Skoda Fabia Reviews

Skoda has approached its return to Australia in a canny European manner. Rather than rushing in with bottom end cars to gain quick sales, and then trying to lift its image by aiming at the medium-premium segments, Skoda started at the top end. By doing so it has gained credibility and is now pushing down into the affordable car area.VALUEThe result is that Skoda, now five years into its revival in Australia, has just sold its 10,000th car downunder. It’s also quickly making its name in the affordable end of the hot-hatch scene with the great little Fabia RS as well as a five-door station wagon should the hatch rear end not supply enough luggage space for your needs. The RS starts at a modest $27,990.TECHNOLOGYSkodas use major mechanical components from Volkswagen – having been controlled by the giant German company since the early 1990s when the communist era ended in the Czech Republic – and the Fabia RS shares a Twincharger 1.4-litre petrol engine, transmissions and suspension with the Volkswagen Polo GTI.We were most impressed with the hot little Fabia’s performance. With 132 kW of power, and a strong 250 Nm of torque all the way between 2000 rpm and 4500 rpm, the Fabia RS is a pocket rocket. It goes from zero to 100 km/h in just 7.3 seconds.The use of both a supercharger and turbocharger provides strong push throughout most of the rev range. From about 1500 you can feel the torque working, it quickly rises when you get to 2500 revs and pulls in a very linear manner when it’s comfortably over 5500 rpm.This straight-line speed is enhanced by the seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox. In flat-out mode the transmission is great to sit behind, switching gears faster than humanly possible.DESIGNThe Polo GTI and Fabia RS have quite different appearances, with the Volkswagen leaning in a mildly conservative direction, while the Skoda has gone for a chunky out-of-the-ordinary look that we love. There’s a hint or two of the cheeky shapes favoured by the British Mini in the character lines of Czech Skoda, these are emphasised by the availability of numerous colour combinations. Letting buyers design their own car by way of accessories is an excellent idea and can result in real fashion statements.Our Skoda Fabia RS road test car came in yellow, which is a bold move in a conservative market like Australia. But, hey this is a sporting model for the young and for the young at heart. Indeed the young at heart could be big buyers of these little cars because in their teenage years bright colours were all the rage in cars, clothes, interior design – you name it.We are currently in the standard Fabia (not the RS) that is a metallic blue and while that shade also works well with the Fabia's lines it doesn’t exactly leap out on the street scene.SAFETYElectronic Stability Control (ESC), ABS brakes with EBD and Brake Assist are standard to minimise the chances of having a crash – as are six airbags should you still get it wrong. The Skoda Fabia has been designed with pedestrian impact in mind, so the front bumper and bonnet are designed to deform on impact and absorb energy.DRIVINGWhile the DSG works well under hard acceleration and deceleration, like many of its type it is a bit of a dog in slow situations. Even worse, it can surprise when parking in first or reverse gears by responding too quickly to any throttle input. For some reasons no two double-clutch gearboxes are identical in the way they perform, which must be so frustrating for engineers trying to make them work to perfection.The Skoda Fabia RS will really suit those who like to ‘drive' cars. It is stable on all but the worst of Australia's roads and feels really sound in hard cornering. There is some steer torque, which is hardly a surprise in a sporty small hatch with a modified engine, but it is manageable and those who like a bit of character in their car will love that gentle tugging on the steering wheel under hard acceleration.We like the chassis, it uses MacPherson struts at the front and a semi-independent read end, is a relatively sophisticated setup for a car in the affordable class. The suspension is on the firm side at times, but on the whole it soaks up most bumps without any banging and thumping. Those who like sporting cars will forgive the hot RS for its actions. At 10 metres the Fabia has a tight turning circle and the all-round driver's view is excellent.VERDICTThe hottest Fabia is a great little hot hatch around town and a superb tourer for steep and winding roads where you can really get stuck into the corners.

