Well it looks better than the Audi A1..........................that really IS ugly.

I was waiting for proper pics, but those early Geneva that Brimma posted do look more promising. It's still not for me though

The engine doesn't put me off, but the decision of DSG only does. Oh, and 132kW is 177bhp

Steve

But DSG is brilliant!

I'm not disputing that it's a good system. But why not give buyers a choice ??

I found it a bit clinical and sanitised if I'm honest.

I'm not disputing that it's a good system. But why not give buyers a choice ??

I found it a bit clinical and sanitised if I'm honest.

Choice costs more money!

Also, I'm lazy. So DSG suits me fine!

Edited 2 March, 201016 yr by Babs

Those diamond turned wheels won't last long either unless they are very well cared for. Kerb them and its all too easy to get that milky corrosion that lots of VW wheels suffer from!

Look good though!

Don't drive into kerbs then!

I was never a fan or the Mk 2's front, but that looks quite good, or the Mk2 is growing on me..

A few disappointments though.

No manual or Diseasel option (but I knew that anyway)

No Xenons as standard or an option

It may have 178 BHP, but it's only got 250 Nm of torque, that's 184 lbf, the Mk1 has (officially) 230 lbf (312 Nm), However I believe that the limit of the DSG.

"Neither Fabia RS, hatch nor estate are factory approved for use as towing vehicles"

The steering wheel looks exactly like the SEAT one just with a different centre badge.

VW Group seems to think that DSG is the future. Audi is leading the way, as many existing models will cease production of manual gearboxes.

I know choice is better, but eventually and if VW's strategy pays off, automatic gearbox is going to become mainstream sooner than we expect.

The publicity shots make it look like a mildly warmed over "Sport"

The Geneva shots Brimma posted are better (surely helped by the met green paint) but it still looks confused.

In the first shot it looks like a sporty hatch with a bit more aggression than the standard car; although you can see the family genes carrying through from the Ibiza.

In the second shot it looks like an X3!

I know that with it being on a catwalk (or should that be cat-drive? cat-roll?) there are no reference points for size but it does look far too tall and narrow.

£16 to £17 K and you only get radio Prep with 4 speakers and no remote central locking ffs it sounds like a BMW from the 80's No one in there right mind is going to buy this at that price and then start adding cost options to make it drivable.

Edited 2 March, 201016 yr by postmanpat

I will reserve judgement, till I have actually seen it in the flesh , Test driven it, & checked out spec & price for what i want in a car.

I would be VERY surprised if central locking is not part of the build as i dont know of many / any manufacturer that doesnt have this facility in their cars ( maybe the tata nano doesnt have it )

This just doesn't look right. It lacks cohesion, the consequence of trying to make the utilitarian Fabia II look "sporty". A redesigned bumper and big alloys has already been tried on the Fabia II Sport, making that look too front heavy. Maybe Skoda have tried to balance the front by adding that awful rear diffuser that isn’t going to fool anyone; it ranks as the worst attempt at a rear diffuser second only to that fitted to the Fiat Panda 100HP. The car’s way too high off the ground for that to have any effect. If Skoda wanted a lesson in making a bread and butter model look sporty (with a proper purposeful diffuser), they only had to look at what Renaultsport have achieved with the humble Clio. But then again, new sheet metal, as in the Clio’s case, would have sent the VRS’s asking price from lofty to plain ridiculous. No thanks Skoda, but I’ll stick with my Mk I VRS. Or get an Octavia VRS for the same price.

Sorry, not impressed....

Wheels are gash.

Its too tall.

Its not wide enough.

You can see the paintwork up the sides of the windscreen with the doors closed...

I do like the interior, but not dual coloured interior illumination????Blue and green??

From the read up... Too many driver aids...

I like my mark 1 thank you very much....

To me it is less of a mobility vehicle... This new thing practically drives itself by the sound of things.

Ideal for amputees.

