I had a 1.6 TDi mk2 Fabia as a loan car the other week and there was no guts to the engine compared to our 1.9 PD, and the door handles are awfull if you are in a tight car parking spot you cannot control the door as easily when the handle is near the hinge. cheers - Stuart

I had a 1.6 TDi mk2 Fabia as a loan car the other week and there was no guts to the engine compared to our 1.9 PD, and the door handles are awfull if you are in a tight car parking spot you cannot control the door as easily when the handle is near the hinge. cheers - Stuart

The new car is the old car rebodied with some new engines and I have to say apart from the toy-town looks I don't think it's a bad car. I wouldn't buy one though. When we were looking at getting 3 superminis for the ladies at work, we never even called the Skoda dealer because the cars aren't competitive. When you consider you can have a Mini for the same money as the 1.6D Fabia 3 it was a no-brainer because of the Mini's significantly better residuals.

Even the 180bhp tiptronic version looks like Noddy's gone to Barryboys. The A1 Sport looks OK, the Polo GTI looks OK, the Ibiza Cupra (especially in white) looks like it eats girders and spits nails whereas the very tall, narrow, Skoda looks like it's a clown's car.

Sorry Skoda, but the current Fabia is the runt of the A1/Ibiza/Polo/Fabia litter.

We like ours..

We are now on #3

Fabia II 1.2 Sport --- Red and White (Stolen)

Fabia II 1.2 Sport --- White (Traded in)

Fabia II vRS --- Green and Black (Present car)

I had the Mk1 Fabia vRS and now see it as 'old and dated'

OK the MkII isnt without its faults but its a better car all round IMO

Even the 180bhp tiptronic version looks like Noddy's gone to Barryboys. The A1 Sport looks OK, the Polo GTI looks OK, the Ibiza Cupra (especially in white) looks like it eats girders and spits nails whereas the very tall, narrow, Skoda looks like it's a clown's car.

Sorry Skoda, but the current Fabia is the runt of the A1/Ibiza/Polo/Fabia litter.

"Clown's car" - that was a laugh out loud.

It really pains me to say it (as I'm amazed they have time to assemble cars between sleeping and torturing animals) but I'd rather go for the Ibiza Cupra (there's a Bocanegra up the road from me that looks the dog's ******) - definitely the best looking out of the Polo / Ibiza / Fabia.

I agree based on my currect experience of the new Fabia, but in fairness, I wasnt a fan of Fabia until i test drove a vRS, and I havent been in a new vRS yet, so my opinion is totally unfair.

They do look like they've done a good job of it to be honest!

The new car is the old car rebodied with some new engines and I have to say apart from the toy-town looks I don't think it's a bad car. I wouldn't buy one though. When we were looking at getting 3 superminis for the ladies at work, we never even called the Skoda dealer because the cars aren't competitive. When you consider you can have a Mini for the same money as the 1.6D Fabia 3 it was a no-brainer because of the Mini's significantly better residuals.

Even the 180bhp tiptronic version looks like Noddy's gone to Barryboys. The A1 Sport looks OK, the Polo GTI looks OK, the Ibiza Cupra (especially in white) looks like it eats girders and spits nails whereas the very tall, narrow, Skoda looks like it's a clown's car.

Sorry Skoda, but the current Fabia is the runt of the A1/Ibiza/Polo/Fabia litter.

I'm with you on this one, which is a crying shame really.

The new car is the old car rebodied with some new engines and I have to say apart from the toy-town looks I don't think it's a bad car. I wouldn't buy one though. When we were looking at getting 3 superminis for the ladies at work, we never even called the Skoda dealer because the cars aren't competitive. When you consider you can have a Mini for the same money as the 1.6D Fabia 3 it was a no-brainer because of the Mini's significantly better residuals.

Even the 180bhp tiptronic version looks like Noddy's gone to Barryboys. The A1 Sport looks OK, the Polo GTI looks OK, the Ibiza Cupra (especially in white) looks like it eats girders and spits nails whereas the very tall, narrow, Skoda looks like it's a clown's car.

Sorry Skoda, but the current Fabia is the runt of the A1/Ibiza/Polo/Fabia litter.

But as you rightly pointed out 'The new car is the old car rebodied with some new engines' whereas the others are all on a new chassis. Agreed that doesn't have much to do with the looks but it does fix the cars 'hard points' - ie wheel and suspension locations and things like windscreen and door shuts etc.

I've had several Mark 2 Fabias as courtesy cars and haven't been impressed by any of them - design and build quality are both significantly poorer. The interesting thing is that both dealers I've dealt with fully agreed...

I've had several Mark 2 Fabias as courtesy cars and haven't been impressed by any of them - design and build quality are both significantly poorer. The interesting thing is that both dealers I've dealt with fully agreed...

I find the quality better

It depends how you define "quality" I suppose - I'd say the newer cars are much more "plasticy"

Edited 27 October, 201015 yr by DRJ

i just don't like the look of the new fabia i had a choice between the new shape diesel or the mk1 fabia vrs.

i picked the vRS!

i just don't like the look of the new fabia i had a choice between the new shape diesel or the mk1 fabia vrs.

i picked the vRS!

Just parked mine in front of a MKII TDi Sport (105ps??) - must admit I quite like it (black with white roof) but I still prefer the MKI vRS (although I am slightly biased ).

Edited 27 October, 201015 yr by Wee Bri

I think this section of Briskoda is going to be slightly biased to be honest - we're all old skool vRS owners!!! (well 90% of us anyways)

I find the quality better

There are some nice touches, but I prefer the design/layout of the Mk I interior, especially the radio/AC stand and gauges (it just feels "nicer". My parents had a Mk II 1.4TDi as a hire car for a couple of days, and it felt smaller inside than mine, was more rattly (plastic rattles), and every time you stopped the back end "sagged". I'm ignoring the fact that the engine was loud & anaemic (and the clutch was horrible), because that's not the Mk II's fault per se. Shame, cos I was looking to replace mine with new Fabia when it eventually comes time to do so, but now looking at an Octavia/Golf/A3, although hopefully that's a good few years away..!

I had a 1.6 TDi mk2 Fabia as a loan car the other week and there was no guts to the engine compared to our 1.9 PD, and the door handles are awfull if you are in a tight car parking spot you cannot control the door as easily when the handle is near the hinge. cheers - Stuart

I agree - the new shape Fabia is crap.

I think the recent change to the grille / headlamps freshens the look up a bit (just as the midlife facelift to the Mk1 did).

Still not quite as "classic", or "elegant" (or indeed "ambiente") a look as the Mk1, though.

Might consider one next time (in however many years time that is), especially as the supermini-estate sector isn't the most crowded.

Not such a no-brainer as buying my Mk1 was, though.

The electric window motors were very noisey as well, and like I say park in a tight spot and try and control the doors ! The edge of the doors will all be chipped.