Skoda Fabia Hatch SE 1.0 TSI 95 review

Skoda Fabia

Skoda Fabia Hatch SE 1.0 TSI 95 review.

For – cute, well equipped, decent performance.
Against – pricey.
***
£16,175
Competition – Honda Jazz, Mazda 2, Mini, Ford Fiesta, VW Polo, SEAT Ibiza, Dacia Sandero, Audi A1, Citroen C3, Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai i20, Nissan Micra, Renault Clio, Alfa Romeo Mito, Peugeot 208, Toyota Auris, Kia Rio

Skoda has refreshed its big selling little Fabia city car and prices start at £12,840.

The new Fabia has been cleaned up at the front without taking away any of the crucial looks which make it instantly recognisable. Diesel has been dumped and all the petrol engine options are 3-cylinder motors and the specification has been strengthened with the inclusion of LED daytime running lights and a multifunction trip computer.

There are hatch and estate body styles and five trim level options – including Monte Carlo and Colour Edition. To meet increased demand for petrol power and as diesel sinks slowly towards oblivion, ŠKODA has refreshed the Fabia’s engine line-up with three power outputs of 74, 94 and 109 hp. The latter comes with the option of a seven-speed automatic. 

Entry-level Fabia S models are priced from £12,840. Customers stepping up to the SE from £14,115 get front fog lights and bigger wheels among other things including electric windows. SE Ls  are priced at £15,205 and include satellite navigation, Infotainment Online for one year, lighting in the front centre console and bigger wheels.

Priced from £16,785, Fabia Monte Carlo has climate control air conditioning and LED rear lights. The styling package includes a black front spoiler, black roof, black floor mats and carbon-effect dashboard trim. 

Personalise
You can personalise your Fabia with a vast range of options that include systems and features usually reserved for premium and luxury models. These include Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear View Camera, Driver Fatigue Assistant, and for the first time on the Fabia, full LED headlights. The new model also introduces an additional safety system; Blind Spot Detection and Rear Traffic Alert, the latter costing an additional £390.

The version I drove, the Skoda Fabia Hatch SE 1.0 TSI 95, starts at £14,845 and with the touch-screen navigation (£570) special floor mats (£55), metallic paint (£595), and temporary steel spare wheel (£110), prices out at £16,175.   

The brand’s second biggest selling model in the UK after the Octavia, the Fabia has been a mainstay of the ŠKODA range since its introduction in 2001. The third-generation supermini was launched in 2014 and has already clocked up more than half a million sales worldwide – making it the brand’s top seller in Europe.

What to buy?
The Honda Jazz is my long-serving favourite city car, and I see no reason to change it now. But the Fabia is a smashing little car which won’t let you down. Skoda has come a long way from being a cheap and cheerful barely acceptable down market compromise to its current status as fully competitive with top quality manufacturers, even its parent Volkswagen. Bearing all that in mind, I still see the price as more than a shade over the top. But if you’re leasing…….

Skoda Fabia