Hi, perhaps a daft question but why is the Polo GTI £2,600 pound ( 3 door ) dearer than a Fabia vRS ? its slightly faster, slightly cheaper to run, very similarly equiped, i suppose it`ll hold its value better and you get

3 years free servicing. Cant find one to test drive so cant compare the differences. Would it be a better car ? is it worth the extra ? what do you think ?

Badge snobbery? :yes:

Actually, the difference in price can be nearer £4000 when you spec it up with 5 doors and some of the more popular options.

Badge snobbery all the way, it's certainly no better built and it uses the exact same engine and gearbox. It may hold its value a little better than the Skoda but nowhere near enough to justify the initial price difference.

Because its built in Germany where the unions are going the way of Detroit toward stupid hourly rates, excessive holiday and other perks etc. Eventually it will all implode and VW Germany will vanish up its own bum.

Has to be a difference dont there or no one would buy a Skoda..lol

SEAT is middle of them, but they all cross over at some point.

Still think the Ibiza is the best looking of them all.

The polo looks better than the fabia and the fit and finish is probably better, imho of course.

A "V" costs a fair bit and the "W" a little bit more.

I would presume that the drive of the polo would be better ie wouldn't the polo be specced with slightly thicker anti roll bars to corner slightly flatter? Better quality/nicer looking interior maybe? On the face of it it seems like a fair chunk of extra money for what is essentially the same car underneath!

Not like thats a new thing though is it, look at the other models.

Not like thats a new thing though is it, look at the other models.

Totally agree and I think you will find that subtle handling differences (for instance) between the vrs and gti for example are down to differently tuned dampers and spring rates as well as different diameter arb's hence my guess with polo/fabia comparison.

Are skodas cheap vw's or are vw's just overpriced skodas?

Probably because its a VW and because they can.

Supply and demand and badge snobbery. Why else can Audi charge even more for the new (and IMHO not very pretty) A1?

I remember when I was buying my first ever new car. I tried the Fabia and the Polo. It was immediately evident they were basically the same car albeit a different shape externally. I asked the VW dealer why the polo I was looking at was (at that time) £1500 dearer with less equipment. (Yes the adjustable seat was an optional extra on the Polo....go figure).

The dealers response " Well it depends if you want a car with a VW badge or a Skoda badge on your drive" He was somehow a little put out after this and a bit miffed I was comparing his VW to a Skoda. I duly thanked the man for his time and bought the higher spec lower priced 'Skoda'.

They have the same engine and gearbox but thats where the similarity ends as they are bulit on different 'platforms'. The Ibiza/polo/A1 use VAGs all new supermini platform whereas the mk II fabia is built on the same platform as the old mk 1 car. The new platform is supposed to give better ride/handling and improved refinement. The platform issue explains why there is no diesel mk II fabia vRS -the 2.0 TDI engine won't fit on the old one (it does go onto the new one and hence available for the Ibiza FR....). I testdrove an ibiza FR but in the end ordered the Fabia vRS as I wanted 5 doors with the 180Bhp engine.....! :yes:

I'm sure the polo GTI will have a nicer interior as well but its Skoda all the way for me

The Fabia is cheaper but I'd have the VW as it's better looking.

They have the same engine and gearbox but thats where the similarity ends as they are bulit on different 'platforms'. The Ibiza/polo/A1 use VAGs all new supermini platform whereas the mk II fabia is built on the same platform as the old mk 1 car. The new platform is supposed to give better ride/handling and improved refinement. The platform issue explains why there is no diesel mk II fabia vRS -the 2.0 TDI engine won't fit on the old one (it does go onto the new one and hence available for the Ibiza FR....). I testdrove an ibiza FR but in the end ordered the Fabia vRS as I wanted 5 doors with the 180Bhp engine.....! :yes:

I'm sure the polo GTI will have a nicer interior as well but its Skoda all the way for me

Technically not true. The Fabia has the same front suspension set up now, the rear beam etc are unchanged on the Ibiza and Polo the same as the Fabia. The Fabia now uses Octavia 1 top mounts and bearings same as the rest, arbs, brakes, hubs, subframes, beam etc are all the same.

The Fabia II when facelifted swapped over to the later subframe that no longer uses consoles etc like the earlier IIs and the Fabia I.

Technically not true. The Fabia has the same front suspension set up now, the rear beam etc are unchanged on the Ibiza and Polo the same as the Fabia. The Fabia now uses Octavia 1 top mounts and bearings same as the rest, arbs, brakes, hubs, subframes, beam etc are all the same.

The Fabia II when facelifted swapped over to the later subframe that no longer uses consoles etc like the earlier IIs and the Fabia I.

So the ride will be better or the same,my 08 plate fabia 1.4tdi is 0k,but will the facelift be different

It did improve things greatly when they dumped the console type subframe yes.

My Ibiza is a lot better than either of my Fabias vRS's, however the MPi is just rock solid..lol

The platform issue explains why there is no diesel mk II fabia vRS

Uh no vRs version but doesn't the Fabia Sport come with a 1.9TDi?

I was given a new Polo as a courtesy car for 3 weeks, initially I liked it but became unimpressed with the cost cutting compared with the previous model. I then had a Fabia from a dealer for 5 hours and imediately decided if I was buying new it would definately be the Skoda. We have since bought an '08 Fabia 3, and are very pleased with it. Currently there is no car in the VW line up I would buy.

It did improve things greatly when they dumped the console type subframe yes.

My Ibiza is a lot better than either of my Fabias vRS's, however the MPi is just rock solid..lol

Mate how many motors do you have?! Please tell me you don't have three fabias and an ibiza parked outside your house........ :wonder:

It did improve things greatly when they dumped the console type subframe yes.

My Ibiza is a lot better than either of my Fabias vRS's, however the MPi is just rock solid..lol

so why selling the ibiza:oB)

so why selling the ibiza:oB)

Financial reasons, its a case of having to rather than wanting to.