In-depth reviews

Skoda Fabia hatchback review (2015-2021): owner reviews

"The Skoda Fabia was replaced in 2021 but it still has plenty to offer supermini buyers"

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4 Aug 2021

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Carbuyer Rating

3.9 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.3 out of 5

Price

£19,880 - £25,780

SPECIFICATIONS

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

79%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Electrics (1 case)
Other (2 cases)
Electrics, Engine, Gearbox / clutch, Suspension, Other (1 case)
Brakes (1 case)

Review 1 of 19

Tell us what you think about your car?

What a great little car ! It can go unnoticed, blending into the traffic, it is 'just' a Skoda Fabia after all, and they don't make a VRS version any more. And then using it's ample torque, combined with its power to weight ratio, can surprise much bigger, more powerful cars out of corners and roundabouts. Who needs a VRS version when you've got 105 BHP & 184 lb ft in such a light car? - They usually only get to catch up and pass me by traveling at illegal speeds anyway. My wife has a Fabia 1.4 TDI (90) SE L, hers is a 67 plate version, one of the last of the diesels. Having owned Felicias and Mk1 & Mk2 Fabias, I went for the SE L in my MK3. A great choice for those who want to keep their car for more than just a couple of years! Lots of goodies to make life easier, with a few extras thrown in too - Front Parking Sensors, Rear Tinted Glass, Heated Seats, Detachable Tow Bar. While I'm not taking the mickey out of those (usually German) cars, My Fabia returns an easy 70+ MPG on my regular 17 mile morning commute. Even on the monthly trip to see the relatives, it'll be doing 68/70 MPG whilst traveling down the A1 in fourth, giving it a blast to do a DPF ReGen. Back to 75+ on the way home when it's not. Oh, and did I forget to mention, It's a Euro 6 and listed as 90K/g so, Zero Road Tax and no London ULEZ charge either. Group 12 E Insurance. On those occasions when a visit to the local recycling centre is called for, pop the tow bar on and get the trailer out, load it up, knowing that the inside of the car will stay clean. I've used the trailer for a number of trips full of logs, even running at close to the weight limit, (OK, so just over then). It pulls straight up the hills around here with near on a tonne on board, as if the trailer is empty. I doubt very much that the 1.0 petrol replacement will be able to the same job so easily. I for one, am sad to see that Skoda has bowed to pressure from VW to drop the 1.4 TDI. A great little engine, which with 105 BHP, matches the VW 1.6 TDI and betters it for torque - maybe that's why VW didn't want it to continue? (It even matches the previous 1.9 TDI). Maybe the 1.4 TDI, with a hybrid system for their SUVs? As for the day-to-day use, it's got all the space we need for what it's used for. I have no need for anything bigger, nor would a 1.0 petrol do what I need it to do. Besides, it's towing weight is lower and I'd have to do more trips for the same amount of logs. Improved fuel efficiency? I don't think so ! So, I will stick with my 1.4 TDI (105) Skoda Fabia and, if it runs for as long as my previous one, now being run by my sister-in-law, a Mk2 (3 spec) 1.4 TDI PD 80, (2008) now with 95,000 and just past its MOT with flying colours, I'll be more than happy. Having driven a range of cars over the years, from Mercs to Minis (That's the BMC version, not the BMW version), I'm more than happy with my current choice. Besides, my wife & I get great service from my local dealership, so why should we want to change? Skoda have lost the sale of two future Fabias. In summary, a great car that does everything I want and need it to do.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've owned Ford, Vauxhall, Land Rover and I've worked for Vauxhall and Ford! Owned every car possible, but as I get older, I want reliability, cheap to run, insure and more interior space! This car is amazing, never ever let me down, it's passed every MoT! The only downside is lack of power when having to take risks in traffic (ie) pulling out of roundabout or off a slip road! I have had my family of four with four suitcases in the back and it did us proud! I will never part with my Skoda till it dies.