We bought a new 1.4 a year ago and it has just had its first service so thought it was time to do a short review.

In its first year it has covered just over 6,000. It is my wife's car and was bought to do the daily 15 mile each way commute, using my car for the longer journeys and winter. This normally takes about 20 minutes due to not having much traffic where we live.

Positives:

Solid build. It's amazing the quality of the build for what is a basic car.

No creaks or rattles.

Headlights are very good, and the cornering fog lamps are very useful on the unlit country roads.

Handles very well.

Very cheap main dealer service, less than £100.

Negatives:

MPG very disappointing. Over our daily 15 mile each way commute we are getting just under 50 MPG despite changing gear at around 2,250 RPM, not labouring the engine, no stop/start driving in town. Especially when my CR-V does over 40 MPG on the same journey in the winter. All the calculations are done by brimming the tank and calculating in Excel. Always filled with either BP or Shell.

Seats: Okay for the normal commuting journeys but too hard any further.

When we went away this year we didn’t want to leave my car in the long term car park so we went in the Fabia. After about 50 miles we both thought the seats were becoming uncomfortable, by the time we got to the airport we were glad to get out of the car.

Ice alert: We both find it too loud and really annoying, now I know that it’s there as a safety feature but the CR-V has a snowflake which flashes on the dashboard for a short time which does the same job. Other cars also have this silent alert so why can’t the VAG group?

Heater: The Climatic heater is the most frustrating heater we have ever used. We have it set at 16 degrees but it blast hot air at over 28 degrees and then cools down once it is full of hot air. Now I know it's too much to expect it to work like the climate control on my car which is set at 19 degrees all year round and gradually warms the car up to this temperature, but it really drives us mad. We have to keep turning it to cold for a second but then we get really cold air which then gradually warms and warms then gets hotter and hotter until we have to turn it off again.

Cracking review on your 1.4TDI mate, I notice how you mention the headlights, I have the follow me home headlights on my Fabia and I can only describe them as poor and will be uprating them very soon.

Mine too handles great and mine is the estate version, we've nearly covered 1000 miles in our 1.4 and I've got to admit I'm impressed with the build quality of this little car.

good review you do sound a little unhappy with the furby,is it 4 or 3 cylinder version I have the 3 pot 70bhp,I have ordered the elegance 1.6crtdi 105 bhp as a second car and I am going to part-ex my superb 2 as its just to big,I rarely get on motorways but hpefully the elegance model will be a little more softer on my backside,I love the superb its so regal and comfy but I never get the mph as I hardly get of B roads

It's the 3 pot 80 BHP model.

I think we are a little disappointed rather than unhappy. The main niggle is the heater so during the summer months that's not a factor, the same with the ice alert. The MPG is poor, I know they take quite a few thousand miles to give their best but by that time we will be due to change as we tend to every 5 years.

Would we buy another? It would depend on whether they change the type of heater.

It's the 3 pot 80 BHP model.

I think we are a little disappointed rather than unhappy. The main niggle is the heater so during the summer months that's not a factor, the same with the ice alert. The MPG is poor, I know they take quite a few thousand miles to give their best but by that time we will be due to change as we tend to every 5 years.

Would we buy another? It would depend on whether they change the type of heater.

Hi Andy, good review. Get your garage to turn off the ice alert audible alarm if you are bothered by it (going from memory I think that is possible). My wife and I find that particular feature useful as I often don't see the little snowflake on the dash. Your vehicle hasn't done many miles yet so slightly lower fuel consumption is normal. These engines don't give full power or best fuel consumption until 10k or above (like most engines!) particularly if it's driven too gently..it'll remain not run in. They really need to be 'driven', get the turbo kicking in and use some revs and don't pussyfoot around at 2250rpm for too long. It's a three pot engine that needs some revs to work good in the first few thousands of miles to properly run them in. On 'B' roads with normal quite enthusiastic driving I get around 55mpg and taking it more carefully and rarely using 5th gear still on 'B' roads...over 73mpg. That's with not too many big hills in my county. Using 5th gear on motorways and faster 'A' roads produces similar figures with my best of 74mpg at a steady 65mph . Obviously the driving style and terrain the vehicle is being used in plays a major part in what fuel economy you get. Experiment with your driving style to find the best way to drive it, you may notice quite a big difference in fuel economy if you do. Incidentally, my engine has done lots of miles now and just keeps getting better and better. My heater doesn't work like yours...I wonder if it needs looking at? Hope I don't sound like I'm trying to teach you to suck eggs...if so, that is not the intent! Good luck and keep post please especially on the fuel consumption thing.