The smallest vehicle segment, or light, as it's known, is a bit of a grab-bag. It ranges from the Chery J1, a Chinese import for $10,990 cross-your-fingers-driveaway, to the Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari at the we-saw-you-coming price of $69,990.But desirable badges are beginning to crack the 4m-long formula. The Audi A1, Mini, Alfa Romeo Mito, Citroen DS3 and Renault Clio all have at least one version with a performance slant.However, they are all three-door cars. If you want five doors and a European pedigree, the options narrow considerably. Until recently there was only one: the Volkswagen Polo GTI. Since it arrived a couple of years ago, it has been almost as critically acclaimed as the Golf GTI, its bigger brotherNow it has been joined by the Skoda Fabia RS, and there are a couple of reasons why the Czech badge might steal a few buyers from Veedub. Chief among them is the fact that Volkswagen owns Skoda and the two share technology. This strategy is known as platform sharing and Volkswagen is its leading exponent.Volkswagen uses essentially the same engineering not only for itself and Skoda, but also for Audi and SEAT, which is not sold here. What that means is that Audis are essentially expensive Volkswagens while Skodas are bargains.VALUEThe RS wagon is $29,990, a $2000 premium over the hatch, and is a rarity at this end of the market if you can live with its dumpy looks. The hatch, on the other hand, has pleasing proportions and pulls the Mini trick of offering different roof colours and other personalisation tricks.Although a Mini-with-the-lot is a lot more expensive, the RS doesn't miss much with LEDs, 17-inch alloys, shiny pedals, leather trim, dual-zone air, six airbags and Bluetooth.TECHNOLOGYBut the engine and transmission are the same as the current model, meaning 132kW from a 1.4-litre four-cylinder that has double forced induction. A supercharger ensures plenty of torque at low revs, then once the engine gets going a turbocharger takes over. So it's drivable without any strain, since 250Nm of torque arrives at just 2000rpm. (Those outputs, by the way, are only slightly shy of the Mercedes E200, which develops 135kW and 270Nm.)DRIVINGThe cabin, even with sports seats, is functional and fairly sombre. There's an absence of the pitch-to-youth design that mars some light cars. But it's a pleasing place to be, just the same. As far as its underpinnings go, it borrows from the previous generation Polo and is slightly narrower, shorter and lower than its Volkswagen equivalent.At just 1.25 tonnes, the RS can reach 100km/h in a respectable 7.3 seconds while burning just 6.2 litres per 100km. Because it's heavier than the Polo GTI, it's also slightly slower and thirstier. But it would still take a long time to recoup the extra $1000 in the GTI's starting price.To drive it's not as engaging and rewarding as some performance hatches, with remote steering and a slightly perched-on-suspension feel to the way it tackles challenging roads.But as the runabout companion to the weekend warrior in your double garage, it's the sort of downsizing that makes sense.Skoda Fabia  RSPrice: from $27,990 (hatchback) to $29,990 (wagon)Warranty: 3 year roadsideEngine: 1.4-litre 4-cyl petrol supercharged & turbo 132kW/250NmDimensions: 4247mm (L); 1642 (W); 1494 (H) / 4029mm (L); 1642 (W); 1492 (H)Weight: 1248kg/1253kgTransmission: 7-speed automaticThirst: 7.7L/100km; 148g/km Co2

The next pieces of Skoda’s longterm plan for Australia have just been put into place with the introduction of a couple of low cost variants as will as a hot little RS number.VALUEA new station wagon body has been introduced. Costing just $2000 more than the five-door hatch it is 250 millimetres longer to provide up to 1460 litres of luggage space with the seats folded down, and a just as impressive 480 litres with all five seats in use.Incidentally, the Monte Carlo also gets the DSG option. Priced at $24,290 this special Fabia will please the commuter who wants to make a styling statement will stationary in traffic.With a price tag starting at just $27,990 for the RS132 manual hatch it’s certainly worth consideration from those looking for fun in an affordable machine.TECHNOLOGYThe range has been expanded to include a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 77 kilowatts of power, and 175 Newton metres of torque all the way from 1500 to 4100 revs.Our initial test drive of this little beauty in the Gold Coast area showed it to be willing to rev and happy to slug along in just about any gear – modern turbo engines with the latest in electronic control are brilliant in this manner. Volkswagen’s are right up there with the best of them.The four-cylinder engine can either be mounted beside a five-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed double-clutch DSG. We sampled both and though the auto is the more sensible bet we liked the feel of the manual and the added control it gives the keen driver.The smallest Skoda is the Fabia, using similar underpinnings to the Volkswagen Polo and even the Audi A1 to give it an extremely strong platform on which to build. So late in 2009 we saw the initial imports of the stylish Monte Carlo versions of the Fabia as well as an affordable hatch in