FIAT Celebrates 125 Anniversary With Its New 2025 Grande Panda

Next-Gen B-Segment SUV Shows Promise, Shares Commonalities with Next-Gen Renegade...

Robert S. Miller July 11, 2024

Today marks the 125th Anniversary for the FIAT brand. And while Stellantis held a lackluster press conference about its Italian marque brand featuring John Elkann, Chairman of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, and Olivier Francois, FIAT CEO and Stellantis CMO, we did get some new images and information on the upcoming 2025 Fiat Grande Panda.

A Legacy of Practicality and Popularity –

The Fiat Panda has long been a staple across Europe, known for its affordability, versatility, and enduring appeal. Over the years, it has adapted to meet diverse consumer needs with gasoline, diesel, and hybrid engine options, alongside front-wheel-drive (FWD) and four-wheel-drive (4×4) configurations. Its enduring popularity is a testament to its ability to blend functionality with Italian flair.

Exterior Design: Iconic Charm and Modern Appeal –

The 2025 Fiat Grande Panda merges FIAT’s iconic design heritage with contemporary styling cues, making a bold statement on urban streets and beyond. Characterized by clean lines and robust wheel arches, the Grande Panda’s exterior projects a sense of elegance and capability. Its compact dimensions are complemented by bold design elements, including rear and front skid plates in silver and glossy-black pillar finishes, which add both ruggedness and sophistication to its appearance.

Drawing inspiration from the adventurous Jeep® Renegade, the Grande Panda incorporates playful design touches that enhance its personality. The vehicle’s vibrant color palette—offering options like red, white, black, green, brown, blue, and yellow—allows drivers to express their individual style. Each color choice is carefully selected to highlight the Grande Panda’s dynamic silhouette and appeal to a diverse range of tastes.

Innovative lighting solutions, such as full LED headlights, not only provide superior visibility but also contribute to the Grande Panda’s modern aesthetic. The FIAT logo hubcaps on its 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels further underscore its premium look and feel. With 3D-branded, low-relief letters on the doors and a focus on detail throughout, the Grande Panda continues Fiat’s tradition of craftsmanship and attention to design.

Interior Design: Smart Space Utilization and Modern Comfort –

The 2025 Fiat Grande Panda excels in interior design, optimizing space for passengers and cargo while integrating contemporary features that enhance both functionality and comfort.

Inside the Grande Panda, practicality reigns with clever design choices that maximize usability. The dashboard includes storage compartments totaling approximately 0.46 cubic feet (13 liters), with a single compartment providing about 0.11 cubic feet (3 liters) alone. These thoughtful arrangements ensure convenient storage for personal items, catering perfectly to urban lifestyles where efficient use of space is essential.

Passengers enjoy a refined interior environment designed for comfort and connectivity. The modern polycarbonate frame houses a 10-inch cluster and a 10.25-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen, offering intuitive access to vehicle functions and seamless integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. These features enhance the driving experience, whether navigating city streets or embarking on longer journeys.

The Grande Panda boasts approximately 7.95 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, accommodating daily essentials such as groceries, luggage, or sports equipment. This generous capacity ensures versatility for various needs and can be expanded further by folding down the rear seats, providing flexibility for larger items.

Electric and Hybrid Powertrains: Efficient and Eco-Friendly Options –

The 2025 Fiat Grande Panda offers versatile powertrain options designed to meet varying consumer preferences, emphasizing efficiency and environmental responsibility.

The electric version of the Grande Panda features a 44 kWh battery paired with an 83 kW (111 horsepower) electric motor, delivering over 320 kilometers (approximately 200 miles) of range in the WLTP combined cycle. This makes it an ideal choice for urban commuters seeking zero-emission driving capabilities. The electric powertrain ensures a smooth and quiet driving experience, suitable for daily use in congested city environments.

The electric variant includes a spiral charging cable stored neatly under the hood, facilitating easy access and minimizing clutter in the trunk. This integrated cable supports alternating current up to 7 kW, simplifying the charging process whether at home or at public charging stations.

For drivers preferring a hybrid solution, the Grande Panda also offers a hybrid variant. This model combines an internal combustion engine (ICE) with an electric motor, providing enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced emissions compared to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. The hybrid powertrain seamlessly switches between electric mode for low-speed urban driving and combustion mode for longer journeys, offering flexibility without compromising on performance.

