The giant panda, the archetypal symbol of a cute, cuddly animal, is, of course, nothing of the sort.

Matching an American black bear in size, and growing to 250lb, the bamboo-crunching panda can be as dangerous as any bear.

At first glance, Fiat’s four-seater Panda is also the epitome of a chic city car. It’s neat, nippy, compact and perfect for slotting into tight parking spots.

But fit four-wheel-drive, chunky side protection strips, 15in alloy wheels and roof bars, and you’re ready for a drive on the wild side.

The Panda Cross is a real eye-catcher. The new round lights front and rear, new bumpers and special two-tone interior trim see to that.

And that’s no more than the car deserves as it costs about double the price of an entry-level Panda.

What you get for that extra cash is a little car that’s ideal for nipping around town, with the bonus of surprisingly sure-footed 4x4 potential.

Powered by a 1.3-litre, 16-valve turbodiesel engine, the Panda Cross’s 70 horsepower is also more than happy whipping along at motorway speeds.

Its spritely top-end performance and oodles of low-end pulling power are combined with the proven permanent four-wheel-drive system of the well-established Panda 4x4, which first saw the light of day back in the early 1980s.

Over the years, these capable little cars have proved a hit particularly with rural communities, postal services and telephone and electricity utilities across continental Europe.

The 4x4 system was put through its paces before its launch, with prototype models covering more than a million test kilometres, in places as far apart as Lapland, the Kalahari Desert, and even driving from Kathmandu to drive through the Himalayas to the Mount Everest advance base camp.

The Panda Cross permanent four-wheel-drive system has a viscous coupling and an electronic differential lock, which ensures proper off-road performance in low-grip situations and the car’s MacPherson front and independent rear suspension gives decent passenger comfort on- and off-road.

In normal driving conditions, the Panda 4x4 is basically front-wheel drive, with the resultant benefits of fuel economy. The automatic operation of the Panda 4x4 means that without any intervention by the driver, the system will automatically transfer power to the rear wheels when necessary.

As befits a car at the top of its range, standard equipment list includes an electronic stability programme, air conditioning, radio and MP3-compatible CD player with audio controls mounted on the steering wheel, and electric power steering.

As with any Panda, fuel consumption and emissions are low. The Panda Cross returns more than 50mpg in day-to-day driving.

Auto facts Fiat Panda Cross

  • Price: £13,190
  • Insurance group: Three
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 54.3mpg
  • Top speed: 94mph
  • Length: 358.1cm/141in
  • Width: 161.1cm/63.4in
  • Luggage capacity: 8.1 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 7.7 gallons/35 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 136g/km
  • Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles