Skoda FABIA-----Test Drive Report! Achtung Baby!!. Review on Skoda Fabia - Diesel

I love writing the first reviews on the test drives, nothing more exhilarating.may be a Ferrari Scudera? I was called by the dealer in first week of January, as the Fabia had already reached the showrooms.They ofcourse were not allowed to display the same, until the AutoExpo on Jan9th08.

But.yours truly, managed to get a unofficial look at the car, followed by a subsequent test drive!.

Looks wise, it is quite similar to the Swift (though slighlty larger). So its not going to win any beauty contests for sure.The car ofcourse is better styling in the Skoda way, especially the smiling front bonnet, which makes everyone around know, that its a Skoda! The Paint job is fantatsic **and make you want to look athe car!

The exterior styling is also very solidly european and makes you feel confident without even touching the car! Typical Skoda obsessed with quality trademark.

Interiors, there were 3 versions on display, the Classic(base version) theAmbiete and the Elegance. The base version comes with only black interiors! The middle-level version 'Ambiente'comes

with good features like ABS, alloys, fog lamps. The top-end version of the car,

'Elegance', promises a sun roof, apart from the ABS and airbags and the **6-CD

changer**.

Currently it is released only in the diesel variants and they promise to have petrol versions out soon, though at this price, I wonder how many will buy petrol? I expect the Petrol version to be priced 60-70000/-Rs above the Base Swift model in the 5.25-5.75lakh range.

-Test Drive-

I know you waited for this a long time, so did i! Well sorry to spoil the party, but this

is when the fairytale romance goes so wrong!

Firstly, the interiorrs and the seats are perfect and I love the solid thud, with which the doors close.

Secondly all the controls are neatly laid out and within easy reach.

Thirdly, the boot space is just about **300ltr so its not going to come on a long trip unless you are a yuppie or a dink(double income no kids) type of family! Or maybe you are a rich kid wanting a birthday present? The space for the driver and co-passenger are adequate can't say same for the rear passengers as the seat bottom hits my shins and are going to be a pain in the long run. Look at the car as the bigger version of the Swift.

There is ample storage space, though not too much for your Pda's /Maps/Water bottles and other knick-knacks!

The fourth thing yet the most important-the Drive! This is when things don't add up. The ride is obviously fantastic and grounded. The interiors unfortunately being to feel small as you drive as visibility is affected due to small windscreen(same can be experienced in the swift). Cockpits look good on airplances, not cars! Next the brake pads are placed too damn close to the accelerator pedal and I found myself clumsily pressing both! Not happening! The brakes are fantastic and do a too good job of stopping! Seriously even the lightest touch and the car was coming to a halt! Why must the Europeans put the turning indicator stalk and windshield wipers stalks on the opposite sides as compared to the Indian version?Where is the logic? Next the steering response is superb and feels like nothing else on the other hatchbacks, just blows the competiton away, even better than the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Verna!

The Fifth thing-Engine, aahhh. so you want to know if it is really upto the mark? Nope and yes, depending upon your level of sophistication. To all Tata Car users, this is the Mercedes E-class itslef. To all Mercedes users, the engine doesn't quite cut the mark! You dig? What I want to say is that, the engine is noisy (right down to a hammer banging constantly on a metal sheet! Good for all you' Metallica' Fans!), that too coming from a Skoda(i have driven the Skoda Octavia and this is same engine with 3 valvesinstead of the four to save on costs and improve mileage). Thats not all, the engine has a definite turbo-lag(not happening!) and waits to fly off the handle. But yes once it does fly off, there is no stopping the car, it touched 125 km/hr on the highway in a matter of seconds! Vrroom Baby! So its not going to be great for the city in the stop-and-go traffic, situations. Yes the engine is smooth like butter but unfortunately at this price I would expect more than just smooth.i would like to 'Feel Special'(Pun Intended!).

Pricing for the diesel base version is roughly6, 58, 000/- the next model costs 7, 17, 000/- and the top-end costs 7, 87, 000/- all ex-showroom.

So who would buy this car at this price? All BPO team leaders/people who want to make a statementwithout shelling 10lakhs for a Skoda Rider/Toyota Corolla/ /bank senior level executives / ladies who want to dirve a safe upmarket, expensive, yet small car / young adults with lots of money! All of those who want to show their status yet drive easy in the city, due to the small form factor.

So would I buy it.Yes / Maybe if I had the money and was only driving in the city and was a'Metallica' Fan and wanted to make a Statement ! Anybody feel like gifting me one?.Please?