Fiat Panda 4×4 Twin Air – outdoors adventure car?

Tend to agree with this for the most part although I can think of a few campsites where 4wd would be handy once off the tarmac and gravel.

Number of wheels driven is rarely(if ever infact) the issue.

Usually it’s the tires or the nut holding the wheel.

What I’ve witnessed a number of times when the I’ve got 4*4 (on my otherwise normal estate car)brigade turn up is that they get a little further before getting stuck all the same.

the boyhood dream of my youth. The Matra Simca Rancho. Amazed to see it hasn’t really aged that much. It’s like a panda/berlingo/dacia mash up. Cool enough for Prince it would seem

That the picture land rover had on the mood board for the gen 1 discovery im sure

Last time I was one was 10 years ago . It was being used as a bin lorry in Equatorial Guinea

‘Rancho’
They did look good, but iirc the engine was the same as fitted to a chrysler alpine.
Not a great engine, always sounded tappety.

If you want something that looks a bit rufty tufty but will still function like an actual decent car, try an Octavia Scout.

I think one of those would look cool with a slight lift, roof rack, lightbars and whatever.

Number of wheels driven is rarely(if ever infact) the issue.

I think in the specific instance of getting a caravan out of a wet site it probably is, rather than actual off-roading.

I have not yet encountered this problem with the Merc but it may actually be better than the Passat due to extra weight over the rear wheels and the fact I could get the family to sit in the boot to add more 🙂

They did a 4-matic version, which would have been good.

‘Rancho’
They did look good, but iirc the engine was the same as fitted to a chrysler alpine.
Not a great engine, always sounded tappety.

Yep when I was a fledgling next door had one and wow it just sounded totally knackered.

The bagheera 3 seater was pretty thou

Skodas Roomster!
If you want a 4wd something like a Dacia Duster or Suzuki Vitara.
Of course they are not “up to modern standards for A roads” :):):)
So bloody what?
A Mini 850 van was big enough to take 4 people with winter climbing and camping kit to the Caringorms from the FoD.
New Jimny is over priced tech load hairdressers car.

The small 4×4 of choice in these parts is probably the Duster or Vitara, plus a smattering of Pandas, Yetis and RAV4s – narrow, singletrack roads with passing places and soft verges means that bigger vehicles with poor clearances are at a disadvantage. Chunkier tyres and bigger clearances help when you’re confronted by some throbber in a Range Rover sporting 20inch rims, low profile tyres and a latent inability to engage reverse for a passing place they’ve just blown through – 2 wheels on the gravel and you’re away. I have a Vitara and the 1.4 turbo engine is surprisingly good with reasonable economy – far better that the heavier, thirstier engine in the Duster. Tyre choice is important – I replaced the road tyres on my Vitara after 3 punctures in 4 months with Avon AX7s and they coped well on the occasional snowy days. I only drive motorways now a few days a year.

Outdoor adventure car of choice in Norway is a Toyota Avensis. OR actuallly just about any estate or SUV car, but you never see these small 4×4’s

Just go for it!:

https://auta5p.eu/vystavy/zeneva_2017/gims_201a.jpg

I really like the Panda. After owning a Fiat 500 with a 1.4 100HP engine I really wanted a Panda with the same engine but they stopped making it. The Twin Air was a deal breaker. It’s as fast as the 1.4 but as other have said, used more fuel. It’s only more economical if you have a very light foot and don’t use the turbo much.

I had one, as I thought it would be suitable for going MTB, rallying etc However, after a year, I traded it in. Probably didn’t help I’d come from the Abarth 595, and it felt a bit pedestrian – and as others have said, it wasn’t exactly frugal. I always wondered why they never put the 100BHP engine in it….the Panda Sporting was a great little car.

I think it’s a perfect car if you live, or have a holiday home in Snowdonia/Lake District, however, as the main car, it didn’t really work for me. There is a reason they’re all over towns/villages in the Alps….