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I absolutely love my MK3 Fabia 1.0 TSI. I could be seen as a bit of a Skoda Fan, having owned every generation of the Fabia over the years plus I have also owned a Superb Estate, a Yeti Outdoor 4x4 and a TSi Roomster! In a nutshell this is my 8th new Skoda and is probably one of the best all rounders the company has ever produced - without doubt its certainly the best Fabia to date. The biggest hit has to be the 1.0 TSI engine, it’s really perky and an absolute delight to drive. For an engine of less than 1 litre the way it pulls itself steep hills is remarkable - more akin to a diesel but with none of the diesel drawbacks. I regularly achieve over 50 mpg brim to brim, on longer trips economy in the mid 60s isn’t as hard to achieve as you might imagine either. With economy and performance like this it’s no wonder Skoda are no longer offering a Diesel engine in the Fabia range. The practicality of the car is also excellent, there’s decent room for passengers to travel in comfort and the boot is large by small car standards. Luggage and shopping can be easily accommodated, as can most objects you could reasonably expect a small car to carry. The way the Fabia drives has to be the single biggest improvement over the years. My MK1 was a very light car to drive, decent around town and on country roads but always felt a bit too ponderous on the motorway. The MK2’s I owned felt much more substantial on the motorway but this seemed to come at the expense of handling on country roads. Well I am happy to report the MK3 seems to have finally nailed it. Don't get me wrong the Fabia It’s no sports car, but the MK3 has brought back the nimble feeling of the MK1 and combined it beautifully with the stability of the MK2. I find the MK3 Fabia to be a car which is very easy to drive everywhere and one that inspires confidence in all situations. The SE has just about everything anyone could ever require - 6 airbags, a decent stereo, alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, touchscreen DAB radio with apple car play and android auto. This is all in addition to the usual electric windows, mirrors and remote central locking etc. I did add a full size spare wheel to my car as well as candy white paint but thankfully Skoda options are still quite sensibily priced. I have now covered 5000 miles in my car and have absolutely zero faults or issues during the last year. As with most Skoda’s the Fabia is very well put together and with routine maintenance I have no doubt it will provide me with reliable transport for years to come. Things I don’t like...... erm well I miss the one touch windows from the MK1 and MK2, why Skoda removed them from the MK3 I’ve no idea. Certainly can’t be the biggest example of cost saving in history!! I’d like to think I’m not totally biased towards Skoda, I’ve also owned several other new and used cars from Ford, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Volvo amongst many others. At present my main car is a 2018 Volvo S90 but I actually find my Fabia just as enjoyable as the Volvo costing 3 times its price. They are totally different cars but I really do rate Skoda, and in particular the MK3 Fabia that highly I would hate not having one on my drive.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Stylish in Monte Carlo specification. Superb 1.0 TSI engine and slick DSG gearbox. Great handling, space efficient and good build quality. Best in class PCP finance figures.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I bought mine used from a local Skoda dealer. I choose one with a DSG automatic gearbox. Its a joy to drive, it's so smooth you can keep both hands on the steering and let the wonderful gearbox make driving a joy.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've just completed my first week with the new Skoda Fabia. I feel it necessary to give a little history first, I've owned 3 x Fiesta, 2 x Astra and more recently a Audi A5, so I have little experience with cars. With the idea of a possible pending family in the near future, I decided to rid of my 3 door expensive Audi and opt for a 5 door £15K Fabia after hearing the awards it had won. I was concerned that after driving the Audi, with its strong hold on quality, I would struggle with a more 'budget' car. Well, I didn't. Taking into account the amount paid, I am pleasantly surprised to find how enjoyable the Fabia has been to drive, from the resonable quality, the media system, its ability to link to 'Apple Car Play' and the room. Looks wise, I opted for the Red Colour Concept, coupled with the black alloys and it looks good, even prompting a little smirk from myself whilst approaching the car. The drive is and has been commented by passengers as smooth, however, I believe this is due to the 16inch wheels, rather than the lower model 15inch. Its responsive and enjoyable. They seem to have thought about nice little touches too, like a parking ticket holder, compartments under your seat, little trays in the boot. All in all, a great little car.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Haven't had it for long but pleased with it. Suits my needs . Nice to drive, comfortable reasonably refined. A bit underpowered but not really an issue for me.

