Skoda Fabia Diesel

Gone are the days when Skoda was an unknown brand in India, currently it’s a very well known auto maker not only around the world but also in our country. It largely made a name with its Octavia and Laura which became a benchmark in terms of best in segment quality and safety. Both the models are still regarded as tank-like built cars that can handle the typical Indian terrain with ease and smile on. Along with the Superb which now is the top seller in its segment, Skoda launched its first hatch the Fabia in 2008. This was Skoda very first attempt at a hatch for India and frankly it didn’t get them the volumes that they expected. The Fabia soon went on to be known for being the most costly hatch of its time. Time went on and newer hatches began to hit the Indian scene. Cars like the i20, Polo, Punto, Indica Vista etc all began to make the Fabia look very expensive and Skoda had to do something out of the way to make the Fabia’s presence felt. Now with the Chakan facility of Volkswagen being shared by the Polo, Vento and the Fabia an easy route was found and here we have the latest refreshed Fabia, better looking, better equipped and most important superbly priced.  Now available with the Polo’s heart in 1.2 Petrol, 1.2 Diesel and 1.6 Petrol, we chose to review the Skoda Fabia Diesel because we know that the biggest chunk in the sales for the new Fabia would be for this variant. Read on to know more about this new kid on the block from the Czech auto giant.

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Skoda Fabia Diesel Design Exteriors and Interiors

The new Skoda Fabia Diesel that we see here has now got a new front, the car gets the dynamic new face from Skoda, this new front grille is seen on the Superb and the new Laura in recent times. The front has more lines on the bonnet and looks very classy to view front on. The new grill and the chrome nose with Skoda badge on it makes the new Skoda Fabia Diesel look more like a miniature Superb/Laura and helps giving the Fabia a very mature look. The outgoing Fabia now instantly looks dated thanks to the chiseled lines and sharp body lines. An all new head lamp design has been also incorporated,

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a larger headlight with a warp-round pushback look to it. The large bumper in the front has chunky shaped fog lamps which are more like that on the Superb. We are happy that the old circular fog lamps have gone to the bin. So we have a all new much larger clear headlamps and a large body-lined fog lamps along with the dynamic front grill with the Skoda logo on it not forgetting the chrome garnish around it. The side profile remains the same with the floating roof and blacked out pillars that give the Skoda Fabia Diesel its unique look. At the rear the tail lamps look similar but now seem chunkier. The one piece roof top is retained and the Superb like radio antenna comes in. A body integrated spoiler is appealing while the rear defogger and wash-wipe is sorely missed.

On the inside things are very bright thanks to the beige interiors and seat fabric. The dash is a two tone affair with the top made of best in class soft rubbery material which you can sink your fingers in and the lower half of the dash in black. Steering is a 4 spoke Skoda family shaped one that again is supreme to hold and feel. Adjustment for height and reach is available on the steering which is a very helpful feature. The instrument cluster is ditto the Polos except for the backlight for the speedo and the MID display being green. A Skoda-Beat CD/Radio player sits on the centre dash and above it is the manual AC.

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The Skodas are known for large interiors in their cars and the Skoda Fabia Diesel too has loads of space in its cabin. The AC vents have individual knobs and can be shut or opened as per your needs. The Fabia has a fairly small glove box and to compensate this there is another storage box with its door opening upwards just above the main glove box. This twin opening 2nd glove box is in fact very handy to keep your nick-knacks. Also noteworthy is the lighting in the main glove box which is unseen in this segment so far. The centre console has a cleverly done twin can holder which has carpet on them, loads of space in front of this can holder. The gear know is very well shaped and to add to the elegance a bit of chrome is added on it and also on the base of the shifter. Lots of storage space in the door panels, under the steering help in the storage matters. Ah and we just fell in love with the door opener and the arm rest on the door pads, awesomely ergonomic.

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The driver’s seat has height adjust which is a very positive feature to have especially on a small car. Seats have a very good back support and we noticed a special wing like thing that holds your back and supports its perfectly. Leg room in the front is easily more than its rivals. Seats in the rear are also well contoured and support is spot on. Adjustable headrests on the rear are welcome but can be a issue with short drivers whole reversing but not much to worry about as they can even use the wing mirrors. Speaking about which we would have liked powered wing mirrors at least on this top end version of the Skoda Fabia Diesel.

Not forgetting the manual wing mirror adjust knob being very ergonomically placed, well in reach of the driver. The Fabias boot can eat up 315litres worth of stuff that you can manage to throw in and if you want more then fold down the rear seats and get rid of the parcel tray and explore 1180 litres of a playground to fill stuff. The boot lid also has the typical Skoda handle which is fitted inside the boot door, this handle is very useful when it comes to closing the boot especially for someone who is not very tall. All in all the new Skoda Fabia Diesel interiors oozes top class quality, fit and finish and best craftsmanship.

