Fiat Grande Panda Electric

Related to the Citroën e-C3, this all-new small electric car has funky looks and a low price on its side On sale Spring Price from £20,975

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YOU COULD ARGUE that any publicity is good publicity, but bringing back a familiar name from the past has been a controversial move for some car makers. That's because the car to which the name is attached sometimes bears little resemblance to its predecessor, and while the new Fiat Grande Panda might seem like it could fall into that trap, let us explain why that's not entirely the case.

You see, the Grande Panda isn't being coined as a direct replacement for the longserving Panda city car that was discontinued in the UK last year, but rather a new addition to the family. A more direct successor to the 'traditional' Panda is eventually expected to follow at least overseas.

So, pitchforks lowered, what's the Grande Panda all about? Well, as the name suggests, this is a bigger car than the old Panda although it's still a small car by our measure.

It takes a lot of styling inspiration from the original Panda of the 1980s and 1990s, sporting a somewhat retro-futuristic look. Every Grande Panda is electrified in some way; there's a mild hybrid version and the fully electric version we're focusing on here.