Skoda Fabia Review 2024

It's all change for this generation Skoda Fabia as Skoda has ditched the boxy looks of its predecessor for a far more attractive and desirable design. And this is a key thing as Skoda aims to shake off the staid and sensible image of the Fabia that has put off younger buyers who would rather go for a Ford Fiesta or Vauxhall Corsa. Of course some things remain... it's still practical, refined and represents excellent value for money, too. Read on for our full review of the Skoda Fabia.

Skoda has a reputation for sensible and practical - and the Skoda Fabia has been the epitome of that in the small hatch market. But style has in the past taken a back seat. But that's changing with the 2021 Skoda Fabia which, shock horror, actually looks good. Finally a Fabia that's actually sleek and attractive.

With styling influenced by the Skoda Kamiq, the 2021 Skoda Fabia is a far better proportioned car that we think has what it takes to give the Volkswagen Polo a run for its money. But being a Skoda this remains a sensible, practical and affordable hatchback.

Its real forte is the ride quality. Few small cars (or even those from the Golf-sized class above) ride as well as the Skoda Fabia. It's great at ironing out rough roads and is just as capable on the motorway where the Fabia is very content - and quiet - cruising at 70mph.

Safe and reassuring to drive, yes the steering could do with more feel (a now common complaint on most small cars) and a Ford Fiesta is more enjoyable to drive, but it's very hard to pick fault with the way the Skoda Fabia goes about its business. It's an incredibly easy to live with hatchback.

It is also cheap to run - although we're surprised there are no hybrid or electric models. But with a range of frugal 1.0-litre engines, all of which can return at least 50mpg, this is a cheap car to run.

There's also more space than before - the Fabia now more than 4 metres in length for the first time. This means better space for both those in the front and back (handy for kids in car seats) plus a huge 380-litre boot. In fact it's the biggest of any small hatchback we know - even the ever versatile Honda Jazz.

With prices starting at around £18,600 for the entry-level Skoda Fabia S (which admittedly doesn't get alloys and has a plastic rather than leather steering wheel) the Fabia is no longer the bargain it once was. But it's also a far better and more generously equipped car than before. And when you consider that a Volkswagen Polo starts at more than £20,000, the Fabia looks great value.

If you're after a high quality and comfortable small hatchback that does everything incredibly well without costing a fortune, you can't beat the latest Skoda Fabia. It's one of our very favourite small cars. 

We lived with a Fabia for six months - find out how we got on with it in our Skoda Fabia long term test. Looking for a second opinion? Why not read heycar's Skoda Fabia review.

The Skoda Fabia isn't the best handling car in the small hatchback class, that honour goes to the fun to drive Ford Fiesta, but the Skoda is probably the best all rounder.

Like the rest of the car, it does everything with competence and minimal fuss, making it an easy and relaxing car to drive. Its certainly quieter and more refined than the old Fabia with less noise making its way into the cabin.

Around town the light steering is ideal for effortlessly negotiating those tight parking spots on the high street (rear parking sensors which are standard fit on all but the entry-level Fabia S model) and while that lack of steering feel isn't so great out of town, the Fabia still has good grip and corners reassuringly safely.

The ride is superb and copes amazingly well with uneven roads and broken surfaces, while on the motorway it covers miles in relaxed smoothness. 

The Skoda Fabia engine range is very simple with all the models powered by petrol engines with varying power.

The cheapest is the 1.0 MPI with 80PS and a five-speed gearbox. It does a decent job around town, but if you spend any regular journey on the motorway, it might be better to consider the TSI turbo petrol options.

If you want a bit more get up and go, the turbocharged 1.0 TSI will suit you down to the ground. The 95PS model has plenty of zip and the fact it's a three-cylinder engine means it has some character too with a nice thrum when you accelerate.

Then there's the 1.0 TSI 110PS which is has six-speed manual gearbox and is also available with an automatic - a DSG which has been much improved and should prove more reliable (time will tell). You'll pay £1000 premium though.

There's no Skoda Fabia vRS model, but if you want a bit of performance there's a 1.5 TSI engine with 150PS and DSG auto as standard in the Monte Carlo trim that covers 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds.

The 2021 Skoda Fabia scored a five-star rating from Euro NCAP. There's plenty of safety kit including both driver and front passenger airbags, curtain airbags and front side airbags. A knee airbag for the driver and side airbags for the rear can be added with the Safety Package - a £455 option. Adaptive Cruise Control is available but seems pricey at £495.

You're unlikely to buy a Skoda Fabia if towing is your priority, but it has a maximum braked towing weight of 1200kg for the 1.5 TSI 150 engine. Most Fabias have a braked maximum of 1100kg, while the 1.0 MPi model is limited to 800kg.

As far as unbraked trailers go, the Fabia can haul between 560- and 610kg based on which model you opt for.

Skodas are renowned for their functionality and while it may be small, the Fabia is still very practical. It's bigger than before and that's good news for passenger room and boot space. Indeed, the 380-litre boot of the Skoda Fabia is the biggest around - besting even the versatile Honda Jazz and much larger than the likes of the Ford Fiesta with only 292 litres.

The wide tailgate opening and impressive depth means you can get a lot more than you'd expect, so those bags of compost from the local garden centre will easily fit in, although there is a slightly high boot lip.

