Fiat Panda Twinair Easy: Test Drive Review

Date: 05 September 2012

The little Twinair engine is now a mainstay of Fiat's range, having started life as something of a novelty in the 500 city car before making its way into the Panda and larger Punto.

The formula is always the same: 0.9-litre two cylinders with nominal power output but enough character to make it reminiscent of what entertaining, old-fashioned small cars used to be like. A figure of 85hp means the buzzy unit needs to be worked hard, which enthusiasts will enjoy, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea, hence why Fiat expects the lion's share of sales to go to the more conventional 1.2-litre engine.

As good as the 99g/km, 67.3mpg and 30.3ppm figures are, you won't see the second of those stats if you embrace the car's thrashy nature, or even drive it normally. Moreover, the Twinair is only available with the Panda's most basic Easy trim level, which means it lags behind rivals that offer similar traits with the option of better spec.

Verdict: Not without its charm and the engine will delight some.

Score: 6/10

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