Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid

Petrol-engined variant joins its electric sibling in a keenly priced small SUV line-up On sale September Price from £18,035

- GEORGE HILL

SMALL DOGS, SUCH as the famously cheeky Jack Russell terrier, can be bigger in personality than they are in stature, and the new Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid gives off the same energy. This small SUV’s chunky shape and retro design touches give it enough of an identity to make itself noticed among the big dogs of what is a very competitive class.

Who are those big dogs, exactly? Well, the main mastiffs are the Dacia Duster and Seat Arona, which are similarly priced to the Grande Panda Hybrid. The Fiat also has to contend with the closely related Citroën C3; the two cars share underpinnings, including mild hybrid and fully electric power options.

Having driven the electric version of the Grande Panda back in January, we've now had a go in the mild hybrid. It’s powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine and a tiny electric motor that combine to produce 109bhp, and, unlike most mild hybrids, it can briefly travel on electricity alone in certain instances, such as when coasting, reversing or in stop-start traffic.