Fiat is at long last expanding its model range beyond small cars once again, and this new Grizzly will hit the market late this year as a rival to the likes of the Dacia Duster and Bigster.
Is this just Fiat's version of the Opel Frontera?
Not quite. Yes, the same Stellantis Group 'Smart Car' platform lies beneath the Grizzly's chunky styling (as also found under the Citroen C3 and C3 Aircross and of course the new Fiat Grande Panda) but the Grizzly will be slightly larger and longer than the Frontera or the Aircross, so it's in a subtly different position in the market, sitting roughly between a rival Dacia Duster and Bigster in size terms.
Click here to read our Fiat Grande Panda review.
What else do we know about the new Fiat Grizzly?
Not much, except that there will be two distinct body styles - a standard Grizzly, with a tall SUV look, and a Grizzly Fastback, with a chopped-off rear roofline, which will give it something of an SUV-Coupe look, which will likely be unique at this kind of price point.
What about the power of the new Fiat Grizzly?
Fiat's not giving away any details as yet, but we know that there will be a hybrid and a fully-electric version, so you can probably expect developments based on the Grande Panda's 1.2-litre hybrid and the Grande Panda Electric, although the Grizzly will need a bigger battery and a longer range to be competitive.
Anything else?
According to Olivier Francois, Fiat's CEO: "Grande Panda marked the return of Fiat to affordable family movers. With Grizzly and Grizzly Fastback, we're completing this lineup with two vehicles designed around different needs, different lifestyles, but sharing the same idea: smart, accessible and rooted in Fiats design DNA. Together, they bring Fiat back at the heart of the family mobility market with a complete and coherent line-up.”
That lineup will expand again later this year, when we see the first sign of a new-generation Panda, smaller and more affordable than the Grande Panda, which will be an all-electric model, paired with the new Citroen 2CV and built to the EU's new affordable small-car legislation.
Click here to read more about the new Citroen 2CV revival.