2014 FIAT Panda Cross goes on sale in the autumn priced from £15,945

The new 2014 FIAT Panda Cross – revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March – goes on sale in the UK in the autumn from £15,945 for the 0.9 litre TwinAir.

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There really isn’t a lot of choice in the car market if you want a rugged little 4×4, and the only real choice is from Fiat. So it’s a good job the new Fiat Panda Cross is such an appealing little car.

Based on the Panda 4×4, the Panda Cross gets some chunky bumpers so you know it means business, big tyres so you know it can actually do of-road stuff and uncreased ground clearance and underbody protection so you don’t wreck your new Panda Cross the first time it finds a small rock.

Inside, there’s special upholstery and a copper-coloured dashboard with leather on the steering wheel and gera knob, grown-up climate control, electric mirrors and a height adjustable seat.

Under the skin is properly grown-up clever, with a choice of a 1.3 MultiJet diesel or a 900cc TwinAir petrol, a four-wheel-drive system that makes the Panda Cross a FWD car when it doesn’t need traction but brings in the back axle when it does thanks to torque-on-demand sending the power to the wheels that need it.

There’s a choice of three driving modes – Normal, Off road and Hill descent – to cover all eventualities and even a ‘crawler’ first gear for rough terrain.

The new Fiat Panda Cross is s very appealing little package, and with prices from £15,945 for the 900cc TwinAir and £16,945 for the 1.3 litre MultJet it’s a proper bargain.

The new Fiat Panda Cross goes on sale in the UK in the autumn.