The Fabia experience: A review. Review on Skoda Fabia - Diesel

When I was on the look out for a new car, I was primarily focused on a machine that would give better space than the Matiz , that I was then driving, better brand durability and better drive as an add on. Bcoz I felt that the Matiz is already a very drivable vehicle and also economical. When I was doing my research, my choices were narrowing down to the i20, Dzire and Fabia.

The i20 wasn’t great on economy and more importantly it had that low-floor seating look that I dint fancy, add to that a bit of too-much styling and curves. The Dzire seemed to be an obvious choice and therefore I took a test drive of it. The ride was peppy but as bumpy as the Matiz , which means that no upgrade on the drivability factor for me, the cabin (esp in the rear) was cramped and worse, the diesel had a long waiting list. But the worst feature of Dzire that I just could not quite swallow is the monstrous rear. The back of the Dzire looks like it belongs to a middle-aged obese woman. Every time I get in and out of the car, it is important for me to feel good about it. Therefore, my choice was narrowed to the Skoda Fabia. The very thought initially horrified me due to the auto-makers reputation of catering to the elite and the luxury segment. Besides I have read adverse reports of Skoda’s service back-up. I was advised by all and sundry that the Fabia purchase would leave a huge dent in my pocket. Except that there was this one motor enthusiast who said that the machine does not deserve any comparisons and that it is to be judged by itself.

When I took a test drive of the Fabia TDI classic, I was floored by the slickness of the gear shift, the pick up was exhilarating and the way it negotiated turns and bumps left me speechless. The finish both inside and outside felt so precise, it was simple and beautiful and the vehicle had grace about it. When I left the showroom, my Matiz drove like a 3-4 Ton truck. I said to myself, that this is probably the last car that I’m going to purchase for a while and before I enter an age bracket when the finer things of life don’t matter anymore. I must pamper myself NOW. So I went ahead, put in the extra moolah, and bought the Fabia TDI classic.

It is more than 6 months now and I have logged about 11000 Km. I have done long distances from Chennai to Hyderabad and from Hyderabad to Ahmedabad.

I keep pinching myself even now as I find the comfort and drive just unbelievable. The braking is so assured and the vehicle inspires confidence even at speeds of 120-140kmph. Every little feature in the vehicle is very thoughtfully designed and it sinks into you only after you drive it around for 2-3 months. The power windows are very responsive and operate on a single touch all the way; you can even close them after alighting the vehicle with the key. The music system (especially the console) is so utterly functional and user friendly, it plays all formats of music. I have met Fabia owners who cribbed about the front-speakers-only feature, but for my type of guy who needs soothing clear music, it serves just fine. The one touch side-indicator-lever is extremely useful for lane-changing and a unique feature. The two-way adjustable steering and the seat incline work great.

For my long drives, I loaded three strolley-cases (one each for my wife, kid and self), one hot case, one water camper and one airbag in the boot; for me that was space just right in terms of adequateness. For all those who may wince about buying a hatchback would realize that it is just a mental thing once they get used to the Fabia space. When I checked the stats, the cabin space, in terms of length, was marginally better than the Dzire though the width was marginally less. The Fabia is easily maneuverable in parking areas too. The wind screen wash function, the solid doors, the cold chocolate box are all little pleasurable add-ons. The Fabia diesel gives me 15kpl (normal diesel) in the madcap, rush hour traffic, with full ac on and 22kpl on the highways while driving in the speed range of 70-120 kmph.

As regards the infamous skoda service, I broke my side-view mirror within the first month and had to go to skoda service. I found the service courteous and prompt to my surprise and when they did not have the spare due to color miss match, they re-directed me to the next service center where the same was painted for a match and fitted. I have done my first servicing at 9900 Km and the service, at MG road Secunderabad, was again responsive and prompt. The estimate they gave me before the service for consumables was accurate ( Rs 4000) and they even replaced the external side-view mirror adjustment device free-of-cost on warranty, for improper operation, when I dint even complain about it.