ABSOLUTELY FAB FABIA
SKoDA’s new fourth-generation Fabia hatchback rolls out of showrooms in early spring — more than two decades after the original version rocked the car market. with orders open, I’ve been driving one ahead of first deliveries to remind myself how far the Czech marque has come in that time. It’s also grown, being the first Fabia to exceed 4 metres.
Launched in 2000, the Fabia became skoda’s stylistic and engineering game-changer that made people sit up and take notice, helping skoda shed its former reputation as the butt of jokes.
I well remember turning heads when driving an early pre-launch model through London’s Docklands, City and west End, with onlookers asking if it were a new Audi.
The fabulous new Fabia offers a choice of four frugal 1-litre 3-cylinder petrol engines: 65, 80 96 and 110hp. A range-topping 1.5litre 150hp engine is to follow. Initially, there will be four trim levels with prices from £15,305 for the entry level Hatch s with only a 5-speed manual gearbox; £17,195 for the sE Comfort;
£19,380 for the s EL which I drove; and £17,895 for a more playful and personalised Colour Edition aimed at ‘gadget-focussed’ owners. A sporty Monte Carlo trim is to follow imminently.
All bar the s offer a choice of 5speed and 6-speed manual and 7-speed automatic DsG gearboxes. My sEL fitted with that 7-speed auto transmission, priced from £20,730, is a nifty, comfortable and practical run-around which accelerates decently to 62 mph in 9.9 seconds up to a top speed of 127mph. It’ll do up to 50.4mpg with Co2 emissions at 128 to 137g/km.
It’s spacious and well-appointed with a free-standing 9.2-in infotainment screen and is the first Fabia to have a heated front windscreen and steering wheel.
In the latest EuroNCAP safety crash tests, it won all five stars and has wheel options from 15in to range-topping 18in alloys.
It’s got a big, flexible and practical boot increased to 380litres (1,190litres with rear seats down). There’s even an umbrella in the door.
Everything covered.