Negatives:

Heater: The Climatic heater is the most frustrating heater we have ever used. We have it set at 16 degrees but it blast hot air at over 28 degrees and then cools down once it is full of hot air. Now I know it's too much to expect it to work like the climate control on my car which is set at 19 degrees all year round and gradually warms the car up to this temperature, but it really drives us mad. We have to keep turning it to cold for a second but then we get really cold air which then gradually warms and warms then gets hotter and hotter until we have to turn it off again.

Nice review andyfr !!

Do you have a Fabia II or Fabia III (= II facelifted) ? Because the seats seemed quite comfy to me when I tried it.

About the heater, do you have the manual version, the Climatic version (semi-automatic) or the Climatronic version (automatic) ?

Edited 9 November, 201015 yr by BeSt

Thanks for the feedback guys!

It's a Fabia II, so a pre-facelift model.

It has the Climatic (semi- auto) heater.

Do you use the A/C on the Climatic? If it blows warm air 1st, it's probably clearing the air that's been sat in the vent tubes that has got warm through the sun being on the car.

Do you use the A/C on the Climatic? If it blows warm air 1st, it's probably clearing the air that's been sat in the vent tubes that has got warm through the sun being on the car.

We do use A/C but I mean at this time of year when there isn't any sun and in the mornings when it's been in the garage all night. If it's on 0 then it's cold, but put it to 16 (the first setting) and eventually it's blasting hot air out like a fan heater until the interior of the car warms up then it starts to come out cooler.

Hi andyfr,as I mentioned mine is the 70 filled the tank and we have used about 1/3 tank and we have had about 210 miles so I think its about 600 miles to the tank fuel approx,the heaters fine on mine its got the A/C button on it,biggest problem is the noise in the lower gears and going up hills when you put a bit more gaz,I got 90mph and plenty left sure this is pushing more bhp than 70 ,seats are comfy not sure after a days drive though,not really exessive roll in the corners once your in 4 and 5 gears she flies,the brakes are fine but I am used to discs allround but a car of this size does not need full discs,suspension is fine but a bit thumpy on rough roads and going over sleeping policemen:no:,overall very happy with purchase hope the new facelift elegance on order will be slighty more refined,ive fitted the engine cover to help noise levels within the car,not sure if it has though:dull: I will miss the superb2 for a while but I will learn to live with the fabia when it arrives:rofl: but the best mpg I get from the supa is about 48,so economically makes sense,but to be honest the supa is good but the furby is not far away.

Surprised to learn of the heater problem, mine has the digital version and its a boon. Works a treat just press the front window demist button and it takes care of itself. It's far more efficient than my previous petrol Peugeot, and last winter defrosted quickly considering its diesel. I leave the A/C on auto most of the time to also dehumidify. My MPG around town 4 mile commute across town returns on average 55mpg from cold start. Long journeys around 70+ depending on how I drive it. Most I've had is 98mpg over 106 miles. Mega long journey Bournemouth->London->Berlin between two drivers and lots of luggage, running at maximum speed for periods of time on the Autobahn (GPS recorded 185kph/115mph), returned 57mpg. It used less than 3 tanks of diesel for the return journey. Oh, its the 1.4TDI DPF Greenline BTW.

Hi Andy, good review. Get your garage to turn off the ice alert audible alarm if you are bothered by it (going from memory I think that is possible).

Hi Estate Man. Unfortunately it can't be disabled as it's a safety feature, or so I'm led to believe.