Review: Skoda Fabia Hatch

We are now into the fourth generation of the Fabia, Skoda’s fabulous little hatchback, which went on sale towards the back end of 2021.

It had quite a radical remake from the model it replaced and is now longer, wider and lower and more closely resembles other Skodas in the range.

This new look gives a more streamlined profile with the added benefit of lower drag and improved fuel consumption figures.

As a member of the esteemed Volkswagen family it shares much of its underpinnings with the Volkswagen Polo and the Seat Ibiza but, to my mind is the best of the bunch, particularly when you consider the cost savings to be made

As well as looking good from the outside the interior of the Fabia has had a better than average makeover. But Skoda has resisted the temptation to go down the digital only route for the majority of the functions, instead has kept such as climate control as physical buttons which is welcome news.

It’s not plush, but for a car starting at less than £18,000 it is really quite impressive.

I prefer comfort and practicality any day and the Fabia has this in spades. The driver’s seat adjusts for height and the steering wheel for height and reach. The seats are super comfy and with the addition of the comfort package (£675) both front seats adjust for height. This package also adds a USB C port by the rear view mirror - ideal for sat navs, and an adjustable boot floor. The winter package at £840 adds, among other things, a heated steering wheel, front seats and windscreen which is worth it for that function alone.

For anyone not opting for the winter package there’s an ice scraper integrated into the fuel filler compartment.

Skoda has long been associated with adding the little touches that make owning one such as pleasure: umbrella compartment that allows water to drain out, more than the average USB ports and a super little device under the bonnet - a fold out funnel for the washer bottle so you don’t spill fluid all over the engine when filling it up.

Room in the back is particularly good with plenty of head and leg room and a boot space of 380 litres which is a good deal more than competitors. Folding the seats down bumps this up to 1,190 litres.

The floor isn’t flat with the seats down unless you opt for a model with the variable boot floor or add the simply clever package (£310) which also includes a few other bits and pieces to make storage more versatile.

All engines are petrol with no electric or hybrid version available. Our car came with the mid-range powerplant, the 94bhp one-litre turbo-petrol with five-speed manual transmission.

Acceleration for such a small output is a credible 10.6 seconds from 0–62mph and it has a top speed of 119mph.

This and its tight turning circle make it particularly good around town although it does not disappoint on faster roads over long distances.

Skoda Fabia Hatch Colour Edition

Price: £19,240 (£22,155 as tested)

Engine: 1.0-litre, TSI

Power: 94 bhp

Torque: 129lb/ft

Transmission: five-speed manual

Top speed: 119mph

0-62mph: 10.6 seconds

Economy: 53.7-55.4mpg

CO 2 emissions:116-119g/km