Skoda Fabia review

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No-nonsense supermini goes big on sophistication and practicality

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Of all the cars that Autocar has reviewed in its extensive history, the Skoda Fabia is one of those that repeatedly comes up trumps. And it’s easy to see why.

You see, it's a right-sized, few-frills hatchback priced competitively that offers up its makers' renowned attention to practicality and usability, together with a deceptively spacious interior, economical range of engines and a quality of ride akin to something from the class above.

Skoda says the Fabia “delivers a revolution in design language”. We’re not sure. With a different grille, it could easily pass for a Volkswagen Polo. It’s handsome and modern enough but not hugely distinctive.
Matt Saunders
Road test editor

That being said, these qualities are becoming more necessary than desirable, because this car still has competitors nibbling at its toes - competitors that, after several years of updates, have never been better. These include the Renault Clio, Volkswagen Polo, Mini Cooper, Vauxhall Corsa and Seat Ibiza - the vast majority of which we have awarded 4.5 stars.

It may also need an extensive skillset to compete with even its Skoda rangemates, the larger Octavia hatchback having routinely outsold the Fabia for three full model generations of its life.

Now, however, it's here having been made bigger of footprint, more sophisticated of aspect, and more stacked with more active and passive safety technologies than ever. Let's see how it fares.

The Skoda Fabia range at a glance

The Fabia keeps it relatively simple, with no diesels or hybrids. You can have a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that is either naturally aspirated or turbocharged. The former makes do with 79bhp and can be had with a five-speed manual gearbox only, while the latter produces 114bhp and is mated to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. At the top of the range sits a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo with 148bhp, which gets the dual-clutch 'box only.

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There are four specifications to choose from: SE, Design, SE L and Monte Carlo. SE gets you an 8.25in infotainment display, 15in alloy wheels, LED lights, dual-zone air conditioning and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Design adds larger alloys, a 10.25in digital driver's display and metallic paint. In order to specify the largest 9.2in infotainment screen and a rear-view camera, you need to step up to SE L, which would be our trim of choice. Monte Carlo meanwhile brings some racier styling, a sports steering wheel, 17in alloys and aluminium pedals.

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DESIGN & STYLING

Skoda Fabia side

The Fabia has always been one of the larger superminis and has often been styled in such a way as to make that pretty evident from the kerb. The memory of the first-generation car’s slightly awkward looks was at least partly banished when the third-generation version appeared in 2014, though, and we’re now treated to an even more sharply drawn design in this fourth-generation model.

Some of the soft-jawed, friendly old visual charm of previous models has gone and been replaced with something arguably more generic. Without a glossy wide radiator grille, it could be inserted into the current Volkswagen, Audi or Skoda showroom line-up without anyone really noticing. But the car nonetheless looks very smart, modern and presentable. Its appearance can be made slightly more interesting in Monte Carlo spec, at least.

The front grille stretches so far across the bumper that you're tricked into thinking the car is much wider than it actually is.
Jonathan Bryce
Social Media Executive

This Fabia is larger than any generation before it, at 4108mm in length. That makes it the biggest car in its class and the only one longer than 4.1m – the kind of length you generally need a Nissan Juke-sized crossover to breach.

The wheelbase is also bigger than before and some 120mm longer than that of the closely related Ibiza, although in this respect, some rivals (such as the Clio) go even larger.

The car’s width (without mirrors) is 1780mm, making it slightly wider than the Corsa (1765mm) but quite a bit wider than the Clio (1728mm). It’s still easy enough to squeeze into the average parking bay, though.

The MQB-A0 platform has made for plenty of higher-strength steels in the chassis, so the weight gain of the new bigger model, Skoda claims, is negligible.

Suspension still comprises steel coil springs, with MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear.

For brakes, the car uses ventilated discs at the front and drums at the rear, although 1.5-litre cars come with discs all round.

