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Small cars are growing up. This is also the case with the new Skoda Fabia and is noticeable in many places - including the price.
If children or adolescents were to receive money every time for the remark “But have you grown up!”, They would have a good basis for financing their driving license. Viewer of the new Skoda Fabia will also not get around the assessment of the growth in size, as the fourth generation of the Small car increased to a length of 4,11 meters: Compared to the third edition, that is an increase of around 11 centimeters. In other respects too, the Fabia goes beyond small car dimensions, more on that later. The test with the 81 kW / 110 PS three-cylinder engine explains how the Czech does in everyday life.
The grown-up Fabia
The Fabia looks good and also makes a grown-up impression. He makes a striking appearance without appearing martial. Many edges and beads ensure a recognition value. For many buyers, however, the inner values are likely to be more important than the successful appearance. The occupants benefit from the increase in length and the wheelbase, which has increased by 9,4 centimeters to 2,56 meters. As a reminder: The Golf IV 20 years ago had roughly the same dimensions, at that time they were considered the benchmark in the compact class.
So it's no wonder that the space in the Fabia is convincing. The users of the fund do not have to worry about their knees, as long as there is no giant seat in front of them. Since the Fabia has also increased in width, arm freedom is usually given. But not only do the passengers have to impose few restrictions, the luggage is also generous. It has a capacity of 380 liters and can be expanded to almost 1.200 liters by folding down the backrests. Unfortunately, this does not result in a completely flat trunk floor, a small step remains.
Engine power without a defect
The 110 hp turbo also makes a confident appearance. The three-cylinder impresses with its smoothness and liveliness. The typical engine noise from the three pots penetrates the interior only cautiously. The three-cylinder sprints lively, the small turbo lag when starting can be overcome quickly by diligent use of the manual six-speed gearbox. If you want, you can easily swim with the big guys in traffic on the autobahn.
No wonder, 110 hp is still a decent house number for a small car. The top speed is reached at 205 km / h. If you are in a hurry, the on-board computer shows consumption values of 5,8 liters; if you indulge in calm, consumption drops by half a liter. An average of 5,5 liters flowed through the lines, Skoda specifies the standard value according to WLTP as 4,5 to 4,8 liters. Incidentally, Skoda does not offer an engine with mild hybridization or a classic hybrid for the Fabia.
This is how the new Fabia drives
The steering is direct and the chassis comfortably tuned. Only transverse joints are not his thing. He passes this on rather unfiltered. The traffic sign recognition showed a little more filter performance. She did not always correctly recognize all traffic signs. But there she is in good company. The selection of wizards is large. Speech recognition requires an app to be activated. As with infotainment, the Fabia also uses the VW Group's range of electronic helpers. Here, too, the small car is quite adult.
Test car equipment
Our test car drove up in the highest equipment line Style, so that the interior came up with all kinds of homely and comfortable extras. Ambient lighting, power windows also at the rear, center armrest and fabric-covered dashboard are among the features here. In connection with the 110 hp engine, however, 21.890 euros are also due. As if that weren't enough, the test car had extras on board for almost 7.000 euros, including automatic air conditioning, heated windscreen and heated steering wheel, navigation system, LED headlights, panoramic glass roof, rear disc brakes and aluminum in 17-inch format. There is not much left of the small car ambience of earlier days, and neither is the price. The well-equipped versions are aimed more at people who want to reduce the size of their cars, but who do not want to miss out on comfort or an appealing ambience.
Prices of the new Skoda Fabia
Those who do without one or the other amenity can order the engine we drive from around 19.900 euros in the "Ambition" version. Or forego power and choose the 70 kW / 95 PS turbo. As "Active" it is in the price list from 17.600 euros. It is cheaper if you use the one-liter vacuum cleaner with 48 kW / 66 PS or 59 kW / 80 PS. However, the basic version for 14.000 euros drives up without air conditioning and cannot be combined with other extras.
There is not much left of the small car ambience of earlier days, and neither is the price 
The Fabia is 4,11 meters long The fourth generation of the Skoda Fabia has been available since autumn 2012 110 hp is still a decent number for a small car 
The Fabia offers a lot of space 
The luggage part is generous. It has a capacity of 380 liters and can be expanded to almost 1.200 liters by folding down the rear seat backrests 
The occupants benefit from the increase in length and the wheelbase, which has increased by 9,4 centimeters to 2,56 meters
AUTHOR: Elfriede Munsch / SP-X
Technical data - Skoda Fabia
Five-door, five-seat small car; Length: 4,11 meters, width: 1,78 meters (with exterior mirrors: 1,95 meters), height: 1,46 meters, wheelbase: 2,56 meters, trunk volume: 380 - 1.190 liters
1,0-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 81 kW / 110 PS, maximum torque: 200 Nm at 2.000 - 3.000 rpm, six-speed manual gearbox, front-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h: 9,7 s, Vmax : 205 km / h, standard consumption: 4,5 - 4,8 liters / 100 kilometers (WLTP), CO2 emissions: 103 -110 g / km (WLTP), emissions standard: Euro 6 AP, efficiency class B, test consumption: 5,5, XNUMX liters
Price: from 19.890 euros (Ambition)
Price of the test car: 29.720 Euro
Brief description:
Why: plenty of space, lots of assistants
Why not: now expensive for a small car
What else: VW Polo, Ford Fiesta, Opel Corsa and and and