# Beefy Off-Road Cars The Fiat Panda Cross is Built to Traverse Treacherous Terrain By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2014-07-31 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/panda-cross References: [gizmag](http://www.gizmag.com/fiat-off-road-panda-cross-suv/33127/) & [fiatpress](http://www.fiatpress.co.uk/press/article/5343) The [Fiat](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/megapanda) Panda Cross is essentially a beefed up version of Fiat's 4x4 Panda city car. The car has been redesigned to make it more versatile, rugged and capable of handling [challenging terrain](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/outlander-trail-edition). The highlight of the Panda Cross' off-road engineering is its Terrain Control all-wheel drive system. During normal driving, the vehicle is 98% front wheel drive -- but if a slip is detected, up to 100% of the torque can be sent to the rear wheels, with a reaction time of 1/10th of a second. In 'Off-Road' mode, the Panda Cross adopts all-wheel drive at speeds up to 48 km/h. In this mode, the vehicle's traction control is switched off so it doesn't interfere with driving on slippery surfaces like mud and ice. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.2/10 - Popularity: 21% | Activity: 7% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Off-road Cars:** The trend is towards developing beefy off-road cars that can handle challenging terrain and offer maximum driving experience and convenience. - **Terrain Control Technology:** The trend is to favor terrain control technology that allows drivers to switch seamlessly between all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive systems. - **Rugged Design:** The trend is for automakers to produce cars with rugged designs, that prioritize durability and longevity over other features. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Automotive Industry:** Automotive companies can explore developing beefy off-road cars that are versatile enough to handle various terrains and offer drivers maximum comfort and safety - **Technology Industry:** Technology companies can develop terrain control technology to help drivers quickly switch between all-wheel and front-wheel drive depending on terrain conditions and weather patterns. - **Tourism Industry:** The tourism industry can take advantage of the beefy off-road cars and rugged design trend to develop off-road tours and experiences that are both daring and adventurous. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Panda-Inspired Retro Car Conepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/megapanda.md) - [Rural-Ready RUV Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roewe-panda.md) - [Compact Off-Roading Electric Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/microlino-ev.md) - [Adventurous Pint-Sized EVs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/opel-rocks-electric-extreme-concept.md) - [All-Terrain Restomod Rally Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/safarista.md) - [Multi-Terrain-Mode EVs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jeep-avenger-4xe.md) - [City-Friendly Crossover Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toyota-aygo-x.md) - [Custom Off-Road Track SUVs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ford-bronco-quadtrack-concept.md) - [Off-Road Crossover SUVs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mazda-cx50.md)