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

Lovely in red with black roof and black alloys.

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

Probably go for the 95bp engine rather than the 75bhp.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Facelift version 68 plate. Had this car 1 day! I'm an ex-taxi driver owned several Octavia's. This Fabia is amazing (for the price) paid £8,299 for a car just under a year old with 5k.on clock. Yes, i would have preferred the TSI, but not for the extra £1,500+ that those cars were demanding on 2nd hand market. I love the gear ratio. You can practically get in 5th gear at 30mph. More than happy to tolerate block gear changes at lower speeds without the engine labouring too, so less wear on my knee and the clutch! Easily gets into 4th gear at early-mid 20mph. At its happiest at town driving i would say. SE trim has a fab spec. Air con, bluetooth, reverse sensors, 15" alloys, cool running daytime side lights, DAB radio and love the Android Auto compatibility! Enables me to see my google maps from my Samsung S8 phone on the Fabia Infotainment screen - excellent! (via phone connected to the usb though) Gearbox has smooth short changes and clutch nice and light. Steering not overly light or overly heavy - just easy and responsive. A very undemanding car to drive. Excellent visibility. Best thing is this car would have cost me £14,000+ brand new, I got it for £8,299 not quite 1 year old. Bargain! This is not a sexy car but its very practical, well built and amazing value for money 2nd hand. Will do an updated review in a few months to report on real life mpg and what the car is like own day to day.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've had this car for two weeks and really don't like it. First the pros. Goes well, seems reliable and thrifty given the short time I have had it. Fine to drive. Radio good. The cons are the day to day stuff that makes driving difficult. Misting up. I've never known a car to mist as much as this one. It is always seems to need heating or wiping. Everyone twenty minutes the side windows are opaque with the condensation. Sometimes it drips off the window. That's with one person in it. There are just too many electronics. Bings and bongs alerts. Some are incomprehensible and Google search showed conflicting answers. Then touchscreen infotainment system mostly works, but it's very distracting. Understanding it really takes time. The main mirror obstructs uphill views to the left. It really is obtrusive. This is billed as a car for people not interested in cars. But that's not true. I preferred may ancient Hyundai. I'll probably get the rid of it pretty soon.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

It's a car, but not as good inside as my much loved VW Polo. I miss that there's rear electric windows and that the sun visors bang on the ceiling instead of retracting softly. The reversing camera is below par, too. It's cheaper than the VW if you need an automatic, but I had an old Fabia and it knocks spots off this one.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've Just taken delivery of this car and WOW! What a surprise! I have had many new cars in my career in sales and I have had many surprising (and some disappointing models) over a 40 year period. Many, including myself, have questioned why I decided to look at a Skoda; after all, at my age I can remember the launch of the first Skodas on the market and also the corresponding jokes about it. Well I did so from the recommendation of a close friend who had just bought his third one. I initially and reluctantly had a test drive and to be fair, expected a dull and tardyish performing motor, with cheap trimmings and dodgem car handling. Thats where the WOW! hit me. It seems that (if I am correct), that after VW took control of the Czech Skoda builder and supplanted VW components into the models, the frog really turned into a Prince! At least that is how I feel having had the test drive. My conception of a Skoda car had been blown apart completely! The 3 cylinder engine with 95 brake horse power worried me (I am used to 2 litre upwards) but I just could not believe the power, acceleration and lack of noise from this tiny unit. I loved it's response. I also loved the light and very precise steering system and very positive brakes. Won't go on as this review makes it look like an advert for Skoda I know, so please be advised that I am really a new Skoda user. Suffice it to say that after my very short period as such, and having spent a few days enjoying my new experience, I just could not really say a bad word about this marque. What I thought would be a disastrous decision 20 years ago really has proven me wrong and has taught me not to be a car snob ever again.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Deathtrap. From the car being 4 days old. It had at least a monthly visit to the dealers for a persistent, loud knocking noise which turned out to be the driveshaft, I was fobbed off dozens of times that it wasn't anything serious, yet it turns out it was. Sure enough, the same issue occurred again 6000 miles later and had to fight tooth and nail once more to get it resolved. The car had a significant water leak which took the dealership over a year to trace despite being given very precise info on when it occurred and how the vehicle was parked etc, countless electrical issues from radio, to rear heated screen, to park sensors, seat belt warnings. Need I go on. Window seals twisted at two months old preventing the window from opening on the nsf door. A true dump of a car which I refused to drive after 14 months of hell and had it recovered to a dealership to trade in for a new vehicle.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Mine worked well until recently. Before its three-year service the handbrake started sticking on. I had to drive it off and allowed it to release with a bang. Skoda refused to see this as a problem, said it was a ‘characteristic‘ of the car. Even though the warranty had not expired they refused to look at the problem. Skoda aftercare seems poor and I sold the car last week for a different make.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've had the Fabia from new for just over 18 months and have covered 9k miles in that time. Having been a Ford man over the past 10 years I fancied a change and the deals available on Skodas made it a tempting proposition. Overall I've been very impressed with the car. It handles well and has a lot of grip in the corners. The TSI petrol engine is excellent as it has plenty of pull in all gears and is very responsive. It also has a lovely sound when accelerating but is very refined when cruising. It's also a very comfortable car in the main, although it can get a little bumpy on bad roads at low speeds but it's never uncomfortable. At motorway speeds I think it's excellent and doesn't feel like a small car at all. The car is well equipped and inside the cabin it feels like a quality car. The touchscreen stereo is very good and being able to pair your smartphone and use it as a sat nav is very convenient. You can tell Skoda is part of the VW group as everything fits together well and is easy to use. Overall I can't recommend this car highly enough if you are in the market for an excellent all-round small car.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Having owned the car for 3 months, I find it to be a sturdy, reliable car, with a fantastic interior made to last. Fit and finish of the panels and quality of the paint is superb and cannot be faulted. I'm fussy too! Everything fits together really well. It's extremely well equipped too and very good fun to drive with a nice amount of power from the turbo charged engine. My model is the SE version which I feel gives best value in terms of it's equipment level. The DSG auto box does add £1000 to the cost though, but it really is worth it in my view if you want or need an auto as the box is one of the sweetest, quickest, smoothest boxes you will find in any car of any price or model range. It gives a full range of auto box functions with Drive, Sport mode, Manual mode, and of course the usual Park, Neutral etc. The Fabia has 'Stop, Start' technology as standard and again this works very well. Note: the stop start function can be turned off at the beginning of each drive if you wish. In fact, the car is packed with technology to keep you safe and make life easier. Overall, even though my engine still has less than 1500 miles on the clock, I get in the region of 48-52mpg all the time and around 58-60mpg on longer runs at nearer motorway speeds. It's roomier than a Fiesta by far and much more comfortable over the bumps (I've had 4 Fiestas by the way). The Skoda gives a very smooth quiet ride with minimal wind noise at speed, and very little body roll. The boot is again very much bigger than a Fiesta and much bigger too than many cars in the next class up. I'm struggling to find fault with the car at the moment...and that's unusual for me. I'm very critical of cars I have bought in the past but this one has me stumped so far!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

