Skoda Fabia: Paris motor show 2014
Skoda has released details and specs for its Mk3 Fabia, confirming class-leading practicality and new levels of efficiency
Skoda has released prices and specifications for its new Mk3 Fabia. Priced from £10,600, the five-door supermini is more practical, more efficient and better specced than ever.
In typical Skoda fashion the exterior offers no surprises and clearly borrows its shape from elsewhere in the range. The lights – both front and rear – are almost identical to the Octavia, as are the grille and window lines. In some ways it looks like a scaled down Rapid Spaceback, with taught proportions and inoffensive lines.
The inside is again typically Skoda, which is no bad thing as it brings a clean dash, smart dials and functional layout to an overall roomy cabin. The 330 litre boot is also a class leader. Equipment is good, with six airbags, a DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and electric front windows fitted as standard.
Further up the range climate-control, phone connectivity and smartphone Mirror Link (mirroring your smartphone on the touchscreen), USB/SD connections, keyless entry, climate and cruise control are also available.
Based on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform – shared with cars like the Audi A3 and VW Golf – the new Fabia weighs up to 65kg less than its predecessor, and is up to 17 per cent more efficient.
Available in 18 different models, buyers can choose between petrol or diesel engines between 1- and 1.4-litres in capacity. The most efficient is the 1.4 TDI which produces 89bhp and just 88g/km of CO2, whilst the most powerful option is the 1.2 TSI, producing 108bhp and emitting as much as 110g/km of CO2. The TDI can set buyers back as much as £16,840 in top-of-the-range spec, whilst the TSI should be good for a sub 10sec 0-62mph sprint.
Stop/start technology and a manual five-speed gearbox come as standard, with some models available with the option of an automatic DSG ‘box. Thanks to struggling sales with the previous model, it unfortunately looks unlikely that we’ll see a hot vRS Fabia for now.
Order books for the new Fabia are open now, with first UK deliveries expected to arrive in January 2015.