the 77TSI, both were five-door hatches powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder VW engine.The range topping Skoda Fabia RS132 with, you guessed it, 132 kW, has excellent acceleration complemented by a good exhaust note that will please those who think driving is about a lot more than simply going from A to B.The 132 kW is achieved by tuning the same 1.4 engine as in the 77 kW models. The 132 demands to be fed 98 octane petrol and has a torque good torque spread, with its maximum of 250 Nm being available all the way from 2000 rpm to 4500.DESIGNAs in other Skoda models the new Fabia wagon has the superb Varioflex seating system that lets each of the three rear seats be removed individually. The seats unclip in seconds and weigh only 11 kilograms so it doesn’t need a hulking make to convert this small wagon into what’s almost a little van.The cleverest of all the Varioflex features is the ability to remove the centre-rear seat and then slide the two outer seats closer together, or further apart, to accommodate the wishes of the occupants. Cosy and close, or separated and sedate, the choice is yours.DRIVINGWe loved the feel of the RS132 that’s been created by lowering the body by 10 mm and increasing the stiffness of the shocks, springs and bushes. We weren’t so impressed by the noise created on rough road surfaces by the tyres and the way this harshness finds its way into the cabin.VERDICTIt has taken some time for Australian buyers to take Skoda seriously, but these new models give you a solid, sensible car with a good degree of style and we can see them taking off in the sales race any time now.

The small Fabia has punched above its weight for Skoda since arriving late last year. Based on parent company Volkswagen’s Polo – the 2010 Carsguide Car of the Year  -- the little car has helped Skoda nearly double sales, despite having only two versions on sale.But the range is now being filled out, with the current entry level 77TSI hatch and mid-range Monte Carlo being joined this week by a practical 77TSI wagon and the hot Fabia RS in both hatch and wagon bodies.The newcomers arrive at the mature end of this generation’s life span -- with a new one due in 2014 -- but they still deserve a warm welcome for mix of practicality and performance they bring to the Fabia line-up.TECHNOLOGYThe base model carries Volkswagen’s 1.2-litre, direct injection, turbo four-cylinder delivering 77kW of power at 5000rpm and 175Nm of torque across a useful 1500-4100rpm.Official fuel economy is posted as 5.5L/100km – on premium -- with either the five-speed manual or the newly-arrived seven-speed DSG turning the front wheels on both hatch and wagon.But the acceleration is far from blistering, with the manual hatch getting to 100km/h in 10.1 seconds, the DSG hatch 10.2 and the wagon 10.3.Fabia's underpinnings are also straight from the VW parts shelf, with Macpherson strut front and beam axle rear suspension and four wheel disc brakes, where some rivals still sport a pair of drums.The RS ups the ante in a 1.4-litre twin-charged engine with the supercharger kickstarting the action in low revs and turbo tipping in with full boost from 2000rpm.From this, the four-cylinder develops 132kW of power peaking at 62000rpm and 250Nm of torque between 2000-45000rpm, with Skoda claiming a 0-100km/h sprint of 7.3 seconds and fuel economy of 6.2 L/100km.DESIGNAlthough based on the Polo, the Fabia hatch is slightly bigger and puts its signature Skoda boxiness to practical work for loads of room for head and legs, plus luggage space rising from 300 to 1165 litres when the rear seats are folded.That’s about the hungriest capacity for the class, and it becomes almost insatiable in the longer wagon where you get 480 to 1460 litres.The styling is not everybody’s taste, but it has a cheerful character and an endearing determination to shackle form to functionality, which happily means a bright and realistically-designed interior with good ergonomics and easily readable instruments.PRICE AND EQUIPMENTThe entry level 77TSI hatch is $18,990 with the manual and an extra $2300 if you want the DSG, while the DSG-only Fabia RS starts at $27,990. The wagon body for either version claps on another $2000.Standard equipment includes Bluetooth, tilt and reach adjustable steering column, an eight-speaker CD/MP3 audio system, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and phone controls, cruise control, heated mirrors and fog lights.The RS arrives with more bling and some cues from the Fabia S2000 rally car, adding twin exhausts, spoilers back and front – the latter with  integrated LED daytime running lights – and rolling on 17-in alloy wheels with red RS-logo brake callipers.The cabin gets deep-shaped sports seats, a three-spoke steering wheel with paddles for the DSG, and handy rear parking sensors, but some of the plastics and finishes slip back to ordinary quality. The base model undercuts the donor Polo by nearly $1000, but you can spot where the money has been saved in the fit-out and finish. At RS level you’re eyeing off the $28,990 VW Polo GTI at again just $1000 more – but oddly not among the rivals cited at the Fabia RS launch, which benchmarked against the $24,990 Suzuki Swift Sport and $43,050 Mini Cooper S in