I think whoever chose the launch colour schemes and photoshoot may have done the RS a big injustice, I think I actually prefer the Sportline looking at the photo of the black/silver one here:

http://www.skoda-auto.cz/cze/model/newfabia/equipment/pages/sportline.aspx

In fact, the Fabia facelift in general looks really good, so I am looking forward to seeing some other pics of the RS in all the different colour schemes to make a proper judgement!

Fabia facelift microsite: http://new.skoda-auto.com/com/model/newfabia/look/Pages/look.aspx

Hi guys,

I must admitt I´m dissapointed. Besides the colour and the front bumper witch I like, It looks alot like my Sport.... The cabin and styling is almost what I have now.

Thought they would try to make it stick out some more from the Sport. Would have liked to see some more agressive styling, perhaps a bit lower and wider arches.

Speaking about prices...........the Polo and Ibiza Cupra is priced at approx. DKK 300.000,- here in Denmark, witch is at todays rate 35714,29 pounds.......... So when you speak about 18000 pounds it sounds cheap......to me...... :yes:

Bgds Dan

Edited 10 March, 201016 yr by nutztoys

It's got a proper engine.

And derv will likely follow as a 2.0 140 CR TDI for about £1200 more.

Id hope to god that they dont want Skoda owners to pay £1,200 more for a CR140 engine with a 6 speed manual, looking at the quoted prices been thrown about in here.

If it does get the same power as the Ibiza Cupra, id guess the price will be near enough the same, minus a few pennys to keep Skoda cheaper...

If thats the case, then the vRS Fabia, if it came with a CR140, would have to cost less than the Ibiza FR CR140 for the same reason? All strange tbh.

Assuming this does cost 16k and the Polo GTi 18k.... thats just 2k more for a new platform, better quality and far bettter residuals, cant see anyone buying the VRS

I've just noticed that the skoda press blurb states that the flappy paddle gear change is an option!! The Cupra and FR get it as standard. so it looks like it going to end up costing more than the cupra when it is specced up to the same standard!! Not even race blue paint is going to stop it looking like a shopping trolley. Looks my 11 years of skoda ownership will be ending soon. Shame!

Edited 3 March, 201016 yr by stokey

Dear oh dear oh dear.

What have they done to the once fabulous Fabia vRS. :'(

Apart from the shape of the front seats, I cannot actually see anything that I find remotely exciting or desirable.

Too tall and too narrow, and as for that tat tacked onto the back bumper!

Absolutely dreadful effort Skoda. You have lost the plot completley now IMO.

Apart from the Superb Est. and possibly the Yeti, there isn't a car in their entire range that I'd give a second glance at now.

Excellent, well seen as no one is that keen on it, I just need a dealer to get on in in that green colour with the black roof then after a year can buy it for £10-12K thanks to depreciation. Have a perfectly quick, practical and safe small car, with a dsg and advanced engine for the price of a mid spec new Fabia or a base fiesta/ polo.

Dear oh dear oh dear.

What have they done to the once fabulous Fabia vRS. :'(

Apart from the shape of the front seats, I cannot actually see anything that I find remotely exciting or desirable.

Too tall and too narrow, and as for that tat tacked onto the back bumper!

Absolutely dreadful effort Skoda. You have lost the plot completley now IMO.

Apart from the Superb Est. and possibly the Yeti, there isn't a car in their entire range that I'd give a second glance at now.

And there was us thinking you loved the Octavia vRS

Not bad at all, But the estate looks hideous.

And there was us thinking you loved the Octavia vRS

Sorry Brim'. The Mk1 was fantastic, as was the Mk2 until they gashed it all up with that dreadful facelift

Just my opinion, that's all. Wouldn't be doing for us all to like the same things would it? :no:

Sorry Brim'. The Mk1 was fantastic, as was the Mk2 until they gashed it all up with that dreadful facelift

Just my opinion, that's all. Wouldn't be doing for us all to like the same things would it? :no:

Very true - I'm a very contented Mk 2 pre-facelift owner