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Latest News - January 2009
Since the launch of the original Skoda Fabia back in 2000, over 1.6 million have found homes with happy owners around the world. Around 130,000 were sold here in the UK, making the small car a big player in the supermini market.
The New Fabia is 22mm longer and 47mm taller than the model it replaces. This extra space means that it offers more rear knee and headroom than any of its rivals, such as the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Toyota Yaris.
Not only has it grown in terms of scale and interior space, but the 2007 Fabia now has a more design-lead look about it. The prominent chrome grille is seamlessly integrated into the sculpted bonnet, just as the feline headlights flow perfectly into the chunky front wheel arches. Black A and B pillars also afford the front end of the Skoda a cockpit-like look similar to that seen in the Roomster mini-MPV.
At the back buyers will notice the now trademark Skoda ‘C-shaped’ taillights along with an easily-accessible boot aperture. A sporty boot spoiler also adds a sporting touch.
On the inside the Fabia continues to impress with its logical and easy to use facia. For example, the controls for both the heating system and stereo/sat nav are positioned high up on the dash, meaning that the driver’s attention needn’t be distracted from the road ahead unnecessarily. The instrument binnacle, too, is clear, concise and easy to read.
The little Czech supermini is practical too. Not only are there several cubby holes and stowage spaces dotted around the cabin, but its boot is also deceptively large. With the rear seats up it offers 300-litres of luggage room, with them folded this jumps to 1,163-litres. Not only are these figures class-leading, but they’d also give cars in the class above a run for their money.
On the road the New Fabia’s modern chassis comes into its own. McPherson struts at the front and a lightweight semi-independent set-up at the back not only give the Fabia poise and balance through the corners, but they’ve also been engineered in such a way as to reduce vibration transfer into the cabin. The electro-hydraulic steering also makes a huge difference, offering as it does the driver far more feedback through the bendy bits.
These impressively-engineered underpinnings can be taken full advantage of thanks to the array of powerplants offered with the Fabia. From the entry-level 1.2-litre petrol with 60bhp to the 1.9-litre diesel with 105bhp, all the engines provide sprightly performance. None more so than the 1.6-litre 16-valve petrol that can undertake the sprint to 62mph in just over 10 seconds.
Overall it seems that Skoda has managed the seemingly impossible with the New Fabia. The Czech outfit has taken a car that was What Car? Best Supermini in 2002 and made it better. It seems a safe bet that more accolades are to follow for the latest version.
Technical Spec:
- Engines available
1.2 6V (60bhp), 1.2 12V (70bhp), 1.4 16V (85bhp), 1.6 16V (105bhp) manual or Tiptronic, 1.4 TDI PD (70bhp), 1.4 TDI PD (80bhp), 1.9 TDI PD (105bhp) - Price range
Please contact the press office on 01908 548 014 for the latest pricing details - Best performance
0-62mph in 10.4 seconds (1.6 16V (105bhp)) - Best economy
68.9 mpg combined (1.4 TDI PD (80bhp) Greenline) - Variants available
Hatch - Trim range
1, 2, 3, Sport and Greenline
Other news articles for January
- Octavia Estate is What Car? best buy under £15k (opens PDF)
- Skoda Auto’s sales grew by 7.1% last year (opens PDF)
- Skoda helps motorists to beat winter blues (opens PDF)
- Skoda Superb gets a 5 star rating from Auto Express (opens PDF)
Autocar heaps more praise on Superb
Autocar magazine has given the Superb yet another fantastic review. This weeks edition features a 12,000-mile report on the magazine's long-term Superb 2.0 TDI Elegance from our press fleet, headlined Living up to its name.
Reviewer Tim Dickson says: The Superb isnt just a fantastic car for the money; its a fantastic car on its own merit. Hes particularly impressed with the Superbs luggage capacity, specification and fuel economy.
Extract from Autocar magazine, 21 January 2009.