terms of dollars per kilowatt of power.Fabia is $212 against the Suzuki’s $250 and Mini’s $319 --  in case that’s your gauge. In which case you’ll want to know that shelling out an extra whack for the $36,490 Renualt Clio Sport 200 cost you $248/kW.SAFETYSurprisingly, amid a host of five-star rivals the Fabia gets only a four star Euro rating. Safety equipment includes six air bags, stability control, anti-skid brakes with brake assist and brakeforce distribution.DRIVINGThe fit-out doesn’t quite match up to the VW donor, but the seats are supportive and there’s plenty of room. The 77TSI engine is keen and tractable, making easy work at low revs around city streets and laid-back cruising on the highway, with enough torque for climbing hills.While the standard five-speed manual will still be one gear short of most rivals, the seven-speed DSG – clunky though it is – will win fans in a market that is increasingly shunning self-shifting.But you’ll still want to use the manual mode of the shifter, and that’s about the stage where you’ll take a hacksaw to the annoying fold-down armrest that’s positioned exactly on the trajectory your elbow wants to move through.It rides comfortably and the wide track and long-ish wheelbase polish its road manners to keep it stable and flat. The suspension gives it better grip than most of its competitors, and the accurate turn-in mean it has entertainment on offer even at lower speeds.Step into the RS and a whole world of fun opens up. The ride is much harder and can get unsettled over rough back roads, but in normal driving it’s still compliant – more than the Polo, and much more than most of the competition.But the RS is also noticeably more agile and taut than the entry model. It’s easy to swing through a joyful series of corners, with weightier steering and tighter response than the standard version.There’s a fair bit of noise from both wind and tyres, but it’s never uncomfortable, and cabin conversation never has to reach yelling levels.Take all that, and then extend it into the RS wagon version, and it’s a whole new ball game. Like the legendary Audi RS4 Avant, the combination of sting and space results in a true Jekyll and Hyde car. Take it out on the garage sale round, stuff the boot space – and then time your lap home. That’s what you call a real all-rounder.VERDICTSkoda weighed up 'bang for the buck' but it's also a case of usability for your money. And the standard Fabia is a decent contender there, but the RS would go on our favourites list. 

Small it might be, but Skoda's Fabia hatch is giving the Czech company a big boost. The arrival of the Fabia late last year helped Skoda double its sales for the second year in a row and kick off a flying start this year with sales up by more than 90 per cent for the first two months.There are two models - the $18,990 77TSI and the $21,990 Monte Carlo - and they undercut the Volkswagen Polo on which they are based by almost $1000. The Fabia's strengths are its lively performance, frugal fuel use, equipment and spacious interior. The question is whether that gap will be retained at re-sale or will the Polo hold its value better. Time will tell. Direct rivals on price are the Ford Fiesta and the Suzuki Swift. Agile and energetic, the four-door Fabia looks chunky and feels nuggety and is a lot of fun to drive.TECHNOLOGYIt is powered by Volkswagen's 77TSI engine - a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol which produces 77kW and 175Nm across a useful range of 1500 to 4100rpm.Despite its modest capacity it has enough oomph to launch the lightweight 1120kg Fabia to 100km/h in a respectable 10.1 seconds.Fuel use on the combined cycle is just 5.5l/100km but it prefers premium unleaded. It is mated to a five-speed transmission although a seven-speed direct shift gearbox is on the way.DESIGNThe cheery exterior is carried over inside with a bright dash and clear, easy-to-use instruments and controls, although the quality of the trim is not up to the Polo. Front seats are supportive with plenty of head and leg room, the rear seat has adequate room for its class and the boot is generous.Standard equipment on the base model on test included six airbags, stability control, a four-star crash rating, airconditioning, cruise control, Bluetooth, tilt and reach adjustable steering column, an eight-speaker single CD audio system with MP3, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and phone controls, cruise control, heated mirrors and fog lights.The Monte Carlo adds 16-inch black alloy wheels, sports seats, sports steering wheel, black wheel arches, and alloy pedals. Also on the way this year are a wagon version and a high performance RS 132 hatch.DRIVINGThe engine is eager and flexible, pulls easily from low revs around town and is relaxed on the highway with enough torque to tackle hills in top gear. The gear shift itself is quick and slick and the clutch has a smooth and progressive uptake.With a wide track, longish wheelbase and a stiff body, the Fabia handles like a civilised go-kart. It corners with a taut, flat stance, turns in accurately and has excellent grip. Ride is firm and well controlled and compliant over lumps and broken edges. The steering is direct and well weighted and the brakes strong.

