21/11/2008

Skoda Fabia

Recommended. The new longer, taller Fabia proves once and for all that bigger does mean better.

Skoda is no longer plagued by its badge of old, particularly now it's under the watchful eye of Volkswagen. The new Fabia is no exception. In fact, when the Fabia was first launched back in 2000, it played a vital part in helping to turn Skoda's reputation upside down. Having undergone a recent upgrade, the new model is now larger than its predecessor - 47mm taller and 22mm longer - which largely benefits interior space. It will easily seat four adults, even those over six-foot will cope in the rear, thanks to the increased headroom. Boot space is also more than ample for a supermini; some 54 litres - which is more than enough for the weekly shop.

It shares a lot of its new looks with the Roomster; the nose in particular, which doesn't make it the most attractive of cars. However, the black A and B pillars make the front look rather sleeker, and creates a 'floating roof' illusion. Inside it does look like Skoda have taken a step back in time with retro fabrics and an expanse of hard plastic for the dash. However, although it isn't the most modern of interiors, it has a solid build quality and is ergonomically sound.

We were surprised to find that it doesn't come very well equipped. The base trim doesn't even get a lid on the glove box, although the Aux port for MP3 players was a bonus. It took some time getting used to the basic central locking too, as remote locking is only available as a £150 option - it is too easy to forget to put the key in the lock.

There are a large range of engines to choose from though, which increases the Fabias appeal; even the base 1.2-litre 60bhp petrol engine is surprising and certainly nippy enough. Despite being one of the slowest accelerating cars on paper - 0-62mph in 16.5 seconds, no less - it seems to get there a lot quicker in practice. They are brilliantly cheap to run too, and the diesel options offer decent fuel economy and CO2 emissions of less than 130g/km for both the 1.4 and 1.9-litre TDI versions.

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