Like all Skoda cars, the Fabia features trademark 'simply clever' features. These are designed to make life easier and include things like an ice scraper in the fuel filler flap. Simple but very handy - in fact we're surprised more car makers haven't copied these ideas.

The Fabia features a removable cup holder between the front seats, a box that sits on the rear tunnel for storing small items (handy for the kids), plus a boot tidy that fits on the side wall and can be pulled out to keep items from sliding around.

If you're coming from the old Fabia, you'll notice there's considerably more room inside, which anyone who sits in the back will really appreciate. There's also more legroom for those in the front.

The quality of the finish in the Skoda Fabia is excellent and it's well designed too, with everything close at hand and clearly labelled. Skoda hasn't gone down the minimalist route here, instead it has clearly labelled and easy to find buttons and switches for all the main controls.

The quality is a big step up from the previous generation Skoda Fabia and while there are still some hard plastics in places such as the lower door sections, they feel more hardwearing than cheap. We'd go as far as to say this is one of the best quality small hatchbacks around.

As is the norm on even small cars, the latest Skoda Fabia comes with a colour touchscreen for controlling the stereo. SE Comfort models get a 6.5-inch colour touchscreen, while the other trims get a big 9.2-inch screen with navigation as standard. The Monte Carlo and Colour Edition also come with the 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit main dash display.

Whichever size screen you end up with, you'll find it bright and clear, and easy to use. The Fabia uses a different infotainment system than that found in the Octavia and we think that's a big plus. It's easier to use and more intuitive while things like the air conditioning are controlled through dedicated buttons, which we think is less distracting than having to go through menus on the touchscreen.

All models get DAB and Bluetooth (for music streaming) while a smartphone can be connected without the need of a cable via Wireless SmartLink through Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, which is an affordable £60 optional extra.

Value for money runs through Skoda’s Fabia line-up like a stick of Blackpool rock. This is immediately obvious when the entry-level SE Comfort with 80PS 1.0 litre engine and five-speed manual gearbox costs from £18,600. That’s around £1500 less than the least pricey Volkswagen Polo.

Stepping up to the 95 PS TSI engine in the SE Comfort adds £550 to the tally, while the 110PS version with six-speed manual transmission is a further £350 on top of that. To have this more powerful engine with the DSG automatic ’box requires a further £1000 on the bill with a list price of £20,500.

The SE L trim only comes with the 110PS engine with manual or auto options, which cost £21,135 and £22,135, respectively.

For the Colour Edition, Skoda offers the same wide range of engines and gearboxes as the SE Comfort, with prices ranging from £19,300 to £21,200 and the same price steps as you progress up through the different engine and transmission choices.

With the sporty-looking Monte Carlo model, Skoda offers the 110PS 1.0 litre TSI engine in manual and auto forms, with prices set at £21,835 and £22,835, respectively. There is also the choice of a 150PS 1.5 TSI turbo petrol motor with seven-speed DSG auto as standard from £24,700.

The Fabia is designed to be affordable to run so all the engines return economy at the 50mpg mark according to the official WLTP fuel economy figures. All the manual gearbox versions of the Skoda Fabia, whether MPI or TSI, will return at least 55mpg regardless of power. Go for the DSG auto and this drops but it's still easy on the wallet.

Servicing costs are very reasonable at Skoda dealers who also perform well for customer satisfaction in our annual Satisfaction Index. Unlike Kia and Hyundai, there's only a three year warranty from new but the Fabia is at least cheap to insure with insurance ranking between Groups 4 and 19.

Carbon dioxide emissions range from 115- to 137g/km depending on the model you choose. This means road tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) in the first year of £210 or £255 based on the CO2 output of the car you pick.

All Fabias have LED headlights, Front Assist, Pedestrian Protection and Lane Assist including road edge detection, DAB, at least a 6.5-inch colour screen infotainment system and manual air conditioning. Other kit includes e-Call+, a system that establishes an audio and data connection to a dedicated emergency call centre if sensors within the car detect a major accident.

The SE Comfort has 15-inch Rotare alloy wheels, front fog lights and a two-spoke leather multifunction steering wheel along with rear parking sensors, height-adjustable front seats, leather-wrapped handbrake lever and gearshift knob, and air conditioning.

The Fabia SE L comes with 16-inch silver Proxima alloy wheels, chrome window surrounds and electric windows front and rear, comfort seats, chrome-edged air vents, ambient lighting package and microsuede grey lower decorative trim with art grey stitching. You also get cruise control and an umbrella inside the driver's door.

Inside the cabin, there's an Amundsen navigation system with 9.2-inch colour display, Care connect and Infotainment online (1 year), web radio and six speakers. Dual-zone air-conditioning, along with two LED reading lights, a removable cup-holder and a front centre armrest are also standard.

Skoda Fabia Colour Edition models gain 16-inch Proxima black alloy wheels, privacy glass, and door mirrors painted in roof colour. Inside, the Fabia Colour Edition models have a Virtual Cockpit with 10.25-inch colour display, and KESSY keyless engine start/stop.

The Monte Carlo takes a sportier approach with its 17-inch Procyon alloy wheels, sports bumpers, and black trim detailing. For the interior, there are front sports seats, carbon fibre-style trim, and aluminium pedals.