Skoda officially unveiled the new Fabia ahead of the car’s public debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show in October. The Czech automaker has now released new pictures and more details on the European supermini.
The new Fabia borrows a lot of design cues from the company’s Vision C concept shown earlier this year, at the Geneva Motor Show. Skoda says the new Fabia is 90mm wider and 31mm lower than the outgoing model, which means it will be more practical and sportier to drive at the same time. While the overall length remains the same, the longer wheelbase allows for a more spacious cabin. The boot space, too, has increased.
Now in its third generation, the new Fabia is still based on the old car’s platform, but features quite a few components of the Volkswagen’s advanced MQB architecture. This has made the car much lighter than before. Skoda has put a lot of emphasis on making the new Skoda as light and fuel efficient as possible - the base-spec petrol model now weighs 980kg. The engine lineup includes a total of four petrol and three diesel engines, all fitted with a Start-Stop System and brake energy recovery system.
In the international markets, the new Fabia will be powered by a Euro 6-compliant engine range consisting of 3 and 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. The petrol range will include 1-litre, three cylinder and 1.2-litre, four cylinder TSI engines, while the diesel models will be offered with a 1.4-litre unit in different state of tunes.
For the first time, the Fabia is offered with a range of customising options for the interior and exterior. For instance, there are four colours for the roof, the mirror housings and the wheels. KESSY (Keyless Entry Start and Exit System), the automatic locking and starting system, is another first for Fabia.
The new Skoda Fabiamade its public debut at this year’s Paris Motor Show in October. The car will be available in both hatchback and estate versions. Skoda has confirmed that the high-performance vRS version will not be available because of low sales. It might go on sale early next year in Europe, however, it may not be launched in India. The Czech company has been tight-lipped about launching the new Fabia here.