The Fabia represents Skoda's first foray into small hatchback territory. For those who don't know, Skoda is one of Volkswagen's offshoots and offers much the same technology but in a more affordable package. It has a long racing history in Europe where Skoda is viewed as a very sporty brand. Priced from $18,990, the Fabia is a rather tall, boxy design that sits on the same platform as VW's better-looking Polo with which it shares the same 1.2-litre engine.TECHNOLOGY At the moment you can only get a 1.2-litre TSI turbocharged engine that produces 77kW of power. It may sound small but the 1.2-litre engine uses direct injection and turbocharging to deliver a surpringly smooth powerful driving experience. Peak power is reached at 5000 revs and maximum torque of 175Nm is available between 1500 and 4100 revs. The Fabia is fitted as standard with a five-speed fully synchronised manual transmission. An arrow on the dashboard prompts the driver to change up a gear in order to save fuel.VALUE Nothing of any special note. Bluetooth is standard and it comes with steering wheel phone and audio controls, but you only get an AUX socket for your iPod.Multi function display provides a nice, big digital speedo among other features. All the usual stuff like airconditioning, power windows and mirrors and an eight speaker sound system.Cruise control is also standard. For the environmentally aware it's also very green, scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars from the Green Guide (Prius scores five).DRIVING The trick is not to get caught with your revs down, especially coming off a corner. Below about 2500 revs there's not much oomph, not until the boost from the turbo kicks in when the thing takes off. Because it's a manual this translates to changing gears and changing gears often.Claimed fuel consumption is 5.5 litres/100km but we were getting 8.1/100km (bit of a difference eh?) The ride is quite soft for a European car, but not bouncy soft which is a good thing when it comes to our roads.SAFETY Not as safe as we had anticipated. It's fitted with six airbags, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes and all the rest of the stuff that makes cars safe to drive. But Fabia still manages to get only four out of five stars for safety in crash testing. This could be a deal breaker for some buyers, with plenty of five star cars around.WHAT ABOUT THE POLO? The five-door Polo 1.2 TSI Comfortline costs another $860. From what we can see there's not much difference, apart from the fact Fabia is built on the "old" platform.Polo looks better, gets alloy wheels and a full five stars for safety. I'd say that more than justifies the extra outlay. Skoda really needs to drop the price if it hopes to attract many customers.

