Skoda Fabia hatchback - MPG, running costs & CO2

Like a number of its supermini rivals, the Skoda Fabia is only offered with petrol engines, as sales of small diesel cars continues to shrink. It also appears unlikely the Fabia will be released as a hybrid - if you're looking for one of those, you'll need to stick with the Toyota Yaris, Renault Clio E-Tech or Honda Jazz.

Instead the Fabia offers simple, affordable motoring with small three-cylinder petrol engines that are economical. Most are just 1.0-litres in size and there is also a 1.5-litre four-cylinder if you need extra performance. The latter will also be affordable to run as the smaller engines, thanks to clever technology that can shut down two cylinders when the engine’s full power isn’t required.

Skoda Fabia MPG & CO2

The slight increase in size of the latest Fabia has not affected its efficiency. Even the most powerful 1.5-litre TSI petrol with 148bhp can officially return around 50mpg in sporty Monte Carlo trim, fitted with an automatic DSG gearbox. Meanwhile, CO2 emissions start from 118g/km, a figure that’s fine for private buyers but won't suit company-car drivers due to a high (BiK) Benefit-in-Kind banding.

Most drivers will instead pick one of the frugal 1.0-litre TSI petrol engines. These are available in two different power outputs – 94bhp and 108bhp – and can both manage around 55mpg, with CO2 emissions as low as 116g/km. While 1.0-litre cars come with a slightly lower BiK banding than the flagship 1.5-litre model, both will still attract a higher tax bill than hybrids such as the Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz.

Acting as the entry-point to the range, the non-turbocharged 1.0-litre MPI engine is offered in the Fabia with a 79bhp output. Despite being less powerful, it’s unlikely to be any cheaper to run than the turbocharged TSI engines, managing up to 55mpg and emissions starting from 116g/km. The main saving here is the cost of buying the car itself, but considering a TSI engine is only around £500 more, we'd recommend upgrading unless you need a particularly low insurance group.

All versions of the Skoda Fabia are liable for VED (road tax) at the standard rate from the second year of ownership onwards.

Insurance groups

Official insurance groups for the Skoda Fabia start from group four for the 1.0-litre MPI, so it’s one of the cheapest cars to insure in the UK. This is thanks to its relatively low cost and performance, ease of repairs and typically sensible owners. The 1.0-litre TSI model increases to insurance group 10, while the 1.5-litre TSI sits in group 19 out of 50, which will make it pricey to insure for young drivers.

Warranty

While Skoda does most things right, its three-year/60,000-mile warranty is starting to look rather poor next to some offerings from rivals, although it does still match the likes of Ford and Volkswagen. Hyundai offers a five-year/unlimited-mileage policy, while Kia offers seven years of cover. Toyota has a new 'Relax' warranty that can last up to 10 years. Skoda Fabia owners can extend their warranty coverage for up to two extra years or 100,000 miles for prices ranging from between £250 to just over £500.

Servicing

Skoda offers competitive servicing prices and it can be a good idea to take out a fixed-price servicing plan when (or shortly after) you buy the car. These plans cover two or three years, and cost around £15 a month, and cover the cost of scheduled maintenance, helping to spread the cost and avoid large bills.