The reviews talks volumes about the build quality, solidity, finish & interiors of Fabia. It's so upmarket that it feels more spacious, functional & superior to some of the higher segment cars. Same with the ride quality too. It is time that the way people stop underrating hatch-backs.

After several rounds of test drives & in/out checks & balances of the competition around and even the higher segments, It was acceptable that the price we all presumed higher for this segment is actually justified. The extremely rugged construction & has perfect shut lines. This is actually the international success that encouraged Skoda to come up with this model. Evaluating the snob value of Skoda in India, this product line reflects the rich choice & immense resale value.

The indian driving & traffic conditions, it will be extremely pragmatic to have a hatchback car, which emulates standards of higher luxury class and at the same time has immensely optimised space and manouverability.

I test drove the 1.2MPI (petrol) and I could not under rate its tractability. The precise gear shift(er) seems to be slick & smooth. Even at the third gear and speed below 20Kmh there was not a hint of rattling or 'knocking' (no pressing or manipulating of clutch). Though the 1.2 litre engine seemed little less on the torque at lower RPMs, I had presumed it to behave that way. I could not expect an outright thunder out of it. But you are definitely saving bucks for this category engine and adds more VFM. The 1.4 PD diesel option is excellent for heavy users. It is extremely practical & fuel effecient. If you are looking for all the goodies in the petrol version, throw some extra bucks and get the 1.4MPi elegance. It will definitely satisfy your soul.

The interior quality and the space is awesome (more than many bigger segment cars). I am 6' 2" and haven't felt comfortable driving any other car. This is superior to any car in this category and in the next higher segment too.

The features are unique and unparalled. Starting with the 'key'. The unique built-in safety features (ABS, Airbags & engine immobilzer). The fit & finish of the door trims, the Knobs of the dash board controls, the onboard data displays such as average speed, fuel consumed etc. The cubby holes, pockets & sun-glass holder, auto dimming rear view mirror, height adjustable front seats, rear AC vents below the front seats, rough road package (protection at the bottom), (parktronics parking sensors & projector head lamps in the top variants only)- all-in-all you feel extremely pampered.

Skoda is hard pressed on improving the after sales service and the change is evident. The cost of spares for fabia is very competitive. I can only tell you one thing-the "Obsession with quality" is evident.

The only downside- Skoda is not using the available engines but putting new sizes. 1.2 MPI is understandable from the excise duty waiver point of view. But they are already overstepping on the category to 1.4MPi and loosing the benefit. So why not the vRS & 1.9PD they already have? (it would have been much economical rather than developing a new engine like 1.4MPI) . Here, the performance will catch up with price.

Skoda’s Promise

"In one of my earlier post, I have told you that my new Fabia petrol had a sever flaw - “Breaks don’t apply in slow speed”. Skoda acknowledged the problem and tried to fix it. The car was with them for a long time, but the car still had problem after it came back from the workshop.

Anyway, I m not emphasizing on the problem. What I do want to emphasize is that Skoda is professional & bold enough to accept the problem. In fact, when I first raised the concern, which was few month back, with the dealer they actually went ahead and replaced the car with the Fabia Diesel. The best part of this was that they only gave the option of changing the car.

Replacing a car may be a new phenomenon in India, but across Europe and US, that has happened in past. The good thing is that the manufacturer is accepting the fault and is ready for fix it.

I have been driving Fabia Diesel since last 1 month without any problem. In fact, it is a really nice car meant for city driving, with an excellent millage. I am getting 16 kmpl in city conditions. So no regrets on buying it… Its the best in this segment!" (unquote)