“It’s with great pleasure that we accept this award, to crown a memorable year for the Panda. As well as celebrating its 40th anniversary, 2020 was a really packed year: we launched the Panda Hybrid, completely refreshed the line-up, and achieved the best market share in history”, said Luca Napolitano, Head of EMEA Fiat, Lancia & Abarth Brands.
Even better, for the fourth year running, the Panda Cross has been named “Best Crossover 2020” by Britain’s “4×4 Magazine” at its annual 4×4 Awards, fighting off tough competition in an ever-growing sector. The judges praised it for its off-roading capability, engaging drive, and its engines.
Alan Kidd, the editor of 4×4 Magazine, commented, “The Panda Cross just keeps on winning at our 4×4 Awards. The opposition is fierce, but there’s nothing else to match Fiat’s icon in terms of off-road capability, performance on the road, or its distinctive look. People who live in the mountains or get through a bitter winter buy vehicles like this because off-roading forms part of their way of life. It might be small, but the Panda has loads of traction and incredible maneuverability. The Panda Cross is the ideal city car that’s ready to turn into a cross-country hero in the blink of an eye”.
4×4 Magazine is the UK’s only dedicated 4×4 and pick-up magazine and its 4×4 of the Year award has been a benchmark in the sector for more than 25 years. A team of 4×4 specialists assesses the broad spectrum of vehicles that make up this class, covering everything from comfort and quality to off-road performance and purchase and ownership costs.
This impressive win joins the Fiat Panda’s long list of accomplishments, including being the first car in its segment to win “Car of the Year” in 2004, the first city car to climb to an altitude of 5,200m and reach Everest base camp, and the first city car to feature 4WD technology.