I HAVE fond memories of traversing a large chunk of Ireland in an old Fiat Panda almost 20 years ago. The fact they are fond memories speaks volumes for the capabilities of a small car like the Panda in taking the notoriously pothole-ridden highways of the Emerald Isle in its stride. It got so bad that at one point there was a kind of pothole crusader who went around daubing yellow paint around them just to let people know they were there. It also served to embarrass county councils into doing something about them, which was just as well as some of them resembled the kind of crater you might expect to encounter on the moon. Hit one at speed and you’d certainly know about it. Thankfully Ireland’s road network has improved considerably over the years and the Fiat Panda has grown-up a bit too - quite literally. It’s followed a trend for small cars to get considerably larger and today’s Panda would dwarf the little supermini from a couple of decades ago. However, despite this expansion the Panda still manages to retain that quintessential small car feel that makes it so good. When it comes to space and comfort it probably matches an original Volkswagen Golf - yet it still has the character of a city car that’s easy to manoeuvre, fun to drive and great at getting in and out of tight spaces. You could even get away with having it as a sole family car if you can live with a limited amount of boot space. One of the best things too is that it comes at a very affordable price. The Panda range starts at just a tad over £7,500 for the 1.1 Active Eco model. If you need something with a little more puff then the 1.3 Multijet Dynamic diesel model I drove is perhaps the one to go for. Price-wise it sits somewhere in the middle of the range at £9,965 and with its enviable blend of performance and economy strikes a good balance. The proven 1.3-litre Fiat diesel engine is a commendable performer and manages over 65mpg on the combined cycle. It’s 0-62mph time of 13 seconds might resemble that of a fast-ish small car from the seventies but when you’re behind the wheel it feels nimble enough, making rapid progress at the everyday sort of speeds you’ll be driving it at. Given the fact it sits quite high there’s a slight bit of roll when cornering swiftly but it does nothing to detract from the ‘fun’ feel of the Panda. If you’re a Panda nut you might want to go for one of the 4x4 versions, or the eye-catching Panda Cross model but with prices ranging from £11-13,000 it’s starting to get into the sort of territory where it’s up against far bigger and more family-friendly alternatives. That said the thought of off-roading in a little car like this really does appeal - and I also imagine it would be able to deal with the worst of Ireland’ potholes effortlessly. FAST FACTS Fiat Panda 1.3 MultiJet Dynamic Price: £9,965 Mechanical: 70bhp, 1,248cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 5-speed manual gearbox Max speed: 99mph 0-62mph: 13 seconds Combined mpg: 65.7 Insurance group: 2 CO2 emissions: 114g/km BiK rating: 13% Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles | 
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