Manufacturer has given priority to left-hand-drive markets in which there is strong demand for the retro supermini
UK customer deliveries of the Fiat Grande Panda have been delayed to March 2026, due to outsized demand for left-hand-drive cars in other markets.
Autocar first drove the retro supermini in February 2025, at which point deliveries had been scheduled to begin in April.
That month, the closely related Citroën C3 arrived in UK showrooms (on time), but the Grande Panda did not.
Autocar was alerted to the delay by an email sent to prospective buyers confirming that cars now won’t arrive until next March – 11 months later than originally planned.
A spokesperson for Fiat told Autocar: “The Grande Panda is enjoying significant demand in the left-hand-drive markets where it has been launched to date, impacting the start of production for the right-hand drive-cars for the UK.”
Following the launch of the Grande Panda, Fiat’s sales have grown in Europe. According to figures published by industry body the ACEA, it registered 21,291 cars in the EU between January and October 2025, up from 17,630 by the same point in 2024.
Fiat retired the petrol-powered 500 in August 2024. Given that the 500 was one of the Italian brand’s best-sellers, its overall sales figures were expected to decline thereafter. That the Grande Panda has offset that decline and grown Fiat’s market share highlights the strength of the demand for the car in Europe.
The Grande Panda has already been available on Fiat UK’s online configurator for several months and the brand has already adjusted the trim line-up by replacing the entry-level Red trim with the Pop grade.
The miniature crossover is available with either an electric or a hybrid powertrain, priced from £20,995 and £18,995 respectively.
Fiat has also floated the prospect of a 4×4 version, having shown a rugged concept car to the media in May. This is expected to utilise the existing hybrid powerplant but with a low-power electric motor added to its rear axle, which would engage when traction at the front end is limited. Production of this variant has yet to be confirmed but it is expected to arrive before the end of 2026.
Source: Autocar
