Skoda Fabia
The five-door Skoda Fabia feels like it’ll outlive its owners, such is the feeling of solidity and quality. The interior is a bit utilitarian as a result and the styling is unfussy and plain rather than striking or dramatic, but if you want an honest, solid supermini then the Fabia is difficult to beat. It's fun too, particularly in vRS guise, or useful as an estate.
Watch our overview of the Skoda Fabia range
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- pros:
- Spacious, solid interior
- Good to drive
- Inexpensive to buy and run
- cons:
- Engines can be noisy
- Styling a little dull
- No manual gearbox on vRS models
As the Skoda Fabia's legion of fans will tell you, the Czech made supermini is a great choice for those looking for a blend of comfort and quality at a competitive price. On the road, it feels narrow and compact - where competitors are wide and long. It benefits from the VW Group's engines, and all are economical. The diesels offer particularly impressive economy - albeit at the expense of smoothness. The Fabia is fun to drive and feels like a no-nonsense kind of car, which is the reason why many people like it.
- pros:
- Large boot
- Wide range of engines
- Inexpensive to buy and run
- cons:
- Styling not to everyone's taste
- No manual gearbox on vRS models
- Diesels can be noisy
Supermini-based estate cars are few in the UK, with only Peugeot, SEAT and Renault offering rivals in the shape of the 207, Ibiza ST and Clio. The Fabia's estate rear end adds some useful load space, with a maximum capacity of 1,480 litres - 297 litres more than the hatchback. Like the hatchback there's also a huge variety of trims and engine choices, with everything from the pseudo-4x4 looking Scout to the sporty vRS range topping model.
