The Skoda Fabia faces some stiff competition from newer subcompact hatchbacks like the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 208 and Ford Fiesta, as well as its “cousins”, the Volkswagen Polo and Seat Ibiza.
Mind you, it’s getting on a bit, as the third-gen has been around since 2014. But it was revamped last year, in an attempt to stay competitive, getting a new face and some tech updates, including the latest infotainment system and safety gear like automatic high-beams, blind-spot detection and rear traffic alert.
Also Watch: Is The 2018 Skoda Fabia Estate The Sensible Choice For Young Families?
The engine lineup has went through some changes of its own. There are no diesels anymore, so you will have to make do with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol in four different outputs. The naturally aspirated variants get 60 and 75 PS (59-74 hp / 44-55 kW), and the turbocharged units offer 95 and 110 PS (94-108 hp / 70-81 kW). The mills can be matched to a five-speed manual or an optional DSG, with the latter available in upper specs only.
Five trim levels are available in the UK, priced between £12,255 and £17,185 ($15,513/€13,702-$21,754/€19,214), with the most expensive being the Monte Carlo that’s got a number of visual enhancements over the rest.
There is a big but when it comes to the range-topper, as the one driven by CarBuyer in their video review cost about £19,000 ($24,052/€21,243), whereas the Fiesta ST has a local MSRP of £20,700 ($26,204/€23,144). But let’s see if the price is justified, and find out what are the strong and weak points of the revised Fabia.