Skoda FABIA 1.2 54bhp
Dont Care About Performance? Want Quality Metal For Your Money? Skodas 54bhp Fabia 1.2 Provides It. Jonathan Crouch Reports
Think of
Skoda and youll probably think of the Fabia. This not so little Supermini has transformed the Czech brands fortunes, not only in the UK but across Europe and deservedly so.
In fact, its success has masked the rather surprising fact that, alone amongst the VW Groups budget brands, Skoda has no Citycar in its model line-up. Nothing, in other words, to compete in the expanding
Ford Ka/
Citroen C2/
Fiat Panda class that sits below the traditional Fiesta/Corsa/Punto -orientated Supermini sector. It would have been very easy to put this right. A Skoda badge could quite simply have been put on the neat little design that does good business trading as either a
Volkswagen Lupo or a
SEAT Arosa.
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It hasnt happened. This is all the more unusual since the truth is that the Fabia isnt all that cheap. Go for the 1.4-litre model thats one step up the ladder from the 1.
2-litre units and youll need to find nearly £10,000. Given this background, its easy to see the importance of the 1.2-litre Fabia featured here in 54bhp form, a model now propping up the companys entire model line-up. The price is enticing - £7,575 - enabling Citycar customers to buy into Supermini quality and size without needing to find any real extra money.
The problem is of course that when you put a heavy Supermini body on a small 54bhp engine perhaps more suited to powering a diminutive urban Citycar, then performance and sometimes fuel economy will often suffer. At first glance, you could certainly make an argument that this is the case.
"If I had to be in an accident in a supermini, I'd want to be in a Fabia"
After all, the entry-level 1.2-litre Fabia takes a leisurely 18.5 seconds to reach sixty from rest on the way to a modest 93mph. Licence confiscation should not prove to be a problem.
Thats seven seconds and 22mph slower than the Fabia sixteen-valve petrol 1.4. If this is a problem, then ask your dealer about the slightly more powerful1.2-litre engine, a unit which develops 64bhp and manages 60mph in 15.
9s on the way to 99mph. Prices for this unit start at £8,080. To be fair, compare the two 1.2-litre models on the road and the difference doesnt feel that great.
The bottom line is that if you want a Fabia with any real urgency, youll need the 1.4-litre model and for one of those, youll need the not inconsiderable budget of around £10,000. Anyway, in terms of the more important consideration of fuel consumption, the entry-level 1.2-litre Fabia does rather better.
Expect to record over 47mpg on the combined cycle some 7mpg better than the 1.4. You can feel much greener too, thanks to emissions levels which are also very healthy at 144g/km. Otherwise of course, its the usual Fabia recipe which means a car with arguably the biggest interior in its class and genuine room for up to five adults.
The Fabia recently received its most far-reaching set of revisions since it was launched, the visual changes centring on a revised front grille, spoiler and fog lamps, as well as restyled rear light clusters that echo the "C" shape of the latest Octavias rear lights. The interior look is modernised with fresher interior upholstery. Forget the plasticky feel of previous Skodas: the materials used are of the highest quality, even on the entry-level Classic which is the only trim derivation offered at 54bhp 1.2-litre level. Moreover, only the five-door hatchback bodystyle is offered with this engine, so if you want an estate, youll need the 64bhp 1.2-litre powerplant.
Saloon buyers are restricted to a starting point of 1.4-litre power. The boot's a useful shape (offering 1,016 litres with the seats down), with 60/40 access through the split-folding rear bench and sturdy luggage hooks for securing awkward loads. Front side airbags are optional, but twin front airbags and ABS are standard, plus parents get two Isofix mounting points in the rear for the latest child seats. At the front, as with every Fabia, theres rake and reach adjustment for the steering wheel. The Fabias chunky dimensions mean a boxy shape that offers good headroom, even for those in the rear.
And that in turn contributes to a general feeling of spaciousness. An immobiliser, power steering, an RDS radio with four speakers and a pollen air filter are part of the standard specification, but youll have to find extra for the excellent air conditioning system that usefully cools - or heats - the glovebox depending on your setting. Under the skin, the Fabia uses the VW Groups latest small car platform which is ultra-safety conscious: suffice to say that if I had to be in an accident in a Supermini, I'd want to be in a Fabia. In summary, the 54bhp Fabia 1.2 is a car that many buyers should consider, even though it will probably be ignored by many currently cramming themselves unnecessarily into much smaller citycars. If you arent bothered about performance and simply want metal for your money that comes with real quality, then check here first.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR:
Skoda Fabia 1.2 54bhp
PRICES: £7,575 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 4
CO2 EMISSIONS: 141g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 93mph / 0-60mph 18.5s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 35.8mpg; (extra urban) 58.9mpg; (combined) 47.1mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 3960/1646/1451mm
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