Car Reviews > Skoda > Fabia > Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI Car Review

Facts At A Glance CAR: Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI PRICES: £14,030 CO2 EMISSIONS: 124g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.1s / Max Speed 119mpg FUEL CONSUMPTION: 53.3mpg (combined) EQUIPMENT: 17-inch alloys, privacy glass, electric windows, real diffuser, air conditioning, sports seats, leather malfunction steering wheel, CD player

Skoda Add Glitz and Glamour to the Super Mini

The Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI has been launched to celebrate both the centenary of the historic Monte Carlo rally and the continued involvement of Skoda in motor sports. The new special edition is designed to add a bit of flair to the super mini that has always been seen as the ‘sensible’ car. Perhaps because of this reason, the Fabia has, despite having been around for quite a fair amount of time now, always dawdled behind rivals such as the SEAT Ibiza and the Ford Fiesta in terms of its appeal to the general car buying public. But the new Monte Carlo variant might just be the solution to change all of that. While it maintains the boxy and tall shape of the traditional Fabia design, the new Monte Carlo comes with a great deal more style, adding a hot hatchback makeover to the exterior design, with strong headlights, a radiator grill and blackened roof coming together with the normal 17-inch Trinity alloys to give the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI quite an imposing presence on the road. The back of the Monte Carlo even features a roof spoiler and rear diffuser, though whether they really make any difference to the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle open to debate – nonetheless, they do look good.

On the inside of the cabin, the changes are somewhat less noticeable but are still present, including a stitched leathering wheel and red sports seats, albeit with the durable grey plastics still there to reassure traditional customers that this is still a sensible hatchback for the average (and not so average) family.

The Monte Carlo comes in a wide range of different diesel and petrol engines, though those who are hoping for a performance that will match up to the new funky and dynamic look of the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI will be most interested in the 1.2 litre TSI unit, which is really the only one that has a chance of delivering the kind of pace and dynamism that the revamped exterior would seem to promise.

Nonetheless, while the Monte Carlo may only have 104 bhp, the vehicle turns out to be quite a surprisingly engaging drive thanks to the loud, eager way in which it provides that level of power. Getting the best from the vehicle with the smooth 5-speed gearbox is likewise unexpectedly fun to do.

The chassis is also set up to try and make driving the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI as much fun as it can possibly be. While the springs feel slightly stiffer than normal thanks to the sports suspension setup and the bigger wheels can sometimes make the ride a little bumpier than you might have expected, neither of those minor irks feel intrusive or are enough to make the ride in any way genuinely uncomfortable.

That being said, cornering is not as decisive as might be expected and the vehicle does tend to lack the genuine self-assurance of the Ford Fiesta. However, overall, the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.2 TSI is an attractive, economical, and practical hatchback – and is fun to drive too.

by Autoweb