

Prefer to read the opinions of someone with no hidden agenda, someone who has spent their own hard earned money on a 100HP?  Click here to link to Andrew Boxall's blog, a Briton living in Athens with a new Darkwave Black...

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"So, can Fiat build a modern car that serves up all the thrills of old? If the new Panda 100HP is anything to go by, the answer has to be a resounding yes. Fans of the famous brand have a model to be proud of."

" A MINI’s the expected way to have fun. The Panda 100HP is a cheaper, more cheerful way. "

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