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 1.0-litre TSI petrol with 108bhp can officially return over 50mpg in SE L trim, fitted with either a six-speed manual or an automatic DSG gearbox. Meanwhile, CO2 emissions start from 110g/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. During our test, we managed to get close to these official figures, while managing nearly 55mpg on a motorway cruise.

A 94bhp version of the same TSI engine is also available with a five-speed manual gearbox. This engine is officially the most efficient of the range, returning up to 55.4mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 115g/km. While this version gets a slightly lower BiK banding than the flagship model, it will 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 choice of 64bhp or 79bhp outputs. Despite being less powerful, these units are unlikely to be any cheaper to run than the turbocharged TSI engines, managing around 50mpg and emissions starting from 114g/km. The main saving here is the cost of the car itself but considering a TSI engine is only around £500 more, we'd recommend upgrading.

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

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Insurance groups

Official insurance groups haven't been formalised yet but the Skoda Fabia is traditionally 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 outgoing Fabia spanned from the very lowest insurance group to around group 12 out of 50 for the range-topper.

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 between £250 to £515.

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.