When I reviewed the Fabia 11 many of the testers stated the car had a tendancy to body roll in corners. After a couple of Months in my little Fabia I've got to say, where is the roll?. I find the handling of the car to be great and yes, I could make it roll in corners if I were to take them at silly speeds, as you could with any, but for normal driving the car performs as well as any other supermini I have driven. I must say I also love the gearbox and where Whatcar get the idea that the gear change is "sloppy" I'll never know( see whatcar review). One thing I did notice in a review video, it was claimed 'vague steering' and the driver waggled the steering from side to side whilst driving in a straight line andthe car didn't seem to respond. However if I do that in mine I get immediate response from the very sharp steering. So all in all I reckon it's a superb drive but do wonder, do these cars vary in minute detail when they come off the production line i.e. are some better than others?...

Most of these so called car testers live on a different planet, they copy details from the makers brochures, and from any other literature they can find. As to the actual drive tests they seem to think it is very clever to drive as if on a race track, and are more concerned with a sound system or the colour of the key fob than details people are actually interested in. As you have found out most of this type of review is unreliable.

When I reviewed the Fabia 11 many of the testers stated the car had a tendancy to body roll in corners. After a couple of Months in my little Fabia I've got to say, where is the roll?. I find the handling of the car to be great and yes, I could make it roll in corners if I were to take them at silly speeds, as you could with any, but for normal driving the car performs as well as any other supermini I have driven. I must say I also love the gearbox and where Whatcar get the idea that the gear change is "sloppy" I'll never know( see whatcar review). One thing I did notice in a review video, it was claimed 'vague steering' and the driver waggled the steering from side to side whilst driving in a straight line andthe car didn't seem to respond. However if I do that in mine I get immediate response from the very sharp steering. So all in all I reckon it's a superb drive but do wonder, do these cars vary in minute detail when they come off the production line i.e. are some better than others?...

I no longer think WC is a very reliable source. