If the wintry weather didn’t make you wish you had a four-wheel-drive, nothing will.

Six months separated my first struggle with the snow in October and my last, hopefully, in April, and the surefootedness of a 4x4 really came into its own at various times over the winter.

There are reasons for and against buying a go-anywhere vehicle, of course. They don’t come cheap, they cost a fortune to run and not everyone’s happy about being seen in a Chelsea Tractor.

And choices for people who prefer a four-wheel-drive car to a proper SUV are limited, but thanks to Fiat the choice has been increased. Welcome to the Panda. That’s right, the smart little hatchback which has been overshadowed a little by almost pop star adulation for the 500 now comes as a Trekking and a 4x4. The Panda 4x4, as the name suggests, offers proper four-wheel-drive transmission while the Trekking is a cheaper chunky version of the Panda but it comes with a raft of devices to help keep you on the move.

And costing from £12,450, the Trekking is a cost-effective alternative to a hatchback but which should be able to tackle all but the worst of our winter weather.

With features such as ESP (electronic stability programme), ‘Traction-Plus’ and MSR (to cut wheel spin), the Panda Trekking is a very able little motor. It also looks beefier than the general Panda, thanks to body kit and trim. It also rides a little higher than the normal Panda so it gives you a feeling of a 4x4 without the extra cost.

And with a sprightly 1.3 litre petrol engine which returns 74mpg on a run, you can see why Fiat have big hopes for this motor.

So, how does Panda measure up. It’s bigger than the previous model and there are more engine options and the car is designed to be appeal to younger drivers without alienating older motorists. Around 11cm has gone into the length at the back, to give more legroom and boot space. Combined with a height of over 1.5 metres, it immediately looks like a bigger, arguably more sensible prospect than the cutesy old wheel-at-each-corner car.

That’s not to say it’s not a looker. It takes the old car’s features and smoothes them out into a sleeker, younger and cheekier style that works well to offset the increase in size. With a wide choice of colours (the test version was Sicilian Orange) it’s also open to interpretation from buyers.

There are three trim levels and, for now, three engines. Pop is the most basic spec level, with Lounge the most luxurious and Easy the likely best-selling mid range option. Standard spec isn’t immense and alloy wheels are only optional on the Easy, but thankfully upgrades are very keenly priced. Sitting at the top of the Panda family is Trekking (from £12,450) and Panda 4x4 (from £13,950). Under the bonnet there’s a traditional 1.2-litre petrol, the familiar 1.3 MultiJet diesel and, new to the Panda, the 0.9-litre TwinAir twin-cylinder turbo petrol, plus a slightly larger TwinAir petrol but without a turbocharger.

And while Fiat 500 attracts all the glances, Panda is a more versatile car. It feels pretty spacious and it rides and handles well, too.

This generation of the car, only the third in its 32-year history, offers an impressive amount of room, helped along by a few other details. The steering wheel doesn’t adjust for reach, which tends to mean pulling the driver’s seat forward a bit more than it otherwise might be and giving rear passengers more room. Six-footers can sit in the back behind a similar-sized driver, and with more general space than a cat-swinging champion would ever need this is a top option for carrying passengers.

If you can see beyond the 500, this Fiat is worth checking out.