Fiat Panda 4x4 Is Back And Bigger Than Ever

Buyers who needed to traverse snow, mud, rocks, and fields, but didn't want or need something larger.

Now that the larger Grande Panda has joined the Fiat lineup, the Italian automaker is looking to bring back the charm and the utility of the 4x4. The Grande Panda 4x4 Concept is that new car, with 1980s style and 1980s rugged design, a stark contrast to the fresh and fun Fiat 500.

The concept off-roader is a big deal, but Fiat doesn't have a lot to say about what's going on here. Instead, it's letting the design sit and do the talking. The Grande Panda it's based on went into production earlier this year, built on a shared platform with the latest Citroën C3 and the Opel Frontera.

Fiat offers the Grande Panda with a 108-horsepower 1.2-liter engine or a 111-horsepower electric front motor. For the 4x4 Concept, Fiat intends to use an electric motor for the rear axle. That makes it easier to add drive to the rear tires, without needing a transfer case or a rear driveshaft.

The dark red paint is a nod to a classic Panda 4x4 package called the Sisley. Those models got the red paint and white wheels of the modern-day concept as well as a roof rack, front bull bar, headlight washers, and some other off-road add-ons; extras so popular that they quickly became standard across the range.

You won't find the bull bar on the concept, but you will find most of the rest of the extras. A full-sized spare sits on the roof rack, the white wheels with beefy off-road tires, and plenty of driving lights for night-time off-roading.

It's Not Confirmed, But Fiat Clearly Wants To Build This

"With this modern reinterpretation of the Panda 4x4, FIAT reaffirms its desire to blend heritage and innovation, responding to the needs of a changing mobility landscape without ever losing sight of the model’s authentic and deeply popular soul."

Fiat claims that it "is providing the automotive world with an idea of an electrified, innovative rear axle that delivers all-terrain versatility." Adding electric power to the rear axle is nothing new; Toyota has been doing it for well over a decade on its hybrid crossovers like the RAV4. But it is still an effective move.

The Italian automaker didn't confirm that it would build this 4x4 Grande Panda, but it sure did heavily imply it. Fiat described it as "the next chapter in the legacy of the Italian brand is marked by a symbol of versatility, reliability, and freedom on four wheels." So clearly, Fiat wants to build it.

If Fiat does launch the Grande Panda 4x4, it would give it something unique among the three models that share this platform. Both the Opel and Citroen models have more conventional SUV designs and come covered in rugged-looking cladding. But neither one of them is available with drive sent to the rear tires.

Should it enter production, don't expect it to arrive in the US. Fiat is a one-car brand in the US, only selling the 500. That aside, the brand may struggle to live on in the US, as all its vehicles are manufactured in Europe, and tariffs would take even the Fiat 500 beyond the realms of affordability. Whatever the future holds, we can at least admire the Grande Panda 4x4 for what it is, an epic retro concept off-roader.