Skoda Fabia Review (2007-2014)

What is the Skoda Fabia?

It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when the Skoda brand was the butt of many automotive jokes. Its Czech heritage meant that the cars produced in the Soviet era were less than brilliant, and while it sold cars in good numbers in the UK, owning one was hardly a badge of honour.

But by the time the Fabia supermini arrived in the late 1990s, Skoda was well on its way to becoming the hugely popular and successful brand it is today. Communism had gone from the Czech Republic and Skoda had been taken over by Volkswagen, with the result that its cars were much, much better.

Still the jokes persisted, though; it takes a long time for stereotypes to die away. But with a combination of clever marketing and, crucially, really good cars, the rebuilding of Skoda’s reputation continued apace into the 2000s.

This second-generation Fabia, introduced in 2007, is a perfect relic of the time that Britain really started to embrace the brand. After the years of the “It’s a Skoda, honest” marketing line in the early 2000s, the new Fabia was introduced with the now-iconic Cake advert, which saw a team of chefs create a life-size replica of the new car in confectionery form. It was a cultural hit, and boosted the Fabia’s sales dramatically, ahead of the third generation's arrival in 2015.

How practical is it?

Of course, marketing would mean nothing if the car wasn’t also good. It was. Skoda created a five-door hatchback to rival the ever-popular Fiesta, and followed it up with an estate version, something very few other brands were offering at the time.

All versions scored well on the practicality front, with a 300-litre boot (bigger than average for a supermini of the time and closer to family hatchback levels) and plenty of room for four adults inside, or five at a squeeze. The interior was a bit plasticky, mind, with none of the soft-touch plastics that would later become de rigour and that rivals were starting to introduce.

What's it like to drive?

And while it ticked plenty of customer boxes – value for money, space, reliability and choice of spec being highlights – the Fabia wasn’t the greatest small car to drive. Those simply seeking a runabout shouldn’t be disappointed, but compared to the Ford Fiesta, the Fabia is a little short on agility and fun, and the ride quality isn’t as comfortable as it could be.

Of the original engines, none were particularly powerful, ranging from 59bhp to 103bhp, with similarly-powered offerings in both petrol and diesel. Far more diesels were sold than petrol, so you’re likely to see more of those in the classifieds. The lower-powered engines should be fine for around-town work, but lack oomph at higher speeds, so if you're a regular on the motorway then look at something more powerful.

For a fraction more zip, look for a Fabia Sport from 2008 onwards. It had lowered suspension and 16-inch wheels, as well as a beefier bodykit, but it’s not a genuine performance model. That would come later.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Trim levels for these early models were simply labelled 1, 2 and 3. The 1 model had steel wheels, electric front windows and central locking, while 2 added remote locking, air-conditioning and 15-inch alloy wheels. The 3 had climate control aircon, 16-inch alloys and rear parking sensors, as well as cruise control and curtain airbags.

The Fabia was given a facelift early in 2010, with updated headlights and grille, and a revised, more efficient engine line-up, as well as new trim levels. The trim setup now ranged from S, through SE and Elegance.

The new engines were 1.2-litre units in 59-, 69-, 84- or 103bhp power outputs, and two 1.6-litre TDI diesels with 89- or 103bhp. They were a considerable improvement on the pre-facelift engines, so we’d recommend you aim for post-2010 cars if your budget allows. The lower-powered engines could struggle under any kind of reasonable acceleration, so go for a more powerful one if you can. If you want an automatic, the DSG is much smoother and faster than the Tiptronic.

The same year, the Fabia vRS hot hatch was unveiled, with a 178bhp, 1.4-litre engine and a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. Handling was much improved, with an electronic differential helping it whip around corners. You could also get it in estate form.

For a sportier look without insurance-bothering performance, the Fabia Monte Carlo is worth a look. Introduced in 2011 it evokes the classic Monte Carlo rally and has black 17-inch wheels, black body trim and a black roof, and sports seats inside.

Also available was the Fabia Scout, which added some chunky 4x4-effect styling to the estate. This was merely cosmetic, though: don’t expect to be able to take it off road.

The Fabia Reaction and Fabia Monte Carlo Tech were added in mid-2013. The former had the 1.2-litre, 69bhp petrol engine, aircon and 16-inch black alloys, as well black exterior detailing and Meteor Grey paint. The latter, based on the Monte Carlo, had a choice of petrol or diesel engines, but added satnav and Bluetooth.

Just before the mk3 Fabia was introduced in 2014, Skoda released the Fabia SE, which came with 15-inch alloys, extra speakers and air-conditioning.

Skoda Fabia running costs

You’ll get the best fuel economy from the later GreenLine II Fabia, which used a diesel engine to get an official fuel economy of 83.1mpg. However, keep in mind that this MPG figure comes from a lab test, and one that’s since been replaced by a more realistic one. Don’t expect to get that kind of consumption therefore, but it should nevertheless be pretty frugal.

The rest of the diesel range should also give you a decent return on your fuel investment, but the post-2010 models are more efficient. Of the petrols, we think the 1.2-litre TSI engine is the best performer when it comes to balancing efficiency and performance. It promises 54.3mpg.

Vehicle Excise Duty costs will vary by model, with the more efficient diesels costing as low as £30 a year, while the more powerful petrol models attract a £275 annual bill.

You’ll need to service your Fabia every year or 10,000 miles. You can get a fixed-price service deal from a Skoda dealer, but as all mk2 Fabias are out of warranty, you’ll likely find it cheaper to go to an independent garage.

If you’re looking at a diesel Fabia (or a 1.4 petrol), see if the cambelt has been changed, as it needs doing every five years or 100,000 miles and will be a relatively expensive job. Far better to buy a car that’s already had it done, if you can.

Insurance groups range from 4 to 16 of 50, so any Fabia should be very reasonable to insure.

Skoda Fabia reliability

Skoda has long had a decent reputation for reliability. In 2014 – the final year of production for the second-generation Fabia – the brand came in fourth overall in the manufacturer league table that formed the JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study. The Fabia was the lowest rated car in the Skoda range that year, but 40th place was still a very decent score.

Skoda was voted as the UK’s most satisfying brand to own following a survey of more than 50,000 people by Which? magazine in 2011.

Just one recall was issued on this generation of Fabia, back in 2007. Early cars from that year had a wiring issue that could cause airbag problems. All affected cars should have been fixed by now, but it’s still worth checking with any Skoda dealer.