INTERIOR

Skoda Fabia dashboard

Being the cheapest car Skoda makes, the Fabia's cabin is devoid of the soft-touch decadence that Polo drivers are accustomed to. The only forgiving materials are the seats, carpets, gearlever, steering wheel and little patch of fabric on the door card arm rest. The more-expensive SE L and Monte Carlo cars get some more decorative soft-touch fabric on the dashboard, the latter a slightly odd carbonfibre lookalike.

It’s not a plush cabin by any means, but it manages to feel cohesive. The design is modern, everything feels solidly put together and it appears the stylists were let off the leash a little bit. The textures of the plastics on the dashboard, whose geometric Saffiano style is an interesting change from the usual fossilised elephant skin, are interesting to look at.

Those 'Fabia' inserts atop the instrument cowling and the geometric dashboard texture are some nice touches in an otherwise sober interior.
Jonathan Bryce
Social Media Executive

The usability is almost beyond reproach too. All the major controls are adjusted by using chunky physical buttons and dials. A digital gauge cluster is available, but the beautifully clear analogue gauges of entry-level cars fit in perfectly with their back-to-basics theme. The small black-and-white screen between the dials is the only thing here that feels outdated, but at least it’s easy to navigate. In all, the Fabia will appeal to those irritated by all the – occasionally frivolous – tech common in many small cars.

Whether the Fabia still counts as a small car is debatable, though. Its growth is particularly evident inside. The old Fabia was already one of the roomiest superminis and the new one successfully defends that title. In fact, it’s spacious enough to trouble the smaller end of the segment above, offering enough leg room for taller passengers and 380 litres of boot space.

The right-sized (9.2in) infotainment touchscreen is intuitive to use, attractive to behold and glitch-free. Navigating each of the menus is a simple affair and means you don't need to take your eyes off the road trying to make them work. What's more, there's a useful menu into which you can add shortcuts to different functions.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Skoda Fabia engine bay

As time has gone on, Skoda has slimmed this car's range of engine options to just three. Crucially, each one is frugal but the differences lie in their performance and how power is delivered.

The 1.0-litre turbocharged triple with 94bhp – the version that was the most popular in the previous model – is always coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox. If you want a sixth gear or the optional dual-clutch auto, you need to upgrade to the 108bhp model with the same engine.

The 1.5-litre engine doesn't emit a very nice noise under hard acceleration. The peppy, warbling three-cylinder unit appeals more to our ears.
Jonathan Bryce
Social Media Executive

Those five gears are long to benefit economy, but that’s par for the course with today’s WLTP-dictated powertrains. Below 2000rpm, it grumbles unhappily as 129lb ft tries to persuade 1.1 tonnes to get moving, but it feels slightly less strained than the Polo with the same drivetrain.

Once above that, though, it’s hushed enough that you need to look at the tachometer to know when to change gear. To get any meaningful acceleration, the engine does need to be revved fairly hard, but it seems happy to be taken to 6000rpm, emitting a muted and not unappealing three-cylinder thrum as it does so, before the soft limiter starts to call time from 6200rpm.

The gearchange is typical for a Volkswagen Group car. The throw is neither short nor long, the gate is well defined and there’s just enough feedback to let the driver know the gear has engaged but not enough to actually be engaging for the driver. The clutch, meanwhile, is feelsome enough for easy driving without being heavy.

If you're looking for performance akin to a lukewarm hatch, you should consider the top-spec 1.5-litre four-pot. 148bhp and 184lb ft result in a 0-62mph time of 8.0sec, a top speed of 137mph and levels of everyday performance that won't see many customers complaining. 

The powertrain has evidently been tuned to maximise economy, because you get just enough initial acceleration to get things moving, but thereafter throttle response is delayed to keep the engine from revving too much. This is fine if you’re not in a rush, but if you see a gap in traffic or try to accelerate off a slip road, it takes longer than you think a car with this much power needs. It's mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch 'box only, which shifts smoothly but can at times be frustratingly reluctant to kick down.