MONTE Carlo is an ostentatious and underwhelming attachment of expensive Med-side apartments glued to the side of a impressive rock. In terms of value for money, it doesn't rate. In fact, tourists only remember it for its casino and the room rate bill. It's ironic that Skoda should choose the name for its special edition Fabia hatch.Monte Carlo is expensive and aloof - the Fabia version is cheap as chips and carries no pretence. The name, however, comes from Monte Carlo's association with motorsports and it's here that the look - and feel - of the Fabia starts to make some sense.VALUESo good. At $21,990 it's on par - and sometimes a little bit dearer - than rivals but it has lots to offer, especially that it looks as impressive as a Mini costing twice the price. The Monte Carlo is an ongoing model costing $3000 more than the standard Fabia and adding a new look and a few more features.DESIGNThere's a bit of Mini-esque design trickery here with black mascara over selected body parts - including the roof - to give it a visual whack. It looks great in white with the standard black roof with the bigger 16-inch black alloys setting it all off. The cabin gets sports seats and more black.TECHNOLOGYThe Polo-based Fabia five-door hatchback's drivetrain is unchanged in its transformation into the Monte Carlo. That is Volkswagen Polo's 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol attached to a five-speed manual gearbox. It comes only as a manual, countering its Polo GTI sister that gets only a dual-clutch auto. The Monte's bigger wheels slightly improve handling but in essence, it drives like the cheaper Fabia. SAFETYFabia gets a four-star crash rating but adds six airbags and electronic aids starting with stability control and brake assist. The spare wheel is full size an it doesn't impair on the big boot - other carmakers take note.DRIVINGThis is so much fun. The shift feel of the manual box is disappointingly rubbery but it's still an enjoyable stir while the engine surprises with good bottom-end torque and an eagerness to spin up high.It is such an engaging drive that you can get too enthusiastic with the handling - it will lift a rear inside wheel with ease - but understeer and common sense will bring you and the car back to earth. The ride comfort is firm-ish but perfectly comfortable for city driving. Aside from the imprecise feel of the steering and the vague gearshift, it's a great package.

Toyota Yaris and Skoda Fabia go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Volkswagen's aspirations for world domination include the funny little Skoda Fabia 77TSi which, in Australia at least, will be used to take on the Koreans and match them on price, performance, features and quality. Fabia, slightly bigger than VW Polo, has been around for yonks in Europe, lobbing in current guise back in 2007. It's been a long time coming here but the wait was worth it.This tiddler-size five-door Czech hatch offers something many competitors don't have - character. Some are plasticky white goods with a sterile feel and bland styling, none of which applies to the Fabia.Though not a pretty or handsome car, Fabia is distinctive and practical with an earnest look to its "`face" and plucky performance from its tiny engine that also delivers excellent fuel economy rated at 5.5-litres/100km.And the engineers have done their homework on its dynamics giving Fabia a good all-round ride and handling perfectly suited to everyday driving on our crappy roads.VALUEPitched at $18,990, Fabia is not the cheapest on the block but offers up plenty of goodies for the ask including Bluetooth phone, a/c, cruise, multi-function wheel, full-size spare, six air bags, stability control and trip computer.There's an optional Monte Carlo pack for an extra $3000 that brings a blacked out sporty look to body hardware, alloys, sporty interior treatment and contrast roof colour among other goodies. A six-speed DSG dual clutch manumatic will be available next year for an additional $2300.The pricing schedule is beaten by some competitors in this size car but equipment levels and performance sweeten up the deal. And it's "European."TECHNOLOGYPower comes from a 1.2-litre, direct injection, turbo four delivering 77kW/175Nm output. It passes EU5 emissions regulations on a diet of 95 octane fuel delivered from a 45 litre tank. Theoretical touring range is 800km.Fabia's underpinnings are pretty simple and come directly from the VW parts inventory - Macstrut front, beam axle rear, four wheel discs, five-speed manual gearbox. Fabia has the smallest capacity engine against its direct competitors but the most torque (by a longshot). It uses the least amount of fuel and has the largest luggage capacity.DESIGNStyled along family Skoda lines, the boxy little Fabia looks distinctive from the front, generic from the rear. The look is enhanced with a contrast colour roof and the Monte Carlo pack ratchets appearance up a few notches more.It's a fairly standard hatchback design with five seats, 60/40 folding rear seats and a large load space. The interior is quite spacious and well laid out offering a soft-feel dash and other soft touch areas. The multi-function wheel is