Pricing: Value and Affordability –

With a projected starting price around €25,000 (approximately $27,170 USD), the Grande Panda provides an accessible entry into the FIAT lineup. This pricing strategy aims to appeal to a wide range of consumers looking for a versatile and budget-friendly vehicle without compromising on modern features and technology.

Connecting the Dots: Grande Panda and the Next-Gen Jeep® Renegade –

The 2025 Fiat Grande Panda provides a glimpse into the future at another upcoming Stellantis compact SUV, hinting at what we can expect from the upcoming next-generation Jeep Renegade, slated for release in 2026.

The Grande Panda’s use of the Stellantis Smart Car platform suggests a shared foundation with the upcoming Renegade, promising enhanced structural integrity and technological integration. This platform supports a range of powertrain options, including electric and hybrid variants, aligning with consumer demand for eco-friendly mobility solutions. Features such as advanced connectivity, digital displays, and intuitive controls showcased in the Grande Panda are expected to carry over to the new Renegade, elevating the driving experience with modern amenities and driver-assist technologies.

Jeep anticipates that the upcoming electric Renegade of the next generation will launch with a starting price of approximately $25,000, positioning it at a price point very similar to that of the Grand Panda.

Design For Global Appeal: But It Could For North America –

The 2025 Fiat Grande Panda is crafted as a versatile global vehicle, designed to meet diverse market demands with its practicality and modern features. While FIAT has not yet confirmed its availability in North America, the Grande Panda holds promise as a potential successor to models like the Fiat 500X, offering enhanced value and broader market appeal.

In North America, where FIAT has navigated challenges with its compact offerings, the vehicle presents an intriguing opportunity. Featuring a practical four-door layout and a competitive starting price around $27,000 USD, the Grande Panda offers superior value compared to the all-electric two-door 2024 Fiat 500e. This positioning could appeal to North American customers who are seeking affordability, functionality, and spacious interior accommodations in today’s markets.

We are still awaiting official confirmation regarding whether the Fiat Grande Panda will be introduced to the North American market in the near future.

2025 Fiat Grande Panda e Image Gallery:

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redriderbob Jul 12, 2024 #1

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TripleT Jul 12, 2024 #2

Hit this one out of the park, especially after the Junior. You can tell this was conceived as a Fiat Panda from the start.

The profile will fit Jeep as the Panda was always sort of a Mini Jeep... so Grand Mini Jeep just makes a Small Jeep.

I like the front charging,

bill burke Jul 12, 2024 #3

The spin off of the Panda to a next generation Jeep Renegade is what the Stellantis merger was suppose to be about. The problem here is will a clearly European focused product resonate in North America? Let’s look to the Dodge Hornet for predictability on that question. A Jeep is not a Fiat in most people’s minds, I would argue and the price point decided by the pricing of the upscale Alfa Romeo Tonale might have destroyed what on paper anyway, should have been a home run for Dodge. Still can be.
Not arguing against the spin off strategy, actually think it is a sound business case and very possibly a great strategy for Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep, but the spin off must capture the essence, chemistry, personality, brand pricing expectations and the hearts of customers to succeed. A test to that will be the repositioning and repricing of the Hornet. The styling of that Dodge does capture the performance Dodge personality, but that alone can not and should not ignore the targeted market and it’s economy minded expectations and pricing needs that underpin and define the market segment. Targeting three essentials in the next generation Renegade is the key to success. Price point, Jeep styling and a choice of power trains and I insist they be ICE, Hybrid and Electric, to be successful.
Essentially that formula will determine the future of this strategy in North America as Chrysler needs to marry with other Stellantis brands like Maserati and Dodge with others like Alfa Romeo or why continue with the Stellantis merger philosophy, that if unsustainable, will likely doom Chrysler and Dodge.
Get it right guys. It an’t just a grill, hood scoops and badges.

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patfromigh Jul 12, 2024 #4

What size will the next Jeep Renegade be ? The newest Citroen C3 Aircross uses the same platform and is a foot longer than the Grade Panda.

Which IC engine will be used with the hybrid option ? The Grande Panda's Smart platform mates, as well as few of the CMP based vehicles, use the PSA 3 cylinder Pure Tech. This PSA engine is used by Stellantis no matter what the brand. The Fiat and Alfa brands should use engines from the FCA side of the house. The 3 cylinder Pure Tech uses a wet belt cam drive setup and has a terrible reputation for self destruction. The questionable French engines and transmissions should not be used Stateside in any Stellantis vehicle. The Dundee built 1.6 liter four cylinder comes from the Pure Tech family, but will use a chain for the cam-drive when it arrives.

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