I'd say it depends on your budget and needs.

The Golf is a Focus size car and the Fabia is a Fiesta size although it is still very roomy.

I'd be swayed towards the VRS personally (if I didnt already have a Felicia ) given your choices.

Im going to throw another car into the mix.

I'll prob be lynched but there is the Ford Focus. They are quite popular so you get loads of choice, good to drive and they will be quite cheap to buy.

I'd say it depends on your budget and needs.

The Golf is a Focus size car and the Fabia is a Fiesta size although it is still very roomy.

I'd be swayed towards the VRS personally (if I didnt already have a Felicia ) given your choices.

Im going to throw another car into the mix.

I'll prob be lynched but there is the Ford Focus. They are quite popular so you get loads of choice, good to drive and they will be quite cheap to buy.

Horrible interior's on the old model though - makes the inside of the Fabia look like westminster abbey

The interior of the focus is what put me off buying one. I test drove one a while back and liked the engine and the handling but I just hated the interior.

I'd put up with it if I had an RS though:P

You'll be able to buy a Golf cheaper than a Fabia and there's a much wider range of engines and if you get the right one it'll have lots of options not available on the Fabia. I've recently bought a PD130 Golf with heated black leather, climate, cruise, electric sunroof etc. with just under 70k on for just over £6k. I'm not sure if you'd get a Fab for that money? Granted the Golf is a 51 reg but it feels like it built a helluva lot better than my old Octavia which felt decidedly ropey.

I do like Fabia's but didn't have that knid of money to spend, don't like the interior and i wanted a bit more space with a baby on the way.

No offense, but don't agree.. I just got a 04 plate mint Fab Vrs on 50k for 5850!...your right about the options though.. def more on a golf!

If your are coming from the old shape fiesta mark 4 then you will probably be disappointed with the handling of the VRS as its a LOT heavier, same with the golf I guess. One of my mates has a Zetec S mk4 and its much quicker rounds the twisties than my VRS until you come to a straight bit of road of course!

With some choice mods though I'm sure handling can be improved but still not going to the same, the engine is far too heavy.

Edited 13 September, 200817 yr by Dexterous

Wanted a Golf MKIV GT TDi 130 - too much money and they all had starship mileage for the budget I had back then. So I got a vRS instead.

The other alternative was the Leon but again was slightly too pricy (and rare) at the time in PD form.

Having owned both a Fiesta Zetec S a Fiesta MK4 and a Vrs Fabia, I have to concur with whats been said about all the cars discussed.

The Fiesta's love them or hate them do handle lovely the sterring is so nice. Also owned a Focus as well and this handled so much better than the Vrs.

However with a bit of work the Vrs can be made better, lowering, and the rear arb fitted does transform the handling.

I also now own a mx5 and these are a riot.

My advice is to try each car, if you do go for a Vrs get it lowered and the rear arb fitted, map it and fit upgraded brakes:)

With some choice mods though I'm sure handling can be improved but still not going to the same, the engine is far too heavy.

untill you have been in a PROPERLY sorted vrs i would stop giving advice based on guesswork.:thumbdwn:

The downside is a properly sorted vrs is expensive,but worth every penny,mine easily matches on the twistys anything i have ever been in,and very little goes by on the track either,so they can be sorted if thats what you desire:D

untill you have been in a PROPERLY sorted vrs i would stop giving advice based on guesswork.:thumbdwn:

The downside is a properly sorted vrs is expensive,but worth every penny,mine easily matches on the twistys anything i have ever been in,and very little goes by on the track either,so they can be sorted if thats what you desire:D

If i had my fabia still that would be passing you on the track

If i had my fabia still that would be passing you on the track

lol,this is all i hear off you,no it wouldn't,it didn't,and one more time wouldn't have made any difference,mine owns hybrid fabais,ask jason,he keeps cming out with excuses now too,it was put up or shut up time at blyton........and you were soooo scared of losing you sold it:P

volvo is fun 5 up and sideways tho:D

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Edited 14 September, 200817 yr by devonutopia

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Edited 14 September, 200817 yr by devonutopia

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Edited 14 September, 200817 yr by devonutopia

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Edited 14 September, 200817 yr by devonutopia

I have a standard fabia it aint so bad , at least it looks like a special edition . put a set of wheels on any mk 4 golf and it will look like a gti

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Edited 14 September, 200817 yr by devonutopia

My personal opinion, had a Fabia vRS sold it to get a Mk4 Anniversary TDi. Remapped it, put a clutch in it, new suspension etc. Had it 4 months, sold it and bought another Fabia vRS. Golf felt much bigger and i think the fabia with the right upgrades walks al over the Mk4 in handling and performance terms. Even with approx 210BHP, the Golf felt sluggish compared to a remapped vRS

Alex

Please, keep it civil chaps. Have edited all the above posts to remove comments posted, both what prompted remarks, and the remarks themselves. Thanks.

it all depends on what your use to i think. I come from a 2005 megane, so the fabia felt like a go kart, esp going over speed humps etc. Where as chris (chrisw_vrs) came from a fiesta st, and obviously found the handling to leave alot to be desired. However, his fabia is now sitting on coilovers with arb, and i think we both agree, it gives a bloody great grin on your face now, and if that isnt fun factor, then i dont knoiw what is esp with the 312's on now.

matt

It's been said before, the Fabia is a great compromise.

Its not especially "amazing" at anything it does, but it's a great all rounder - decent handling with small upgrades, cheap to run, nippy enough, well built, and good fun to drive.

It doesnt have the drawbacks of other more "high performance" motors - high tax, low MPG, high insurance, and yeah maybe it doesnt handle so well or go quite as well but its still a fun little car with plenty of character IMHO. Not many small hatches have charachter but the little skoda does.

Agreed /\......

Makes me laugh when the lads at work running 'hotter' cars ask what sort of economy I get considering my car's so much slower than theirs - since the map with respectable levels of power and now cracking 60 mpg on a run they go "oh..."

To be honest, the Golf PD130 I drove was no different. Went the same as the Fabby, handled just as badly in standard form and had no feel to the steering or brakes.

BUT, the interior was a lot better. Very nice in fact,a lovely place to be. Shame they're so damned expensive.

it does come down to what you want. I can happly live with a slightly down grade int of the fabia, and in return see the face of people after they just been dusted by not just a diesel, but a skoda. :-) love it. Having said that, I didn't notice a major difference between my mates golf int and my fabia!