Spacious and stylish Skoda estate is Fab for families

to spend. But that’s grannies for you. All this flashed through my mind as I looked in the boot of the Skoda Fabia Estate. It’s huge and I reckon it could take a double buggy or even two singles.

With ISOFIX fittings at each side of the rear seats, you can have two babies in the back, prams in the boot and two mums in the front – social life fixed.

And, although this was the Fabia Estate, it doesn’t look like an estate – more a chunky saloon.

It drives rather well too. The 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine with 110PS has plenty of verve and is smooth and quiet enough to lull the babes to sleep.

This is the most powerfully tuned of the three engines in the Fabia range and it matches the seven- speed automatic gearbox perfectly, while offering an average mileage of 58.9 – the kind of efficiency you want when there’s an expensive new member of the family. It is a good-looking car. Too many people get hung up on the badge and don’t see the sporty design and style of this car, which has been with us for almost 20 years. It has come a long way. The SE version we were driving has front fog lights on the lower honeycomb grille, rear parking sensors and 15in Cygnus alloys, along with a new Radio Swing infotainment unit and, of course, it connects to your mobile phone. It is pretty from the outside and, inside, it is young and modern with a leather gearstick and steering wheel and brushed aluminium dash, which houses a 6.5in colour touchscreen. Options if you want to upgrade will not break the bank and, indeed, the SE starts from £17,660, which is remarkable for the space and features included in the price. Of course, you don’t need to have a baby to buy one. It works just as well with dogs, aunts and pals.