Skoda Fabia Diesel Engine

The new Skoda Fabia comes powered with 3 engine options to choose from – 1.2 DOCH 3 cylinder Petrol that makes 75 bhp and has 110 Nm of torque, a 3 cylinder 1.2 TDi Diesel unit that also makes 75bhp but has 180Nm of torque and a sporty 4 cylinder 1.6 Petrol 4 cylinder engine that has 105 bhp and 153Nm of torque on it. To tell you a secret these are the same engines that also do their duty on the Polos and the 1.6 does its shift on the Vento. The Skoda’s are cousins to the Volkswagen (Volkswagen and Skoda belong to the large VW Group). As we mentioned earlier we driving the 1.2 Diesel top of the line Elegance version. Enough of the tech specs, let’s find out how really these figures really materialize in action.

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Start the engine and it idles smoothly in a very sedate manner very unlike for a 3 pot Diesel. Rev the throttle and the diesel unit wakes up to a very free rev. Noteworthy here is that even after revving the RPM to 5k the cabin feels very silent and vibration free. Shift into the 1st and the car moves ahead sanely, nothing out of this world but hang on for a few seconds more. This is when the high pressure turbo charger enters and takes full command of the power delivery. At precisely 1800rpm the turbo kicks in, the power after this is very good and never does one get a chance to remember that this is a 3 cylinder car. The torque delivery is sane but quick and the 2nd and the 3rd gears are fun to play with. Once you are in the turbo power band the Skoda Fabia Diesel transforms into a pocket rocket. Gear shifts are precise and ratios are well balanced and spread out. The Fabia gives you the drive feel of a big car. It drives nicely on all types of roads and behaves at its best even on broken and battered roads. The suspension setup is now much more better and is perfectly tuned to soak the bumps. The smooth ride quality is also owing to the chunky tyres of 175/70 R14 specifications. The steering is adequately balanced and the feedback is lively. During cornering and sharp turns there are no signs of any body roll and the Skoda Fabia Diesel maintains its dignity with highest regards.

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The Front disc brakes and rear drum brakes aided with ABS ensure that this pocket rocket comes to a halt as and when the driver orders it to. Skoda is one company that does not boast that its car is equipped with ABS as many other car makers do by putting special ABS stickers on the boot.

Safety levels are typically high as in all Skoda cars. 2 front airbags come on the Ambiente and Elegance models while the driver airbag is standard also on the base Classic variant.

Skoda Fabia Mileage, Fuel Efficiency and Performance

The Skoda Fabia Diesel which has loads of power under its belt is efficient as well. We recorded a mileage figure of 16kmpl in city conditions and 18.5kmpl on highway roads which is an extremely remarkable figure for a car that weighs 1100kgs.

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We managed to hit the speeds of 160kmph with ease on this Diesel dynamo and it would do a bit more if only we had clear roads.

Verdict

Skoda is now a tried and trusted car brand in India, its earned its name for being one of the safer car here and also for being a VFM brand. The earlier Skoda Fabia Diesel was a bit early for its time and a bit over priced too. Now with this new evolution of the Fabia with much trimmed price range and an very efficient Petrol and Diesel options and a racers delight 1.6 Petrol version we are sure that the New Skoda Fabia Diesel will surely be very well accepted.

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The bottom line here is that, Skoda Fabia Diesel is a well accepted brand name among car buyers in India and it also has the VW facility at Chakan at its disposal where a host of engine options too are sourced from, spot-on pricing making it a very good VFM car in the large hatch segment. Nothing much can stop the new Fabia from selling in large numbers.

Skoda Fabia Diesel Prices (Ex Showroom Maharashtra)

1.2TDi Classic Rs. 523,225
1.2TDi Ambiente Rs. 573,259
1.2TDi Elegance Rs. 649,776

Things we liked in Skoda Fabia Diesel

1.    Easily the best in class fit-finish and quality.
2.    Competent and efficient TDi Diesel engine.
3.    Mature road manners.
4.    Simple and elegant dash layout.
5.    Blacked out pillars.
6.    Best in class front seats.
7.    Roomy cabin.
8.    All 4 windows auto up and down.
9.    Minute attention to detail. For example the Can holder near the gear shifter has carpet laid in it. A handle for closing the boot, ergonomically placed wing mirror adjust knob.
10.  Superb pricing.

Things we missed in Skoda Fabia Diesel

1.    Electric mirrors.
2.    Audio controls on steering.
3.    Slightly larger glove box.