Its response is hastened in Sport mode, which also gives you a sharper throttle and some extra weight on the steering, but not much else. Eco, meanwhile, slows everything down in the name of economy.

Much like the three-cylinder unit, the 1.5 is hushed at most speeds, but its larger capacity and seven-speed 'box make it more refined for more of the time. Only when you put your foot down and rev it out does it begin to sound slightly strained, which is slightly at odds with the fact it always delivers strong performance.

RIDE & HANDLING

Skoda Fabia ride and handling

In the traditional hierarchy within the Volkswagen Group, for any given segment, the Seat will be the sporty one and the Skoda the comfortable choice. The new Fabia isn’t here to challenge that – but choose your specification carefully.

To make the most of the remarkably supple set-up, we would recommend doing without the tauter suspension of Monte Carlo cars. This set-up provides greater cornering stability on a country ride but the trade-off is a less settled ride everywhere else. 

The handling is quite vanilla, but that will prove a popular flavour for many supermini buyers, who will appreciate its undemanding competence in corners and value its ride comfort.
Illya Verpraet
Road Tester

Without this, the Fabia is one of the best-riding cars in its class. Of course, that does mean the handling suffers, but not excessively so.

It exhibits a fair bit of body roll in corners and lacks the precision that characterises a driver’s car. Because of the 185-section Continental ContiEcoContact 6 tyres, ultimate adhesion is also limited.

At 2.7 turns lock to lock, the steering is neither particularly quick nor particularly slow. It offers a touch more weight for the driver to push against than some of the over-assisted racks found in small cars and it further weights up a little in corners too. However, to say there’s genuine feedback would be an exaggeration.

The stiffer springs of Monte Carlo spec give the Fabia greater stability, even when you're travelling at a speed at which you think is too fast for a given corner. It keeps things tidy and undramatic around tight hairpins and composed on longer, swooping stretches of road.

The traction control can be completely disabled if you want it to be, but the stability systems always remain on and they deal with the beginnings of lift-off oversteer in a slightly heavy-handed manner, with brusque brake applications. It gets the job done, but it’s not as refined as some.

The computers are more adept at dealing with understeer. From the moment the front axle starts to wash wide, the system very gradually limits power to bring the nose back into line. In other words, even if the driver misjudges a tight, slippery corner, the Fabia will try its hardest to round the corner with as little drama as possible.

That behaviour typifies the Fabia’s viceless but bland handling. There's no sporty vRS version of this generation of the Fabia, and that makes sense – not because the MQB platform precludes it but because making the Fabia engaging down a B-road would have to be such a change of character that the family connection between the vRS and the cooking model would become rather tenuous.

Assisted driving notes

The Fabia gets a suite of ADAS as standard, such as autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection and lane keeping assistance. We didn’t experience any false activations of the emergency braking and the lane system wasn’t particularly intrusive. Both can easily be disabled using the buttons on the steering wheel.

A full semi-autonomous adaptive cruise control, with lane following and speed limit recognition systems, is optional but at a not-inconsiderable cost. Adaptive cruise control is available on TSI engines in Design spec and above, while the addition of lane following and digital gauges is available on only SE L cars.

Comfort and isolation

The Fabia may not entertain in the corners, but that end of the market is covered by the Ibiza. The other upshot of the Fabia’s soft suspension is that it rides particularly serenely. Especially with the 15in wheels and 65-profile tyres, it takes some truly nasty bumps for harshness to filter through to the cabin. Longer-wave bumps are simply shrugged off.

Monte Carlo cars, however, have an urban ride that is jittery and somewhat harsh, especially when going over rougher sections of road. Hitting potholes at higher speeds sends a slight jolt through the cabin, and overall you feel like the car isn't riding the best it can.

Nevertheless, in every version the seats contribute to a good level of comfort. They’re largely standard-issue Volkswagen items, but that’s no bad thing. They’re quite soft yet supportive and the driver’s seat adjusts for height as standard. SE Comfort trim and above even add manually adjustable lumbar support, while Monte Carlo gives you some attractive bucket seats that provide excellent lateral and under-thigh support.

