Skoda Fabia News

Skoda extends cheaper servicing plans to its older cars.

The facelifted Skoda Fabia 2019 hatch and wagon model is now on sale in Australia, with additional equipment and a slew of minor changes for the Czech brand’s compact model.

The incoming Skoda Fabia has just been given a rugged makeover, with the Czech brand today revealing a Scoutline wagon version of city-sized car.

Skoda Australia has introduced drive-away pricing for its slow-selling Fabia, with the Czech light car now ranging from $16,990 up to $26,990

Czech brand Skoda and British carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have revealed which models will be recalled as part of the wide-spread mandatory Takata airbag call back.

Skoda has unveiled its facelifted Fabia in the lead-up to its official debut at the Geneva motor show next month.

In a vote of confidence for its vehicle reliability, Skoda’s warranty now lasts five years.

Skoda’s all-new Fabia may trail new generations of the Mazda2 and Honda Jazz by nearly 12 months, along with the latest refresh of its VW Polo mechanical twin, but the Czech brand has equipped even the cheapest version its light-hatch challenger with two of modern motoring’s biggest must-haves.Matching the $15,990 starting price of the previous model, the 2015 Skoda Fabia comes standard with Skoda’s City Emergency Brake AEB system, and is one of the first vehicles on the Australian market to score the Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink smartphone integration systems.To boost the new model’s appeal even further, Skoda is offering all versions of the new Fabia with free on-road costs for the rest of 2015. Unlike its predecessor, the new Fabia rolls on the very latest version of the VW Polo’s architecture, while also matching the current Polo’s 1.2-litre turbo petrol engines.The Fabia brings the same 66kW/160Nm 66TSI and 81kW/175Nm 81TSI configurations as the Polo, but consolidates its offerings by limiting the 66TSI to a five-speed manual transmission and the 81TSI as the only version available with a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch auto.These drivetrain upgrades have also brought efficiency gains, with all versions matching the Polo’s best combined figure of 4.8L/100km. Helping the Fabia achieve this figure is Skoda’s Green Tech stop/start system and regenerative braking alternator.Both the hatch and wagon bodystyles are available with either engine spec, with the more powerful automatic 81TSI commanding a $4300 premium over the 66TSI and the wagon bodystyle costing an extra $1150 in either grade.Along with the standard AEB system, all new Fabias come with rear parking sensors and carry a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, improving on the four-star previous model.In the cabin, the multimedia system now features a 6.5-inch touchscreen with VW’s SmartLink multimedia system which offers smartphone connectivity using Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink to cover iPhone 5 onwards and all current Android phones. These systems generally utilise the satnav on your phone, however built-in VW satnav is also available as a $950 option.The base 66TSI comes with a leather multifunction steering wheel, heated door mirrors, tyre pressure monitoring system, ISOFIX anchorage points and rides on 15-inch steel wheels.The 81TSI adds cruise control and 15-inch alloys.Seats-up storage space in the boot is improved on both models with hatch's 305-litre capacity and the wagon's 505 litres representing 5L and 25L gains respectively.With the rear seats folded however, both models offer slightly less storage than before. Capacity in the hatch is now 1125 litres (down 40L) and the wagon 1370L (down 90L).The Fabia hatch's storage capacity is still greater than the 20mm shorter Polo hatch's 280L/952L (seats up/down).An optional $1300 Travel Pack is available for the 66TSI which adds cruise control, fatigue detection, LED daytime running lights and 16-inch alloys.Available for the 81TSI, the $1200 Sports Pack adds 15mm lower sports suspension, front fog lights, LED daytime running lights, fatigue detection and 17-inch alloys.Also available for the 81TSI is a $2600 Premium Sports Pack which adds the features of the Sports Pack plus auto wipers, climate control, flat-bottom sports steering wheel, keyless start and digital radio.All three option packs are also available with Skoda's Colour Concept pack (extra $300 66TSI, no cost 81TSI), which offers an alternating selection of body, roof and wheel colours.

ANCAP's latest round of crash testing has brought with it the maximum five-star safety rating for Skoda's new Fabia, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Holden's rebadged Astra range.The Fabia was lauded by ANCAP CEO Nicholas Clarke for its inclusion of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) technology as a standard feature across the entire range. AEB is currently rarity in the Skoda's class, even as an option.A recent international study found that an AEB-equipped car was 38 per cent less likely to be involved in a rear-end collision, with Clarke adding the increased adoption of the safety tech would "contribute to a further reduction in the number and severity of road crashes".AEB works by monitoring the road ahead of a vehicle, and automatically applying the brakes if it detects an obstruction.The five-star safety rating applies to all hatch and wagon variants of the Fabia.Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 models also picked up the maximum safety rating from ANCAP, marking an improvement from the previous four-star rating attained in 2011.The four-star rating came about as a result of a poor performance in the frontal-offset crash test, where the Grand Cherokee only scored 9.95 out of 16. A minimum score of 12.5 in that test was a requirement for five-star eligibility.However, V6 models built after March 2013 feature structural and seat design upgrades to help address criticisms of the previous model's dashboard components and seat slide mechanism.ANCAP has also officially recognised the new Holden Astra, continuing the five-star rating the model previously carried when sold here wearing Opel badges.

The single slot in the dashboard is gradually being replaced by a new wave of touchscreens that mirror the display of the latest smartphones, as more people use Bluetooth or USB connections to listen to music stored on their phones.The new apps mean everything from text messages, music and navigation can be used via the car's built-in screen or steering wheel controls -- so drivers don't need to fiddle with their phones, the fines for which exceed $400 and are up to four demerit points in some states.The first car in Australia with built-in Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirrorlink apps is due on sale this week.But it's not a mega-dollar luxury car, customarily first with the latest technology.Rather it comes from an unlikely source: a $15,990 hatchback from the Volkswagen-owned Czech brand Skoda.The new Skoda Fabia will lead a massive rollout of the technology on the rest of the Volkswagen line-up: from August, almost every model in the VW passenger car range will have an app-based audio system and relegate the CD player to the glovebox.Suzuki will be next, with Apple CarPlay likely to be standard on the new generation Vitara SUV, before Mercedes-Benz introduces it on an updated version of it's A-Class hatch late in the year.Surprisingly, Holden was among the first to drop CD players from its cars.Certain Barina models have been without a CD player since December 2012, while the Colorado ute and SUV haven't been able to take a compact disc since November 2013.Peugeot's 208 hatchback hasn't had a CD player since September 2012, and the Citroen Grand Picasso people mover ditched it in February 2014.Much like the tape decks of old, the days of CD players are numberedThe most affordable version of the Hyundai i30 hatchback -- Australia's best selling car last month -- lost its CD player in April this year, and the Kia Sorento family SUV dropped it with the release of the latest model in June.The industry is divided on the issue, with a CD player on all cars sold by market leader Toyota, number two brand Mazda, and other Top 10 players Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda, Subaru and Ford.European brands seem to be the most determined to leave the CD player behind."Much like the tape decks of old, the days of CD players are numbered," says Glenn Reid, the product manager at Citroen Australia."As we introduce all new models, we will progressively phase out CD players as customers move to Bluetooth streaming and USB as the primary means of taking their music with them."Peugeot 208 hatch, September 2012Peugeot 2008 SUV, October 2013Holden Barina CDX, December 2012Holden Trax SUV, September 2013Holden Colorado ute, November 2013Holden Colorado SUV, November 2013Citroen Grand Picasso, February 2014Citroen Picasso, February 2015Hyundai i30 Active, April 2015Hyundai i30 Active X, April 2015Kia Sorento SUV, June 2015