Overall rating:

For us, the Skoda Fabia's charm is inversely proportional to its price; the less you pay, the more you seem to be getting for your money. This 104bhp diesel version has lots going for it, but we'd probably encourage buyers to think about versions that are a couple of grand cheaper first. There isn't much wrong here, but nothing that stands out either.

Key Facts

Model tested: Skoda Fabia SE 1.6 TDI CR 105ps
Price: £13,600 (as at June 2011)
Engine: 1.6-litre turbodiesel
Transmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: five-door hatchback
Rivals: Ford Fiesta, SEAT Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo
CO₂ emissions: 109g/km
Combined economy: 67.3mpg
Top speed: 117mph
0-62mph: 10.9 seconds
Power: 104bhp at 4,400rpm
Torque: 184lb.ft at 1,500 - 2,500rpm

Inside & Out:

The Skoda Fabia's uniquely tall gait (for a supermini) lends to a feeling of spaciousness that you don't get in many of its rivals - if any. However, rear legroom is just average, though the boot's pretty big: 300-litres of space isn't far off what a VW Golf gives you.

It seems glib to talk about cabin quality in a Skoda, but the Fabia probably stands alone in the company's range as feeling a step below the comparable VW Group products in terms of plastic quality. Still, it looks good, the driving position is high and comfy, visibility is good (especially helped by unusually thin A-pillars) and it's a simple dashboard to get to grips with.

Ride & Handling:

Skoda has biased the setup of the Fabia on comfort and ease of use, so it's softly sprung, has light steering and a tight turning circle. If you're looking for something to drive hard, look elsewhere, because a Renault Clio this is not. It feels high-sided and roly-poly if you turn the wheel too sharply, but it's great at diminishing the knurls of the average road into relative silkiness.

If your driving is consigned to the sort that the average mum describes as "pottering", then you'll probably find this a great car to potter in.

Engine & Transmission:

We like the pulling power this 104bhp common rail diesel engine provides from 2,500rpm all the way up to 5,000rpm, but it can seem a little noisy and unrefined before it warms through. Never feels especially quick either.

What it does do is make it easy to drive lazily, because its torque means you don't necessarily have to change gear much, which can be an appealing thing. Not that the gear stick is offensive to throw, by the way - it's a little loose through the gate, but light in a good way - it's just that sometimes driving is just about getting from A to B with minimal effort.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

This engine is only available in SE spec, which gets the all-important alloys and air conditioning double act. Surprisingly, a fair few things you might want in a £13,500 small Skoda remain on the options list, like climate control, cruise control and parking sensors.

Fuel economy is an ok 67.3mpg combined, with 109g/km of CO₂ meaning a £20 annual VED bill after the first year, which is free. Again, not much to complain about there, but if its outright economy you're after, the Greenline version is priced within a couple of hundred quid of this and does 83.1mpg. Nice.