TALK about oozing confidence in a product. If there was one thing you could safely say the old boxy-shaped Fiat Panda had absolutely none of, it was style.
That model finally vanished from UK new car showrooms a decade ago. Now the Panda is back, but with ritzy sounding spec levels, bright colours and bags of urban chic it's a very different animal!
As the continued success of the Punto range confirms, Fiat is the master of producing cheap and cheerful small cars.
And when it comes to value for money, the Panda could be Fiat's best yet; in fact it has already been voted Car of the Year 2004, securing the title for the Turin company for a record 11th time.
Unlike its predecessor, this latest generation Panda is as much about image as its undoubted practicality, being billed as "a car that keeps pace in a fast moving world".
So far as build is concerned the smallest Fiat is extremely well put together.
The seat fabrics are of a tough material that feels like it will last, there's reasonable space for two passengers in the back and the rear bench splits and slides to boost load capacity.
Plenty of thought has gone into the cabin design too, with instruments centrally arranged, good driving position and a high, fascia-mounted gearstick for quick shifts.
In fact the only disappointment is the cheap quality of the door trim, dash and steering wheel plastics, but then this is a bargain basement product.
Prices start at £6,295 and take in a pair of economical petrol engines - a 54bhp 1.1-litre and the tested 60bhp 1.2-litre - plus a new 1.3-litre MultiJet turbodiesel, all in a choice of three spec levels called Active, Dynamic and Eleganza.
Visually, the only aspect of the Panda that I don't like is its sawn-off rear with those vertically stacked tail lights - all a bit too twee.
As a driver's car though the 1.2-litre version is a little cracker. The engine feels refined, if lacking in any real kick, and performs nicely both in urban conditions and on faster roads.
Parking is a doddle and there's also a City button that lightens up the steering for tighter manoeuvres.
Electric front windows, central locking, Dualdrive electronic power steering, front airbags, immobiliser and a Blaupunkt stereo radio cassette are standard at entry level. Dynamic adds body-coloured bumpers, anti-lock brakes, rev counter and trip computer.
The Panda name is now in its 25th year of gracing European roads - and this latest model could just be the car to give Fiat a fresh springboard in the UK.
FAST FACTS
Fiat Panda 1.2 Dynamic
Price: £6,895
Mechanical: 60bhp, 1,242cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5-spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 96mph
0-62mph: 14 secs
Combined mpg: 50.4
Insurance group: 2
CO2 emissions: 133g/km
BiK rating: 15%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 3yrs paint; 8yrs anti-rust