MOTORING
A ROOMY CAR FOR A GREAT PRICE
The Skoda Fabia offers real value for money , says Kyle Fortune
The Skoda Fabia has now been around long enough to be in its fourth generation . Like its predecessors the Fabia shares its underpinnings with the VW Polo and Seat Ibiza and , like them , in its most recent form it has grown up a little .
Skoda has always been adept at offering more from the sum of its parts than its German and Spanish siblings , as well as the rest of its rivals . A longer wheelbase means more space inside for passengers and their luggage . For a little car , it feels big inside .
You get more for less with this car , with the pricing lower than the cars it shares so much with . The range starts at £ 18,600 for an SE Comfort model powered by a 1.0-litre MPI petrol engine , and even if you go for the range-topping Monte Carlo in its most powerful form and add a few options you ’ ll still struggle to spend more than £ 23,000 .
All come powered by a 1.0-litre petrol three-cylinder , though the MPI badge on the most inexpensive Fabia reveals it does without a turbocharger . That means just 80hp , which makes for relatively leisurely progress . I ’ d say it ’ s worth paying £ 550 more for TSI badging , which adds a turbocharger for 95hp . If you want more again , pay another £ 350 , which will boost that to 110hp while adding a six-gear to the manual transmission – useful if you ’ ll be doing lots of motorway miles .
If you ’ re after an automatic gearbox , that 110hp is the only option , unless you ’ ve gone for the highest Monte Carlo trim level , which adds the possibility of a 150hp version , again with the DSG automatic gearbox . Think of the 95hp TSI in SE Comfort trim as the starting point and you ’ ll be on to a good thing , particularly as there ’ s no fuel economy or emissions penalty for taking the more powerful engine . The 95hp model is marginally more economical on the WLTP combined consumption test than the 80hp MPI , achieving 54.9mpg and emissions of 117g / km .
Real world , you ’ ll likely be in the mid-late 40mpg sphere , which is respectable . To drive , the Fabia is a bit softer than some of its rivals , but really that ’ s no bad thing . The suspension is supple enough to soak up all but the worst bumps , the SE Comfort living up to its name in this regard .
Option packs are available , of course , and of them I ’ d suggest the Winter Pack is the most worthwhile , with its warm embrace of heated front seats and a quick-clearing heated windscreen .
The Fabia may be small but it ’ s a fine but roomy car for a small price , which these days is a very good thing indeed .
The Skoda Fabia is priced from £ 18,600 for the Fabia SE Comfort 1.0 MPI .
01962 866331 www . winchestermotorgroup . co . uk / skoda
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