Panda has been Fiat’s no-nonsense contender in the supermini ranks for quite a while now.

We’ve got the ever-so-sensible standard hatchback. Then there’s a dependable 4x4 version, the only model of its kind on the market.

Now there’s Panda 100bhp, a sporty version. So proud is Fiat of the engine output that it’s incorporated it into its title. At £11,000, it seems expensive for a hot-hatch, but it’s a very worthy alternative to a host of pocket rockets like Renault Twingo GT. And it’s a five-door, unlike the Twingo, making it a much more versatile model.

The Panda 100hp looks rather like a beefed-up Panda with aggressive alloy wheels, a sporty front airdam and Sport mode which sharpens the car’s reflexes. The throttle and steering are amended to give it a much sportier feel.

The whole feeling is of a car which doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s fun and sporty without being too fast that you can’t afford to insure it. It seems the hot-hatch of my youth is back in vogue.

This country is growing too small for the current superhatches. There’s already a handful that can reach 155mph, which ten years ago was the preserve of super saloons. These cars need big speeds for big thrills, and that’s just not acceptable any more.

What you need instead is something small, flyweight but with a keen spirit. A car that is useful but also likes to have fun, and is blessed with enough power to be a hoot but not so much that you need a pilot’s licence to drive it.

Fiat has an excellent track record in producing wonderful small cars and subsequently heating them up to great effect, and it has pulled the same trick with the Panda 100hp. That badge says it all: 100bhp is next to nothing in modern motoring, yet it is all that is required to make it a fun car.

The important details are all spot-on. It’s hard to believe, looking at a standard Panda, that it could be turned into a credible mini hot-hatch, but the 100hp succeeds. The 15-inch alloy wheels and stiffer suspension give it the look of a lowered roller skate, while the chunkier bumpers and blacked-out windows are suitably stylish.

There are a few choice items inside, like the sportier seats, subtle cloth trim and chunky leathered wheel.

It remains snug on the inside, but having drunk in the exterior it puts you in the mood for a drive. Under the bonnet is the 1.4-litre, 16-valve engine that moves the Grand Punto along, but with much less weight to push and a keener exhaust, it is the perfect ally in the Panda.

It fizzes into life with a turn of the key, and while it provides decent torque low down, it loves to rev and is happy being spun right round to the red line, all the time roaring with enthusiasm. The standard six-speed gearbox is well matched too, with a snap change and perfectly placed lever high up on the dashboard. The Panda 100hp is pretty brisk rather than fast, but it never feels anything less than keen.

It’s on twisty roads that it really comes into its element. Being short in every measurement is ideal here, and the firmed-up suspension is well-judged. The grip levels are just right too; enough to allow brisk cornering speeds, but not so high that bends aren’t a challenge. The Panda is keen to play and responds sharply to input, yet there’s never enough mass moving around for it ever to become a handful. If there was ever a car that you could enjoy without fear, this is it.

When the fun is over, the 100hp is just as practical and usable as every other Panda. It’s a small car for sure, but you can pack in four adults and a fair amount of luggage, visibility is excellent and parking is a doddle – squeezing into a small space is all part of the fun. It sits neatly in insurance group five, will still do more than 40mpg and is in band D for C02 emissions.

Best of all, the 100hp is a bargain. More than £11,000 may seem like a lot, but compare that with a standard Fiesta or MINI and you may consider this Panda to be an affordable way to drive with a smile on your face.

Fiat Panda 100hp:- PRICE: £11,005. The range starts at £7,665.

ENGINE: A 1,368cc, four-cylinder unit generating 100bhp.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 113mph, 0-60mph in 10.5 seconds.

COSTS: Urban (town), 50.4mpg; extra-urban, 68.9mpg; combined, 60.1mpg.

INSURANCE: Group 5.

EMISSIONS: 154g/km.

WARRANTY: Three years’ unlimited mileage.

Steve’s Ratings: Performance: 3/5 Ride/Handling: 3/5 Space/Practicality: 4/5 Equipment: 4/5 Security/Safety: 4/5 OVERALL: 4/5