great as is media connection box.SAFETYIt got a four star Euro rating back in 2007, not tested since. Has six air bags, stability control and rigid chassis design.THE DRIVEPretty good really. The engine is sweet once you get into the torque band over 1500rpm and sings sweetly up to redline but it's no fire cracker and it doesn't need to be - that's the province of the 132kW RS model coming next year. We were impressed by the Fabia's controlled and comfortable ride, the smooth manual shift and quality feel of the car - especially compared to some of its competitors.You can whizz along the freeway at the speed limit and the Fabia simply lopes along using minimal fuel. It's fairly simple mechanicals should mean low running costs and the condensed Skoda styling gives Fabia a point of difference in the segment.SKODA FABIA 77TSIPrice: from $18,990Warranty: 3 year/unlimitedResale: N/AService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety: 4 star Euro NCAPEngine: 1.2-litre 4-cyl turbo pertrol; 77kW/177Nm.Body: 5-door, 5 starsWeight: 1120kgTransmission: 6-speed manualThirst: 5.5L/100km; 128g/km Co2

When it comes to liking Volkswagen's Polo TSI, Carsguide takes a backseat to no-one. That's not just because most of us are quite tall and the Polo isn't, but because it's our reigning Car of The Year.If you've $20K to drop on a light car, let it fall here, we say. But what of Skoda's Fabia? This is a slightly cheaper, arguably groovier Polo that (unlike the South Africa assembled VW) is built, if not in Germany, then in a country bordering the Federal Republic.VALUEThe new entrant of the Czech make kicks off at $18,990 for the entry level TSI with five speed manual and standard kit including 15-in steel wheels, fog lights, Bluetooth and cruise. Another $3K gets Monte Carlo spec with cool black accents, contrasting roof colours, 16-inch alloys, bling trim and fully sick stitching.Once you flirt with the options list, you're probably better off having done with it and going the full Monte. Although it's a markedly bigger car within, going upper spec makes it almost two grand dearer than the Polo TSI manual. VW's entry level Golf with the same engine is but $1K more.Add the usual impost of some $2500 for automated manual DSG when it arrives in about March along with the broader Fabia range (including wagon and rapid RS variants), and you appreciate the Fabia is in a tough spot.And though new here, there's also the little matter of this second generation Fabia being four years old and due for replacement in another three.TECHNOLOGYThe direct injection turbo petrol four is a diminutive but brilliantly effective 1.2 litres -- and is also carried by the Polo COTY. With five speeds, the Fabia's manual is one cog shy of contemporary, but this mill pulls instantly and firmly in high gears at low speeds.DESIGNYou can sweep past a Polo, as we did on our first drive, and barely notice it. Even in its few sobre shades, no-one's going to say that about the Fabia. This Skoda embodies the Czech's design ingenuity, that reverse Tardis thing of filling a compact shape with exceptional occupant and luggage space.There's some 315 litres of the latter — exceptional for this class — and headroom greater than that of most cars in the next segment up. If the interior plastics are more obviously budget than the equivalent VW, nothing else approaches the Fabia for unity of utility and darn cuteness.SAFETYDespite the full array of active safety measures and six airbags Euro NCAP lists this as a four star crasher  one short of the maximum figure achieved by a growing number of rivals. Exceptionally, however, brakes are discs at both ends and its spare tyre is full-size.DRIVINGLet's say it's to the fore of its class, exceeded only by guess what ... Shoved through a series of tightening uphill bends rated as low as 15km/h, the bigger tyred Monte Carlo sits flat and holds its line with the minimum of front-drive push as it hits the 6100rpm cut out, fine feedback coming from the direct rack and pinion electro mechanical steering. This is a neutral and capable handler that's tolerably fun if not quite engaging.On the freeway it cruises with such refinement that the wind around the mirrors seems unnaturally loud. There's almost always enough in reserve to plunge through that gap in the traffic, if not to overhaul that second car before the dotted lines expire.In, short the Fabia is immensely capable in Monte Carlo guise, barely less so as a plain TSI. Sadly, few will consider it in current form, the labour of having to swap gears for themselves too much for soft cog Australians. Pity, as this is a buttery, sweet shifting example whose tall gearing is masked by the ever present torque.VERDICTIn isolation there could be little argument, but the letter's "V" and "W" loom too large over the small but tall Skoda. We'll revisit when the rest of the range gets here.SKODA FABIA 77TSIPrice: from $18,990Warranty: 3 year/unlimitedResale: N/AService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety: 4 star Euro NCAPEngine: 1.2-litre 4-cyl turbo pertrol; 77kW/177Nm.Body: 5-door, 5 starsWeight: 1120kgTransmission: 6-speed manualThirst: 5.5L/100km; 128g/km Co2