Opinions on Twinair engine?

[TheInsanity1234]

Hey folks. I'm possibly getting a new car in September, so have been casually looking around at possible replacements. I'm looking at Fiats in particular, as I have a soft spot for them, especially for the Panda Cross for some reason...

Now if I want the 4x4 Panda Cross, I have either the 1.3 diesel or the twinair petrol. Since I'm a bit of a diesel hater, the petrol is the only option, so I've been trying to find reviews of twin air equipped Fiats to get an idea of how they are to drive.

All the reviews seem to say they're rather a marmite engine, people either love them or hate them. So just wanted to know what the PH opinion is on them!

[is-uk]

I've had a twinair 4x4 for the past two years as a run about and done around 27k miles in it now. The engine is very good and the car is surprisingly quick. I've had the diesel engine twice on a loan car when mine has been in for service and did not like it at all. The diesel only has a 5 speed gearbox compared to the 6 speed in the petrol and that makes a big difference when cruising. The diesel feels noticeably slower and is noisier and just gives the car a completely different character. The petrol is eager to rev and feels both lighter and quicker. I'd recommended decent test drives in both versions before making a decision.

The 4x4 is a great little package with a lot of interior space, low running costs, glacial tyre wear, great carrying capacity with the rear seats folded down (and vast in comparison to a 500 or Mini with them up), very stable in standing water situations on motorways, good in the snow etc. I've ended up driving it far more than I ever thought I would as it is easy to park, doesn't attract much attention, gets decent MPG, and is fun to drive at sensible speeds. The build quality has been good with no squeaks or rattles. Some of the trim is easy to scuff if you are not careful but is cheap as chips to replace if necessary. It has become a sort of automotive version of a pet in our house and I couldn't imagine not having it.

[TheInsanity1234]

Thanks for the info! 80% of my driving is urban, with the other 20% being rural country roads or motorways as my parents live in a village, and are looking to move somewhere even more rural! But due to the nature of my urban journeys (no more than 5 or 6 miles at a time) it means a diesel would be wholly inappropriate due to DPF issues etc, so I definitely have to have a petrol. Since petrol 4x4s are hard to come by, especially in small cars, the 4x4 panda (or the Cross), or the Suzuki Ignis are my only real options, and I can't stand the styling on the Ignis!

I know people say the Twinair can be very... unusual to drive, but I'm not entirely sure what they mean.

[Squadrone Rosso]

I had a 500TA+ 85bhp & a Panda Cross 4x4 TA90 bhp.

Both brilliant, very punchy, literally brimming with character.

Don’t expect brilliant economy if you press on.

[Vitorio]

TheInsanity1234 said:

I know people say the Twinair can be very... unusual to drive, but I'm not entirely sure what they mean.

Im guessing that anyone who shifts by ear/engine noise will have a hard time adjusting to half the number of bangs/rev, the torque curve might also be a bit different (as it tends to be with 2 cyl vs 4 cyl bikes)

[is-uk]

I've no idea what they mean by unusual to drive. The engine note is different to a 4 cylinder but not drastically so. It sounds a bit more frenetic at times but not in a bad way. There is no issue with changing up gear by ear either (there is also a dash light indicator) but it is an engine that loves to be revved. Fuel economy will suffer if driven hard but it still hits mid 30's if driven enthusiastically.

Another bonus for town/city driving is the narrow width of the car compared to most others. It can squeeze through gaps in traffic and there is no issue with standard car parking spaces either as it's footprint is easily well within them allowing both you and passengers to get in and out easily. The narrow width is also a big bonus on some country lanes. The first year service on mine was £62, year two was £298 and year 3 is £72. Road fund licence is £30 on it and at 27k miles I'd say it still has at least 50% + of original tyre tread depth. I think it has used about 1.5 litres of top up oil in 2.5 years between services.

The rear seat can be a bit bumpy for passengers as they are effectively sitting over the rear axle. The front seats are perfectly positioned within the wheelbase so comfort in them is not an issue. I've found it a surprisingly comfortable car over longer distances which I never expected when I bought it.

[Nigel_O]

The 1.3 diesel is definitely not one of Fiat's finest (weird, really, considering their success with the 1.9 Jtdm engines). Its unrefined, usually clattery, pretty gutless and not particularly economical. Other than that, its fine.....

Twinair is a masterpiece of design, but only economical in certain circumstances (eg medium-distance commutes at sub 60mph). It can sometime be a bit gutless from a standstill (especially in the 500) - not tried it in the Panda

Panda 4x4 and especially the Cross is generally a great car

[is-uk]

The twinair in the Panda 4x4 steps off the line very smartly. I've surprised more than a few people at traffic lights who evidently expected it to move away like a snail.

[LuS1fer]

I hired a Fiat 500 and it turned out to be a Twin Air.
Initially, it made such a racket that i thought it was a diesel and I had to check before I put fuel in it.

However, the engine note won me over and the chunky gearknob is great and it performed very well through the mountains of Gran Canaria. I hired another Fiat 500 which was the normal one and it had less performance and character. The TA suits the character of the 500 but might not suit a more refined car.

[seawise]

The twinair Panda 4x4 is probably one of the most capable and charismatic small cars available. I am on my second and absolutely adore it. It’s an utterly brilliant little car and we use ours in all sorts of roles despite having other much more powerful cars to choose from. Put it this way, it often demotes the Ferrari the the heated garage...

[RicksAlfas]

TheInsanity1234 said:

I know people say the Twinair can be very... unusual to drive, but I'm not entirely sure what they mean.

I think they mean it revs like an old school small Italian engine and sometimes you need to give it some beans - which it enjoys.
It's the complete opposite of a never go over 2,000 revs TDi.

I do like the Ignis too, but I've no idea what engine is in it.

[Nigel_O]

Regardless of engine, I reckon a Panda 4x4 on good winter tyres would have been the perfect car for the winter we’ve just had

[Davo456gt]

The 500 TwinAir was originally marketed as a economy car 75mpg expected etc.

When you drive one, its a lot of fun hanging around in the lower gears, due to the revvy nature of the engine.

I think around town they would be great fun, maybe better than the 500 is with the 1.2 4 pot, but not sure how it would handled longer trips.
The 6 speed gearbox may cure that, but not sure if its 5 or 6.

thoughts based on my test drive 2 years ago - I went with the 1.2 4 pot in the end for my daughter to learn to drive in.

[LuS1fer]

Davo456gt said:

The 500 TwinAir was originally marketed as a economy car 75mpg expected etc.



I think around town they would be great fun, maybe better than the 500 is with the 1.2 4 pot, but not sure how it would handled longer trips.
The 6 speed gearbox may cure that, but not sure if its 5 or 6.

6 gears and faster with the turbo. Of the two, I preferred the TA, it had a lot more character - the 1.2 is harder to justify over a cheaper Panda, save for the looks.

[Davo456gt]

LuS1fer said:

6 gears and faster with the turbo. Of the two, I preferred the TA, it had a lot more character - the 1.2 is harder to justify over a cheaper Panda, save for the looks.

500 1.2 was cheaper on PCP than the equivalent Panda by far - just £99/month, so no brainer really