At one end of the spectrum is the Tata Nano – an ultra small car which can be had at the lowest price one could ever think of, for a car, and at the end of the spectrum is the Skoda Fabia – a premium hatchback, the price of which was quite an eye opener to many visiting the Skoda stall.
Skoda, you must understand, has been associated with luxury cars which have presented themselves as very good VFM options. Octavia has always been the element of trouble for other D-segment cars like Optra, Civic, Corolla and the Cedia. The Laura then continued the trend and took the fight to the likes of Accord.
The ‘Super Hatch’ as the Czech major likes to call it, the Fabia is an attractive looking car but not as revolutionary as thought by many. In profile it looks rather similar to the Maruti Swift. Skoda just managed to squeeze it under the 4.0m regulation for length and the Fabia is now 3992mm long while being 1642mm wide and the stands 1513mm tall.
Prominent biggies of Skoda were present and Thomas Kuehl, Board of Directors (Sales & Marketing) addressed the media by saying “The Fabia you see here is the same new Fabia which was launched in Geneva in March 2007. We have brought this model at the shortest available opportunity in India. The overwhelming enthusiastic response to the new Fabia worldwide continues to reaffirm the iconic place our products have in out customers’ hearts. New Fabia is much more than a car; it symbolizes people spirit and their over 110 year old obsession with the automobile.â€
Powering the Fabia will be a 1.4L TDI PD diesel engine and a 1.4L MPI petrol motor. The diesel will churn out 70PS of power and will offer a sea of turning force rated at 155Nm. The petrol should not be a slouch either with 86PS being available when you stomp on the accelerator. The torque rating stands at 132Nm which should aid drivability. A smaller, 1.2L petrol engine with 70PS on tap (108Nm torque) will be offered later in 2008.
Available in eight variants, Skoda has tried hard to fit as many pockets as possible. The prices start from 4.99lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra) and the top end will be available for 7.68lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra). The company is also in the process of increasing the dealer/service network to 65 by the end of 2008.
As far as the looks are concerned, the Fabia is what the Octavia is – understated and elegant. The only striking feature is the large grille garnished with lavish amount of chrome which also houses the Skoda badge. The vertical fins lend an aggressive appeal to the front end. The almond-shaped projector headlamps lend a subtle style statement as do the crease lines on the bonnet.
Interior is as equipped as can be expected from Skoda. Remote keyless entry, multi function information display, power windows, electrically adjustable ORVMs, MP3 audio system, sunroof, climate-control, parking sensors, cubby holes – it is all there. To enhance the safety aspect, Skoda is offering ABS, MSR and Dual Rate Brake Assist mechanism and dual front airbags.
Expect a cracking VFM offering from Skoda which is all set to make life difficult for the best-selling Swift. It remains to be seen though as to how will the Fabia fair when it comes to maintenance, which the other Skoda models are infamous for. But for sheer appeal, nothing comes close to beating this at its game. I will let the pictures talk for themselves for now with the promise of bringing you an elaborate drive report of this car soon. Watch this space!
More on Skoda Fabia:
