9:00 this morning, I had the pleasure of taking the new Fabia vRS out for a short test drive. First thing I can say about it is that comparisons with the old vRS are a bit pointless ,the two cars being so completely different that any comparison would be irrelevant.

So handling, stiffer than stock and rolls less than the pre facelift Diesel Sport I have driven. Seats are firm and supportive. Big thing that stands out is the lighter front end, the car turns in with proper conviction and I guess this is a result of having a smaller engine. It runs on 205/40R17s but ride comfort and noise isolation are good. Steering is VAG style, you turn it and the car changes direction accurately enough, but feel is typical electrical system.

The engine is sweet, free revving and very linear in its delivery. It is also very quiet, so you can find yourself doing big speeds without noticing. The DSG is seamless and combined with the quiet engine, it is very difficult to hear or feel the gear changes in normal driving. I suspect that there are more gears than this engine really needs. I found using a gear higher than I would expect was useful entering roundabouts, so as to not end up at the exit in too low a gear. Speaking of the gearbox, the paddles are wheel mounted, not my preferred layout, but you can use the gear lever as a sequential shifter if the paddles are out of reach in a curve.

What we appear to have here is a very competent car. Way quicker than the old vRS, better handling, of course it costs a lot more, but you do get a lot for the money. The one I tried was in the metallic green, I love the way it looks.

Chris

We are ordering one on Friday!!

We are ordering one on Friday!!

I reckon it is all the car most people will ever need. Swift, comfy, spacious, economical (relatively).

Chris

I thought that about the paddles. If they could be a little bit wider/longer they would be fine.

Give it a couple of months and I'm sure most people would give up on the paddles and drive it auto .

or sequencial

Cheers for this Chris: look forward to hopefully driving the same car on Saturday!

Does it have kick down where if you floor it the car will drop a gear or so ?

Does it have kick down where if you floor it the car will drop a gear or so ?

Much smarter than your average auto. In auto mode it works as a sophisticated auto box should, so kickdown if needed.

Chris

I recently had an enjoyable test drive in a Fabia vRS too and I'd agree pretty much with your impressions.

In a straight line it was remarkably quick, with smooth acceleration from all speeds that just seemed to keep on going. Gear changes with the auto were seamless, and I experienced no turbo lag. I found I was hitting high speeds rather more quickly than I expected (and my own car is pretty fast).

The ride was a little firmer than standard set up, but not uncomfortable. I found the seats comfortable and supportive. I felt it had a very Skoda/VW group driving environment in that the driving position was "natural" and controls ready to hand. The cabin materials are perhaps a little dark, but my overal sense was one of solidity and smartness(not drabness as some reporters have suggested)

I like the new upholstery.

i disn't get to chuck it about much, but the handling was assured wih little roll that I noticed.

It was generally refined, though road and wind noise were noticeable (though not irritating) at motorway speeds. Perhaps a little extra sound proofing, or different tyres might be worth considring in the long run if the car were used regularly for extended motorway cruising.

My overall impression is of a competent and versatile small car. It's an excellent compromise, with a little out right sportiness sacrificed to comfort and general useability. To my mind it is fundamentally a fast Fabia, rather than a hot hatch based on a Fabia, if you see what I mean.

Edited 28 July, 201015 yr by helix

Well ,I finally had my test drive today and was very impressed! .......so much so, that I took the plunge and bought one.

I've got to wait 3 months for it and I cant wait!

I took one out today as well, overall I really liked it. There are a few areas that I was less satisfied with, mainly little details e.g. plastic door pulls inside are a step backwards, a filler cap that you just open from outside, looks tacky with the little lug sticking out, and a few bits of trim that will age badly. If I were to buy one now, it would also have to go straight onto Eibach springs, as it just looks too high standard.

It drove nicely however, and the DSG box' would be excellent on a day to day basis.

I won't be ordering one new for now, but may consider one at a later date!

There are a few areas that I was less satisfied with, mainly little details e.g. plastic door pulls inside are a step backwards...

For me, these nasty, flimsy handles are a major deterrent to buying a Mk2. They are so bad, I would have thought an enterprising person would come up with an after market replacement.

For me, these nasty, flimsy handles are a major deterrent to buying a Mk2. They are so bad, I would have thought an enterprising person would come up with an after market replacement.

Once there have been a few sales , maybe someone will

For me, these nasty, flimsy handles are a major deterrent to buying a Mk2. They are so bad, I would have thought an enterprising person would come up with an after market replacement.

Good idea , a billet aluminum door pull to replace the stock plastic item would be just the job!

Had a look at the Fabia VRS in the showroom at Winchester on Monday and registered for a test drive when the demonstrator is available (hopefully by next week).

It passed the "Showroom Test", i.e. seat comfort, good driving position, ease of access for Senior Management who suffers with back problems.

Looking under the hood, I noticed that it should be possible to change the headlamp bulbs at the roadside with ease.

To be better than my Mk 1 VRS, it really has to be special. Can't wait to find out. I hope though that there is less road noise which is a BIG let-down with the present car.

OH! and I see that it has those irritating little triangular windows next to the "A" pillar. On most cars it seems that you can't see out of them, so why are they there?

For me, these nasty, flimsy handles are a major deterrent to buying a Mk2. They are so bad, I would have thought an enterprising person would come up with an after market replacement.

If it is only the handles put you off buying one, you could buy a base model and have someone machine up some custom ones with the money you save. Alternatively you should get out more

For me, the paddles are the weakness in the driving environment, they go round with the steering wheel and I prefer fixed ones, but here, it is about function and driving style.

For Clive, it is a very different car to the Mk 1. The Mk 1 has an old school honesty and basic feel, the new one is a pretty sophisticated bit of kit. Better, depends on how you judge it.

Chris

Had a look at the Fabia VRS in the showroom at Winchester on Monday and registered for a test drive when the demonstrator is available (hopefully by next week).

It passed the "Showroom Test", i.e. seat comfort, good driving position, ease of access for Senior Management who suffers with back problems.

Looking under the hood, I noticed that it should be possible to change the headlamp bulbs at the roadside with ease.

To be better than my Mk 1 VRS, it really has to be special. Can't wait to find out. I hope though that there is less road noise which is a BIG let-down with the present car.

OH! and I see that it has those irritating little triangular windows next to the "A" pillar. On most cars it seems that you can't see out of them, so why are they there?

Its a different car altogether Clive. It should really not be compared to the Mk1.

The suspension is much better, as is the ride and grip....the engine and brakes are in a different league too!!

Triangular windows??? I dont know what you mean??

Edited 5 August, 201015 yr by ChrisRs

Agree with above 2 people. Dont compare it to the Mk 1, the lighter front end makes the car lighter and more agile.

Other areas where the new car moves the game on are sring / damper matching and NVH. Steering is the only area where I feel the old car kept you more in touch, but it was always a bit less than communicative.

Chris

Alternatively you should get out more

That's just what door handles are for!

The suspension is much better, as is the ride and grip....the engine and brakes are in a different league too!!

Triangular windows??? I dont know what you mean??

Thanks Chris. I'm still waiting for the Dealer to call, but won't be able to buy until next year. Triangluar windows (lol). The SEAT Altea plus some Citroens have them , just by the door mirrors. Clearly for decoration only. In olden days, they would be used as arrow slits I expect.

Cheers

Clive

Had a test drive today:

Looks wise it does look slightly better in reality, but its still quite conservatively styled for a hot hatch and the Fabia 1 is still not a good looking car in my opinion and unlike the Mk1 the extra body styling doesn't improve things. The ride height just looks far too high, despite having 17" alloys (not as attractive as the mk1 IMO) they look tiny in the arches which again undermines any hot pretensions.

Inside, its a step-up from the Mk 1 in terms of gadgets and a modern feel, but the quality of the plastics and leathers feels and looks inferior, and yep little things like the door handles do stand out as cost-cutting measures. The seats are an improvement however, no more pesky gray seats. Space in the back may be a tad bigger, as is the boot.

On the road, the big first difference is how much quieter the petrol engine is, and I think road and wind noise has been improved a bit too. The engine is very smooth, and delivers its power very nicely right up through the revs, although there is a bit of lag when booting it in higher gears. Because the power is so smooth, none of that TD shove, it is deceptively quick and the higher revving engine and more lively exhaust note does inject some excitement which the Mk1 lacks with its more mature low down grunt. The gearbox I quite liked, the changes were really smooth and should be easy to play around with setting / shifter preferences to find a balance between driver input and automatic efficiency. Sport mode is nice and lively, and I liked how the box adapted to throttle input, pootling about changed up very quickly while being more enthusiastic held the revs a bit longer even in normal drive mode.

Handling wise, it feels nippier and lighter. The ride is firmer than the mk1, but has a better balance of performance matched stiffness and some comfort, its no bone shaker by any means. The steering is much improved, a lot sharper and the car feels much grippier and less vague and front heavy in corners.

I would probably seriously consider one if I had the money, as it would be great to own a new car once. All the added technology over the Mk1 is a bit of a worry, but I suppose that is only a concern for post-warranty second hand buyers in the future. So yeah, fairly impressed - didn't completely blow me away and get me doing anything hasty by signing any dotted lines, far too much money and can't justify it in any way at the moment. Was quite relieved that my Mk1 VRS still brought a smile on the drive home.

Had a luvly test drive in a VRS just after launch a couple of weeks back, it converted me back from a diesel-head to a petrol-head.

Found a good home for the trusty tdi mk1 as local dealers were having a laugh valuing it. Decided I wasn’t buying from the locals on principle.

Trawled the net and found I could save £2k online! Still have to wait 3 months for delivery though. Just before I pressed the buy button I decided to ring a dozen Skoda dealers around the country to see if any would or could compete with brokers. Some will, some wont.

Offered one in my spec with £1500 off list if I took it in August.

Had to travel a few miles, but Its sat purring on my drive right now!

Who was the best online broker?