Oh hell no!

I find that for handling problems, the best mod is to replace the driver with one who realises that the accelerator pedal has more than two positions .

I find that for handling problems, the best mod is to replace the driver with one who realises that the accelerator pedal has more than two positions .

:rofl: Excellent

Handling for me is about the way a car feels and not about ultimate grip. My other car (Impreza) has a vast amount of grip but is not a great handling car out of the box. The Fabia is not a bad car through the twisties, it's a warmish hatch and not a true hot hatch like at Pug 306 gti or a Clio 182 etc.. and as such does a decent job.

The one thing I believe lets the Fabia down is the steering feel, it's just too light and doesn't provide enough feedback.

It's still a cracking little car to have fun in though.

My old MK4 Ibiza was sorted handling wise - coilovers, strut brace, sticky tyres, r-arb etc... it wouldn't keep up in the twisties with my mates old G60 but could in a straight line

Well I would say I drive my VRS enthusiastically, and even as standard it handles just fine. If we are talking about the handling of something like a BMW M3 or better, the suspension alone costs more than a complete VRS.

I doubt the engine weight causes all the handling issues, as the famous understeer under power is simply the front tyres struggling to put down all the torque.

The rear end is likely to be the main culprit, as it's a simple beam axle. Changing that for a full 5 link rear end, would turn the VRS into a road hugging monster

So great for track days, but then you need to be driving like a plonker on public roads for the VRS handling to be anything short of more than adequate. :p

I'd agree with this. The fabia vRS handles pretty well *for a cheapish fastish diesel hatchback*. The handling is set up to be what's considered safe (so it understeers). The chassis is still at the end of the day built down to a cost and to the expected use of a small hatch.

I never found the handling an issue- or at least not beyond having the front tyres scrabble for grip if you nailed it at the wrong time, and I often left lots of the ordinary traffic behind.

Decent tyres make a lot of difference.

Yes, people often forget the VRS sold for buttons compared to really hot hatches, Horses for courses and all that. I find the best fun is straight line 30 to 70 times on motorway. Embarrassed quite a few expensive cars it has

I still remember the thing a Police driving instructor said to me, when I was sitting my advanced test. "On country roads, when you feel like driving fast, ask yourself, how would you like to meet yourself coming the other way."

You don't even need to be out of position to frighten a less experienced driver into making a mistake. If you come round a bend at Mach 2, you can really unsettle some poor old blue rinse in the Nissan Micra. The roads are for everyone, not just fast drivers.