We've never been quite sure whether Fiat's boxy little Panda is a super-practical small hatch or a very, very small minivan but, after 31 years and 6.4 units, I don't think anybody at Fiat gives a damn what we call it.
Along with the Golf and the Corolla, it has become a brand in its own right, with a likeable, easy-to-use persona that always seems to put a smile on people's faces when they talk about them.
Forgive us for swimming upstream here, but we think one of the reasons that the Panda is so identifiable is that it has only gone through three generations in three decades.
This, then is the third-generation Panda, released in South Africa this week - slightly bigger, slightly sexier but still recognisably a Panda.
At 3.65 metres long, 1.64 metres wide and 1.55 metres high, the new five-door Panda accommodates up to five adults as well as 225 litres of shopping, increasing to 260 litres with the sliding rear seat in the fully forward position, and 870 litres with the backrest of the rear seats folded.
The new Panda is available at launch with a revised version of the proven 51kW, 1.2-litre Fire petrol engine, in a choice of two trim levels (Pop and Lounge), seven body colours, three interior trim colours and 14” steel or 15” alloy rims.
Available as an option is Blue&Me TomTom Live, combining infotainment, connectivity and navigation in one package.
STYLING
A slightly convex bonnet and rounded headlight clusters above a broad horizontal grille give the new Panda a distinctive 'smiley face' - as well as a strong family resemblance to its upmarket sibling, the 500.
The passenger compartment is designed as a single, comfortable space, with graphic patterns decorating the door panels and roof to create an attractive 'sky'. All the controls and buttons are grouped into two islands to make them more intuitive to find and use.
There are no sharp corners - inside or out - while the angles of the signature third window that extends the glazed area all the way to the tail-light have been softened, and the tail lights themselves have been raised to reduce their vulnerability to car-park dings
The smooth, rounded 'bump strips' on the bumpers and side panels pay tribute to the first-generation Panda, but they're bigger and chunkier, as are the mirrors and door handles.
MAXIMUM USE OF SPACE
The dashboard - with a storage pocket as well as a conventional glove compartment in the lower section - is wrapped in a colourful frame that ties together the steering wheel, radio and main controls, and houses the air vents.
Slim front seats provide more rear legroom and greater flexibility -the three-seater rear bench has a 60:40 split backrest that folds to provide a flat floor more than two metres long, for when the Panda does duty as a delivery van.
Even the speakers in the doors have been shifted upwards to make the storage pockets bigger, and the parking-brake handle is both shorter and slimmer than before, so that the space in front of, behind and underneath it can be used as oddment storage. In all there are 14 places to lose things in the cabin of the Panda, including an eyewear holder above the driver's door.
The gear lever is mounted in the middle of the dashboard rather than in the centre console, close to the steering wheel, which is perfectly round on the outside to make it easy to turn and square on the inside to improve grip.
The Pop comes with separate heater and manual aircon, while the Lounge has automatic climate control.
Four airbags are standard, as are antilock braking with brake assist, as are front seat belts with pretensioner and load limiter. Electronic stability control with hill hold is an extra-cost option.
MOTORVATION
The 1.2-litre Evo II is the latest version of the proven Fire engine; it's one of Fiat's major success stories with more than 10 million produced so far. It now has continuously variable valve timing, helping to reduce fuel consumption to a claimed 5.2 litres per 100km and CO2 emissions to 120g/km, while delivering 51kW at 5500rpm and 102Nm at 3000rpm - all of which reaches the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox.
The Macpherson strut front suspension has been revised and lightened, with a new, lighter anti-roll bar and softer bushes on the lower suspension arms for a quieter, less vibratious ride.
The rear torsion-axle suspension has larger bushes than previously, for the same reason.
PRICES
Panda 1.2 Pop - R139 990
Panda 1.2 Lounge - R154 990
As it costs somewhat more than its A-segment rivals, the Panda is likely to be an exclusive and rare sight on our roads. Prices include a three-year and 100 000km warranty and full maintenance plan.