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Skoda Fabia Scout : SCOUT ABOUT

Expert Rating: 3 out of 5

Skoda has pulled the old 4x4 styling accessory trick with its Fabia Estate. Steve Walker checks out the resulting Scout model.

Practical but forgettable pretty much sums up the Skoda Fabia Estate, so how could the Czech manufacturer go about jazzing it up a bit? One option would be to take elements from a type of vehicle that has a little more character about it, a compact 4x4 perhaps, and graft them onto the extended supermini. The result wouldn't alter the Fabia in any major way but it might gain a little extra desirability, maybe even a modicum of street-cred. The vehicle could be called the Skoda Fabia Scout in honour of its pseudo-adventurous appearance and it could top the Fabia estate rage starting at under £13,000. Job done.

The supermini-based estate car hasn't been a huge money-spinner for car manufacturers in the UK market. It's a slightly unusual idea in that the point of a supermini is that it's compact and the point of an estate car is that it's got extra space for luggage and stuff, the sort of space that's hard to engineer into an inherently compact car. Still, there is a place in the market for models like the Skoda Fabia Estate. It's primarily with customers who want supermini running costs and dimensions plus a bit more room, but the task these vehicles face has become more difficult of late with the advent of supermini MPVs and sub-compact 4x4s which do the extra practicality thing in more interesting ways. The Skoda Fabia Scout is an attempt to inject a little of that interest into the dull but worthy Fabia Estate, so how successful is it? Only the range-topping engines from the Fabia Estate are available with the Fabia Scout but you can put your flameproof racing overalls back in the wardrobe along with the stick-on Nigel Mansell moustache because they aren't a lively bunch. Proceedings open with an 85bhp 1.4-litre petrol unit that takes 12.7s to achieve 60mph from standstill. It's a sound engine but many will deem the extra cash needed to get a diesel worthwhile. The 1.4-litre HDI has only 80bhp and takes 13.7s to do the 0-60mph but its 195Nm of torque at 2,000rpm is 62Nm more than the petrol produces at 3,800rpm, so it's stronger off the line and in the 30mph ballpark. The 1.9-litre TDI engine has 105bhp and 240Nm leading to a 11s 0-60mph time.

"…the Scout model does bring a slight whiff of 4x4 to Skoda's affordable family car"

The Estate is only 20kg heavier than the hatch and the Scout's modifications over the estate are purely cosmetic, so it will drive much the same. That's pretty darn well, for those unfamiliar with Skoda's supermini. The Fabia's suspension handles rough surfaces with some grace but remains composed through the corners with less body roll than you'd experience in a taller supermini-based MPV. The pointy steering also helps the car deliver a pleasant driving experience. It's no ball of fire regardless of the engine you pick but it has the basics nailed down, making it an amiable companion across the full range of UK road conditions. The styling of the Fabia Estate follows on from the hatch. It's more distinctive than Fabia models past which just looked like the budget Volkswagens they, in essence, were and today's car has evolved its own themes. The trademark feature is the blacked-out roof pillars and these are still in evidence on the Scout version but it adds silver roof rails and body mouldings down the flanks. It isn't a dramatic transformation but the 16" alloys that are also included help the Scout's cause. On the inside, the Volkswagen influence is in evidence with an upmarket element to the switchgear and the materials. Again, the Fabia isn't exactly brimming with that elusive wow-factor but there are elegant touches including aluminium finishes for the door handles and air-vent surrounds. The Scout versions get special Scout upholstery to further raise the tone. If room is your thing, the Fabia is a good supermini to go for, so it follows that the estate bodystyle that the Scout is based on isn't short of capacity. It's actually nearly 24cm longer than its hatchback relative and viewing the two cars side by side, you can believe it. The Scout looks altogether lither and less stubby with its extra side window and the shallow angle of its tailgate. The extra dimensions have helped Skoda engineers achieve a 480-litre boot capacity with the seats up, some 180 litres more than you'll cram into the hatchback. Fold the 60/40 split rear seats flat (a less than straightforward operation that involves removing the headrests) and there's an Albert Hall-esque 1,460 litres. That's 297 litres up on the hatchback. All Fabia Estate models get central locking, electric windows at the front, height adjustment for the driver's seat, height and reach adjustment for the steering wheel and a CD stereo with MP3 compatibility. Safety equipment includes ABS along with front and side airbags. The Scout trim level add posh extras like cruise control, tinted glass, electric windows, alloy pedals, a centre armrest and a leather steering wheel. It's unlikely that the Fabia Scout model will lure two many buyers away from proper small 4x4 vehicles but it might give the Fabia Estate more of a fighting chance against small MPVs and other supermini estates. Alternatives like Renault's Clio Sport Tourer and Peugeot's 207 SW are its key rivals and the 207 SW even employs a similar trick to the Scout with its Outdoor derivative. Both the Peugeot and the Renault do sporty more convincingly than the spacious Skoda which may just have the edge on build quality and value. The engine range in the Fabia Scout definitely errs towards economy rather than performance. The absence of a high tech diesel engine means than none of the units can dip below the 120g/km barrier for emissions but the 80bhp 1.4 TDI unit lands right on that mark and gets over 60mpg on the combined cycle. The range-topping 1.9 TDI diesel is well-suited to the Scout's load lugging role and its 57mpg economy just about makes it the pick of the line-up. You'll get 43mpg from the 1.4-litre petrol, along with 154g/km emissions. Fabia models have always held very firm when it comes to residual values, used buyers valuing the Volkswagen Group input and resolute build quality. Insurance is unlikely to break the bank and all models come with a 3-year 60,000-mile warranty. A package of roof rails and plastic body cladding isn't going to swing too many extra sales in the Skoda Fabia Estate's direction but the Scout model does bring a slight whiff of 4x4 to Skoda's affordable family car. Forget about the styling accessories and you're left with a well built and economical vehicle with a whole load of boot space tagging along behind. So what if it isn't the most thrilling object on the road. Part of the Fabia Estate's appeal is that it is refreshingly free from gimmicks and the Scout model could put a dent in that, depending on your point of view. It certainly isn't about to be mistaken for a Land Rover Defender and there's something flawed about the logic that says 4x4s are trendy, so sticking 4x4 bits on a small estate will make that trendy too. In the end, the Fabia Scout is a likable vehicle that offers little over a standard Fabia Estate. Thankfully, it doesn't cost much more and there's extra equipment as well as the styling add-ons.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Skoda Fabia Scout
PRICES: £12,815-£14,380 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-4 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 120-154g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.4] Max Speed 108mph / 0-60mph 12.7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.9 TDI] (combined) 57mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4229/1642/1498mm

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Friday June 26