Skoda Fabia - Awesome Car

Exterior:Looks are subjective and hence can be a matter of "love it or hate it" type when it comes to the fabia, certainly the I20 looks very nice and european, Punto looks Italian and very craftsman like work, Our Skoda looks straight from the battlefield. What makes the difference is the bulky look added with almost little or no curves make the car look a little less aerodynamic 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort): Now we are talking, as far as the features are concerned, no car comes even close to the features offered. Skoda Fabia 1.2MPI - Classic is a base model (Note that 1.2 Active is now discontinued). It comes with Power Windows, Electro - Hydro Power Steering- EHPS, Tilt - Telescoping Steering Wheel, Driver and Co-Passenger Airbags, Dual Row AC (Under Front Seats). Although the gray dash gives a dull look coupled with equally boring Gray Fabric seats, I chose to over look that aspect as even the best of handstiched seats can now be had for less than 5K in most of the cities.The car comes with integrated music system MP3/Radio and a semi automatic climate control. Again not available even in the best of the segments

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox: To be honest Engine is a bit noisy, I20 takes the lead on this front, cant comment on fuel economy as I have driven the car for just 60 odd kms so far and hence will post the details soon.I have been told in different forums and also have read on carwale that most customers are getting about 12-13kpl in city traffic conditions with AC on. Gearbox is smooth as silk and this is the place where the German Technology comes in full view, the car glides through gear shifts and despite being the heaviest in its class, easily touches 120Kmph.

 Ride Quality & Handling: I20 is too soft of the suspensions, and in a Punto it feels like sitting on a horse, Punto is a good car though on the other aspects and I feel that suspension is the place where they got it a bit too wrong. In Fabia the weight of the car gives you solid presense on the road and for some reason it seems to make people move out of your way. Handling is exceptional due to EHPS.

 Final Words: This car with its original pricing of over 6 lakhs was a straight no-no and highly over priced. But now skoda seems to have got the Indian demand right and with all the discounts pouring in, I got my car for 5.03Lakhs On Road in Pune. what made me buy the car was the manufacturers confidence in their product. Skoda Fabia has to be serviced just once every 15000kms !!! - Yes, even the first service is right after 15K. I expect the cost to be around 7K to 8K. Now my maths is simple for people who think this is steep. If you buy any premium hatch with service intervals of 5K, then you actually spend 3K * 3 = Rs 9000 ( Rs 3000 for each service on a lower side).Note that skoda fabia uses Synthetic oil and hence the cost. Last, never think of saving money by buying a car with thin doors, poor metal quality or less safety features, you might have a car that gives you 1km less per litre rather than compromising on your families safetly. I can assure you that at an accident mere 70kmph can be life threatening without the presence of Airbags and strong crumple zone design. In the end it is your personal choice.

Areas of improvement : Skoda is a great brand, it should look at increasing customer interaction directly. Set up webistes that help you share comments and ownership experiences. Gray seats are a no - no, and yes do something abt the logo, it can be pulled out easily...thats why you see it on autos, coincidently same issue faced by BMW,Merc and the Audi - German Cars!!

Build Quality, Safety FeaturesDull Interiors, Fabric seats