Fiat Panda 4x4 vs Range Rover - Fifth Gear

In this classic Fifth Gear clip, Tom Ford puts the Fiat Panda 4x4 against the powerful Range Rover!

[BanjoLuke]

Series 1 Panda 4x4 was one of the best-kept secrets of Alpine farmers.
The current model is almost as good.
Both the 4x4 Pandas are thorough and capable off-roaders.
No cachet. No snob value. Just a thorough little beastie.

[usefulcommunication]

I've had two Defenders and a Panda 4x4 and the Panda is by far the better car both on slime and tarmac. The Defenders win on ground clearance, but the Panda is much better on mud, snow and ice because it's so light. It also doesn't dissolve like the Defenders, and after 6 years nothing has broken on it - whereas the Defenders ate up weekends with endless stupid things that needed fixing. The Panda has more room inside than the Defender 90 I had. Also, the road tax on the Panda is 15 times cheaper than the Defenders. The Panda has insanely long service intervals, and they're dead easy to do yourself. Brakes and tyres last forever because its so light. And it doesn't leak, or have massive drafts blasting through it like a Defender.

And with the money I saved with the Panda I stuck a tow hook on it and bought a trailer. And it's a surprisingly good tow car. I've moved house twice with it.

The Defender is a better car to be in if you hit a deer. Though the deer will cause enough mechanical damage as it makes its way under the car to keep you busy for a few weekends.

[aaa]

where the panda got stuck was the drivers fault not the car.

[nazimelon]

The panda is honestly a crossover done right.
relatively proper 4x4 system, decent ground clearance and thats it.

[MegaRyan]

it only lost cause the plonker has no idea how to pick an offroad line haha

[keyboarddancers]

Panda; one of the best little (2nd hand) winter cars you can buy. Fantastic practical car which doesn't stupid money to fix unlike older Range Rovers which will empty your bank account when all those expensive bits start failing. Keep your pride and joy off the road in the winter and get yourself a Panda 4x4.

[briansteele]

I once beat a 4x4 through some snow with a right kangoo 4x4 with similar technology. The only downside was that when descending a hill we were back in 2 wheel drive and the back end was all over the place. Nevertheless, both the kangoo and panda 4x4 are favourite little ski cars here in France and in Italy where they tend to fit them with good snow tyres. (legal requirement in Italy).

[jamesliddell]

This race is irrelevant, Its totally missing the point of an off road test. Its not about speed its about off road capability.

[ChangeOfMemory]

You should try the old panda 4x4, the best car ever made

[telj]

We need a car like the Panda here in the US.  One that's tough yet doesn't cost an arm and a leg. 

[leonardoantonio]

With a better driver the panda had won

[lgz]

I rather have the Fiat Panda 4x4 if I have the opportunity of it. The Panda was rather more cute but still it's a good off-roader and it was much cheaper than the Range Rover. The Range Rover's air suspension system was prone to leak air, causing the car sacked weirdly to one of the side of the car, and most of the buyers stayed away from the car once it was out of warranty. In addition to that, parking, that's the thing that anyone should pay attention to that when buying a 4x4, bigger ones like Range Rover would took more than a minute to park in a tight spot, for the Panda in my opinion, it may be a 4x4 but it also smaller than the Range Rover, the overhang was much shorter so I think it can park in a tight spot in a less time than the Range Rover. One more, the Panda's repair cost may also cheaper too, that's the reason why I chose the Fiat Panda 4x4. I hope you people may agree my opinion.

[Mladjasmilic]

Old Panda had solid rear axle and mechanical lever to engage rear wheels. It could not get stuck.

[jamesadamson]

Me and my brother in law ( as well as the rest of the family) took a holiday to a rural area, and he wasn't delighted when my Panda out performed his off-road customised defender on country lanes.

The thing is though, his car fit a full suit of five passengers, luggage, and his grandad mobility scooter, and his grandma's wheelchair.

That's the difference really, I love my Panda but it seems strange that it's a controversial subject that it can climb as well as/ marginally better than something much bigger and heavier

[tomkleins]

The thing to mention is, that 99, 99% of all Range Rover never even see a road like your place for testing.

[FSXNOOB]

For it's price not a bad thing :)

[rickybization]

La panda con gomme adatte è inarrestabile, la range è una nave con le ruote, pesante e ingombrante.

[iantownsend]

Love the Panda 4X4. You really don't see enough of them around

[mcrblack]

I have a 110 defender and a 4x4 panda and it really is a great little vehicle. Very capable off road for it's dimensions and more economical than using the land rover daily for not too rough trips.

[konstantinfahardo]

James May's car (if you know what it is)