At least that's how it might appear if you were an ant. But, as I'm a rugged full-sized human (OK, OK, a little bloke of less than average height) and armed with an equally rugged Fiat Panda 4 by 4, tackling Salford's answer to the RAC rally is about as daunting a proposition as a courtroom confrontation with Michael Jackson's nemesis, Tom Sneddon.
Off with the handbrake, hit the "girly" button marked city mode to spark up the Panda's limp-wristed steering set-up, and we're off.
Forward a few feet, avoid the neighbour's car and the family's cats, left a bit, right a bit, into reverse, backwards for all of three-and-a-half seconds, and, phew, the diminuitive off-roader has delivered me safely back to Tarmac. Then, it's just a case of disengaging city mode, "check", and losing that life-saving four-wheel drive setting.
Can't find the button? That's because there isn't one. And that's a shame.
For while I'm sure that the Panda's "Permanent" 4 by 4 system means it could beat the pants off a Swiss mountain goat when it comes to tackling snow-covered pistes, it does nothing but detract from what is otherwise a brilliant little second car for the family.
If that all sounds a little bit of a cruel assessment, then consider the following.
An ordinary Panda will set you back as little as £7,000, will hit 0 to 60mph in 14 seconds and return 50mpg in 1.2litre petrol form.
On the other hand - and despite the fact we're told that the 4 by 4 Panda is effectively a front-wheel drive car until it hits the rough stuff - it will set you back more than £9,000, takes 20 long and drawn out s-e-c-o-n - zzzz to hit 60mph, and will cover just 43 miles for every gallon of petrol.
Suddenly, the security and safety of four-wheel grip feels more like the inconvenience of driving with treacle on your treads.
Of course, Fiat will tell you that what we have here is the perfect example of horses for courses. Or should that be Pandas for different types of terrain.
And sure, discount the 4 by 4 bit and the Panda is an attractive, useable and incredibly likeable little run-around.
It managed to effortlessly take my family of four home from Asda with a sizeable family shop {hellip} even if it did take us a week to once again encounter that rugged gravel track.
But my advice is to leave the 4 by 4 version well alone, unless you really need it. And, certainly don't buy the 4 by 4 Panda - with its funky plastic bits and jacked up suspension - because you think you'll look cool. Because you won't.
Buy it because the gravel path which leads to your house is 18 miles long and picks a course through the Andes.
