Skoda Fabia Pretty new Fabia scores Gen Y-baiting tec SLOWLY but surely, Skoda is working its way into the FIRST Australian consciousness. AUSSIE With a slightly oddball DRIVE line-up that prides itself in offering something clearly differentiated from the DNA that spawned it, Skoda has become a brand for thinking people who value function over form. That was certainly the case with the narrow-gutted old Fabia, but the new-gen is the face of the new Skoda. Smart and spacious like before, but also stylish and sexy, priced from just $16K driveaway. The 2015 Fabia is as mainstream as a Skoda gets, and maintains one of the Czech brand’s traditions by offering class-leading luggage space (a huge 505 litres in the wagon). But its proportions have been altered significantly. Wider and lower, yet up to 112kg lighter, it looks much better on the road, and feels more planted too. Dynamically, think of it as a Polo with a bit more personality.
The base 66TSI manual rides with impressive and pr sive pliancy l c a d polished ished refinement coarse surfaces, e in me on coa though there’s amount ho h re’s also s a fairr a ou of body o b d roll o in i corners. orn rs. But itt seems to enjoy changing see njoy chang g direction c ion more VW co cousin.. With m r tthan an its t V t a perforated-leather wheel, a brisk perf ra -le ther whee isk grippy 2.6 turns u s llock-to-lock, c -to ck gr ppy front seats encouraging sea s and d an e cou g ng fiveive speed manual shift, boggo spee an hift the h b gg Fabia is something of a little gem. About serious A out tthe e only ly se i us omission miss control, which is a lack k of cruise ru co r l, w ich $1300 Travell can be e optioned ion d in a $1 0 Tr Pack tthat at also lso scores you u 16-inch 6-in h alloys are steel al o s (base b t el 15s), 5s) LED D running lights and a fatigue detection de ion system. m. But you can’t just have h ve cruise cr ise by itself. t lf. The Th 66kW/160Nm 66 1 N 1.2-litre 1 2-l t turbo t r o sporting engine, but ffour ur isn’t ’ a spor in e gin , b with iit’s ’s wonderfully on erfu ly tractable, ract , wit an ability to pull from 1250rpm. There’s T re s even n a whiff w i of induction induc i n growl g o l att low revs v tthat a enhances nha e though tthe e 66TSI’s personality, rson lit th 6400 from 5500rpm 5 0rpm tto the h 640
Cruise control not standard; sports suspension lacks ride suppleness
Model Engine Max power Max torque Transmission Kerb weight 0-100km/h Economy Price On sale
cut-out, more abo about ut-out, it’s tsm out producing noise anything else. oise than h n an t in e s . The e 81kW/175Nm 1kW/ 7 N version, ve o , available a ilable solely ly with i h a sevenseve speed DSG in the ($20K s h 81TSI 8 $ K driveaway) is quicker to 100km/h (9.4sec), (9 ec , equally eq lly ass economical c omical (4.8L/100km), (4.8L 1 m), and d adds ds cruise, ru se, a front centre 15-inch cent e armrest rmr t and a 5-in alloys. Butt with allo wit that h t sticker, st e the h Fabia DSG is squarely Fab DS quare at the t upper uppe end e d of auto light-hatch l ght a ch pricing. r c ng The he sports-suspended t - s n d 81TSI 8 S hatch hatc we e drove dr ve att launch la nc cost co t $22,840, while we ca can’t $22 84 , and a h w ’ fault the q quality th alit finish in s of its t iinterior, or its equipment, that’s VW Polo money. on y And d what h t tthe e sporty po tune u e does do s to tthe e ride, i , you don’t necessarily ecess rily gain back a k in handling. an ng Ourr favou favourite F Fabia O ia by y ffarr iis the wagon. The manua manual ask asks h base w gon. Th $17,140 (plus $300 for driveaway) and Pack d requires equi es only y tthe e Travel r l Pa k to make one tto have. e it tthe eo ave Unless nl you need A AWD, makes every yo D itt mak se small SUV virtually mall S Vv t ly redundant. dun a .
PLUS & MINUS
Play for today EVERY Fabia offers a gutsy six-speaker surround-sound stereo with Smartlink – a touchscreen system capable of connecting to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. On the Apple version we tried, Siri can answer questions, send texts or read out messages, which is bloody awesome in a small car like this. You can access all your phone apps, as well as all the other features packed into the Fabia’s Bolero stereo, though CarPlay requires a physical cable connection to the USB port to sync with the system.
N ATHAN P ON C HAR D
Classy cabin; tractable engines; manual shift; safety and practicality
Skoda Fabia 66TSI Ambition wagon 1197cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo 66kW @ 4400-5400rpm 160Nm @ 1400-3500rpm 5-speed manual 1066kg 11.0sec (claimed) 4.8L/100km $17,140 Now
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