It’s easy to find a comfortable driving position and long drives are not an issue. If we’re nitpicking, a bit more adjustment in the steering column would benefit tall drivers.

So in terms of comfort, the Fabia feels similar to the Polo, except that in the right specification it has an even smoother ride than the already compliant Volkswagen.

The only area where the Polo still has a major advantage over the Fabia is in noise insulation. Whereas the Polo’s levels of road noise are more akin to a car from the class above, the Fabia is one of the noisier superminis at motorway speeds. It’s on a par with rivals at speeds of up to 50mph, but at 70mph most are a few decibels quieter.

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MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Skoda Fabia lead

Prices start at just over £20,000, making the Fabia a bit more expensive than the Seat Ibiza, Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa, but a bit cheaper than a Polo. Bear in mind that once you begin adding options, the Fabia ends up slightly cheaper than all of them. Monte Carlo cars begin at just under £24,000, while the equivalent Corsa GS or Ibiza Xcellence Lux are priced over £24,000 for roughly the same equipment levels.

Skoda is rightly proud of the 0.28 drag coefficient for the new Fabia and that appears to pay dividends in fuel consumption. Even including performance testing, we averaged 50.6mpg in a car fitted with the entry-level 1.0-litre unit. Over 1100 miles in a car with the most powerful 1.5 four-pot, we averaged 52.9mpg. For engines with no hybrid assistance whatsoever, that’s extremely impressive.

Skoda sells the Fabia with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard.
Jonathan Bryce
Social Media Executive

With front, side and curtain airbags as standard and being one of the only cars and being one of the only cars in the class with rear-seat side airbags available as an option, the Fabia is a safe car. Indeed, it received the full five stars when it was last crash tested by EuroNCAP.

VERDICT

Skoda Fabia verdict

In some ways, the Fabia appears set up for mediocrity. Its technical make-up is as conventional as it gets, with not even mild-hybrid power on the cards, and its looks can be viewed as quite generic.

However, it excels in some important areas to keep it as one of the class leaders. The ride quality on the standard springs is exemplary, it’s the most spacious car in its class and it makes the most of that space with useful storage solutions. Furthermore, while the Fabia’s interior doesn’t have much in the way of material plushness at the lower end, it still looks modern across the range and is supremely easy to use, because the temptation to replace buttons with touch-sensitive panels has been resisted.

The Fabia is undoubtedly a car you buy with your head – but you won't be disappointed if you go for it.
Jonathan Bryce
Social Media Executive

It’s not as cheap as Skodas have been in the past and some options can make the price add up, but lower-end versions still offer solid value. Our specification of choice would be SE L with the 114bhp 1.0-litre turbo, which offers the best blend of equipment, economy, performance and a competitive list price. The basic 1.0-litre is as frugal as the range-topping 1.5-litre unit is strong, but neither of them fit the relaxed, effortless character of the Fabia as well as the mid-rung car.

An impressive package, then, if one that doesn't pull on your heartstrings. There's certainly a lot to recommend here.

Jonathan Bryce

Jonathan Bryce
Title: Social Media Executive

Jonathan is Autocar's social media executive. He has held this position since December 2024, having previously studied at the University of Glasgow before moving to London to become an editorial apprentice and pursue a career in motoring journalism. 

His role at work involves running all of Autocar's social media channels, including X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn and WhatsApp. 

Illya Verpraet

Illya Verpraet Road Tester Autocar
Title: Road Tester

As a road tester, Illya drives everything from superminis to supercars, and writes reviews and comparison tests, while also managing the magazine’s Drives section. Much of his time is spent wrangling the data logger and wielding the tape measure to gather the data for Autocar’s in-depth instrumented road tests.

He loves cars that are fun and usable on the road – whether piston-powered or electric – or just cars that are very fit for purpose. When not in test cars, he drives an R53-generation Mini Cooper S.

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