Skoda Fabia 1.2 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Skoda Fabia 1.2 range
Prices: £9,330-£13,945 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 1-4 [est]
Emissions: 121-132g/km
Performance: [1.2 16v 70bhp] Max Speed 102mph / 0-60mph 14.4s
Fuel Consumption: [1.2 16v 70bhp] (combined) 48mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags / ABS
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height, 3982/1646/14971mm

FABIA MINOR

Our Rating: 7.4 / 10

Skoda’s latest Fabia 1.2 offers a cut-price entry point into one of the smartest superminis around. Jonathan Crouch reports

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the Fabia is the rock upon which Skoda builds its church. Without this model, there would be no budget for vehicles like the wacky Roomster, the dashing Octavia and the spacious Superb. Launched in 2000, it was certainly a world apart from any compact car the Czech company had ever produced before. Designed by the stylist responsible for the Bentley Continental GT, this spacious supermini offered a simple recipe.

As well as being very well screwed together, it was also one of the longest cars in its class and had the interior space efficiency to capitalise on those extra inches. At the time, anything much larger would have strayed into the next class up - Golf, Astra and Focus family hatchback territory – so it had the supermini market pretty much taped, if space was a priority and you didn’t have deep pockets. Since then, Renault’s Clio has muscled in on this formula and Skoda responded with the second generation Fabia, now facelifted in the guise we look at here.

As promising as the basic Fabia formula might seem, the notion of big car, small engine is rarely a recipe for fun. In this instance, it’s remarkable what a difference a few bhp make. The Fabia is actually offered with four 1.2-litre petrol engines. Let’s start with the non-turbo ones. There’s a 60bhp 6-valve unit (yes, this is a three cylinder engine) that should be avoided unless you’re really cash-strapped or there’s a 70bhp 12-valve engine that’s significantly more satisfying. Where the 60bhp unit struggles when the car is loaded, the 70bhp has enough about it to carry the day. It’ll get to 60mph in 14.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 102mph and while those aren’t standout figures, there’s an enthusiasm and honesty to this powerplant that is extremely rewarding. If you want the Estate model (that commands a premium of around £500 over the equivalent 5-door hatch), then you’ll need to go for the 70bhp variant.

Much better though are the 85 and 105bhp 1.2 TSI petrol units, turbocharged to feel like a much larger 1.4 or even 1.6-litre engine. Whatever Fabia powerplant you choose, the basic underpinnings, a MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear, haven’t changed a great deal. The steering wheel requires a bit of arm twirling lock-to-lock but it’s a decently accurate helm and the gearchange is one of the best in its class.

The Fabia’s simple lines aren’t going to win many beauty contests against the shapelier superminis but it does have that ‘floating roof’ effect courtesy of the blacked-out pillars. The latest facelifted models also feature a reworked grille and larger headlights what work to widen the car visually for a more dynamic stance.

There’s a good amount of space inside this Skoda, particularly for rear seat passengers. The materials aren’t quite up to the standards set in Volkswagen products but the similarities in the design are easy to spot and the same robust build quality can be seen throughout. Inside and out, the Fabia’s design keeps it simple which is a big part of the car’s appeal.

Boot capacity stands at an impressive 300 litres with the seats in place or a massive 1,163 litres when they’re folded. In the Estate, the extended dimensions have helped Skoda engineers achieve a 480-litre boot capacity with the seats up. Fold the 60/40 split rear seats flat (a less than straightforward operation that involves removing the headrests) and there’s an Albert Hall-esque 1,460 litres.

Despite the success of the Fabia, Skoda still recognise the limits of their badge equity – the upmarket Superb saloon taught them a key, and rather expensive, lesson here – and the Fabia is priced realistically while recognising the need to nudge the brand incrementally upmarket. Equipment levels were never the Fabia’s strong point, Skoda relying instead on solid no-nonsense build quality. This time round there are items like electronically-controlled Climatronic