Skoda Fabia
No-nonsense supermini goes big on sophistication and practicality Of all the cars that Autocar has reviewed in its extensive history, the Skoda Fabia is one of those that repeatedly comes up trumps. And it’s easy to see why.You see, it's a right-sized, few-frills hatchback priced competitively that offers up its makers' renowned attention to practicality and usability, together with a deceptively spacious interior, economical range of engines and a quality of ride akin to something from the class above.That being said, these qualities are becoming more necessary than desirable, because this car still has competitors nibbling at its toes - competitors that, after several years of updates, have never been better. These include the Renault Clio, Volkswagen Polo, Mini Cooper, Vauxhall Corsa and Seat Ibiza - the vast majority of which we have awarded 4.5 stars.It may also need an extensive skillset to compete with even its Skoda rangemates, the larger Octavia hatchback having routinely outsold the Fabia for three full model generations of its life.Now, however, it's here having been made bigger of footprint, more sophisticated of aspect, and more stacked with more active and passive safety technologies than ever. Let's see how it fares.The Skoda Fabia range at a glanceThe Fabia keeps it relatively simple, with no diesels or hybrids. You can have a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that is either naturally aspirated or turbocharged. The former makes do with 79bhp and can be had with a five-speed manual gearbox only, while the latter produces 114bhp and is mated to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. At the top of the range sits a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo with 148bhp, which gets the dual-clutch 'box only.There are four specifications to choose from: SE, Design, SE L and Monte Carlo. SE gets you an 8.25in infotainment display, 15in alloy wheels, LED lights, dual-zone air conditioning and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Design adds larger alloys, a 10.25in digital driver's display and metallic paint. In order to specify the largest 9.2in infotainment screen and a rear-view camera, you need to step up to SE L, which would be our trim of choice. Monte Carlo meanwhile brings some racier styling, a sports steering wheel, 17in alloys and aluminium pedals.
No-nonsense supermini goes big on sophistication and practicality
Of all the cars that Autocar has reviewed in its extensive history, the Skoda Fabia is one of those that repeatedly comes up trumps. And it’s easy to see why.You see, it's a right-sized, few-frills hatchback priced competitively that offers up its makers' renowned attention to practicality and usability, together with a deceptively spacious interior, economical range of engines and a quality of ride akin to something from the class above.That being said, these qualities are becoming more necessary than desirable, because this car still has competitors nibbling at its toes - competitors that, after several years of updates, have never been better. These include the Renault Clio, Volkswagen Polo, Mini Cooper, Vauxhall Corsa and Seat Ibiza - the vast majority of which we have awarded 4.5 stars.It may also need an extensive skillset to compete with even its Skoda rangemates, the larger Octavia hatchback having routinely outsold the Fabia for three full model generations of its life.Now, however, it's here having been made bigger of footprint, more sophisticated of aspect, and more stacked with more active and passive safety technologies than ever. Let's see how it fares.The Skoda Fabia range at a glanceThe Fabia keeps it relatively simple, with no diesels or hybrids. You can have a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that is either naturally aspirated or turbocharged. The former makes do with 79bhp and can be had with a five-speed manual gearbox only, while the latter produces 114bhp and is mated to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. At the top of the range sits a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo with 148bhp, which gets the dual-clutch 'box only.There are four specifications to choose from: SE, Design, SE L and Monte Carlo. SE gets you an 8.25in infotainment display, 15in alloy wheels, LED lights, dual-zone air conditioning and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Design adds larger alloys, a 10.25in digital driver's display and metallic paint. In order to specify the largest 9.2in infotainment screen and a rear-view camera, you need to step up to SE L, which would be our trim of choice. Monte Carlo meanwhile brings some racier styling, a sports steering wheel, 17in alloys and aluminium pedals. 