A first class car; reliable, economical, comfortable and spacious, with a huge boot, cheap to run achieving 55mpg.

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

Very economical on petrol.

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

Remove the stop-start feature; this would save me having to switch it off before 99% of my journeys.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I've owned my Fabia for two years now and never had a real problem with it. It's very economical and pulls like a bigger car, team that with relatively low wind and road noise and it makes it a good car for motorway driving, especially for it's class. Also, due to its light steering, clutch and tight turning circle it's good around town. It's good fun on back roads, maybe a little bit more body roll then I'd like but nothing horrendous and that can be helped by the optional sports suspension. A plus point of the Fabia regualr, soft suspension is that the car is incredibly comfortable. Away from the driving experience, it's very practical inside compared to it's rivals which I've test driven, it's got a big boot with loads of useful compartments, big door bins all round, a big glove box and loads of useful little storage areas dotted about the interior. It's very well equipped as well, only problem being that the new Seat Ibiza and VW Polo are on VW's new platform which has more features as standard but the Fabia has everything on it I need. Since I bought the Fabia I've driven the new Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa, Citroen C3, Hyundai i20 and the Seat Ibiza and only the Ibiza has come close so I would hugely recommend the Fabia! It will likely be what I choose as my next car as well!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I chose this car based on the good reviews in the motoring press and the awards it had won. I needed a small car suitable for my teenage children to learn to drive in and then when passing their driving tests, be affordable to insure. I have now had the Fabia for a month and everyone who has driven it loves it. Mine is the entry level " steel wheels" model, I did pay extra for the Corrida Red paint finish (feels like being in a MK1 Golf GTI) and for a full size spare wheel but othwise it is the bog standard model. The only thing it misses out on is air con but that doesn't bother me. It is returning 51mpg (2000 miles covered) and I absolutely love driving it. I am not a fast driver but the car never feels underpowered, even with passengers on board, the 3 cylinder engine has a throaty thrum when revved. The head unit in my car misses out on the colour display and the mirrorlink technology which displays the screen of your smartphone. However it is touchscreen and the Bluetooth phone connection system is the best and most user friendly I have seen in ANY car ( yes really) and the trip computer is excellent too. Add to this the DAB radio and USB, SD card connection, I couldn't ask for anything else. If you are looking for a small 5 door car, look no further, you won't be dissapointed.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Overall very pleased with this car. After 3500 miles am getting 47 mpg average (summertime) doing daily commute, mostly dual carriageway with a few miles at under 40 mph. Longer runs it is now doing 51-52 mpg from a mix of A-roads and dual carriageway/motorways. Very comfortable and aircon seems more effective than in the previous three Fiestas I've owned (two 1.25 82hp and one 1.0 Ecoboost 100hp). Prefer the Fabia engine to the Ecoboost - its smoother, quieter and more economical - and the torque is more linear than the Ecoboost which soon ran out of puff. My only real complaint is the auto-brake feature which seems like a good idea but is far too sensitive sometimes (cars in front turning off too slowly for example) and you cannot deactivate it permanently. Tip - if you have an iPhone , make sure it is a CarPlay compatible version or you will need to upgrade it before CarPlay will work!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up