Can You Buy A Fiat Panda In The U.S.? Yes, But Here's Why You Might Not Want To

Introduced in 1980 and designed by the renowned Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Fiat Panda became a massive success in Europe, quickly earning its place as a quintessential Italian car.

The second generation, which was unveiled in 2003, was designed by Giuliano Biasio and featured models like the Panda Cross. The third — and most recent — generation of the Fiat Panda debuted in 2012, and includes models such as the off-road-capable 4x4 Hatchback. In recent years, like most automakers, Fiat has moved towards electrification, so hybrid Pandas are now available as well. The fully electric version of the Fiat Panda, known as the Grande Panda, is set to launch in 2025.

Compact, practical, and simple, the Fiat Panda has been a symbol of urban transportation in Europe for over four decades. If you're in the United States, you might be unaware of the Panda's enduring popularity across the Atlantic — it is one of those tiny but brilliant cars North America never got. You might also be wondering if it's possible to purchase a Panda in the U.S. The answer is yes, but you might not want to. Here's why.

Fiat is virtually a nonentity in the North American market. For instance, in 2021, Fiat sold just 1,707 vehicles in the U.S. and only 65 in Canada. To put that into perspective, brands like Ford, Toyota, and Honda sell between one and two million units in the U.S. every year. 

As of January 2025, only one Fiat model is officially sold in the U.S.: the 2024 Fiat 500e. In theory, you could own and drive a Fiat Panda as an American resident, but importing it would be very difficult and expensive. This is primarily due to the so-called 25-year import rule. Established under the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act of 1988, the 25-year import rule prohibits the importation of vehicles that are less than 25 years old and don't meet American safety and emission standards. 

In short, it is effectively impossible to import a stock Fiat Panda that is less than 25 years old. 

A Fiat Panda that is at least 25 years old would be eligible for import, but you'd have to spend a significant amount of money to move it from Europe to the U.S. This would include expenses like shipping (which ranges from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the shipping method), import duties and taxes (2.5% of the car's market value), as well as various customs fees.

Here's an example. Back in 2021, The Drive worked with a vehicle importer to move two classic Fiat Panda 4x4s from Genoa, Italy, to the Port of Houston. The Pandas themselves cost around $14,000 in total. Approximately $3,500 was spent on sea freight, and another $1,000 on customs and import duties. 

Also, it's easy to see how costs would just add up over time. What about insurance and maintenance, for example? And where would you source parts for a Fiat Panda? The bottom line is that importing a Fiat Panda to the U.S. would simply not be worth it for most people.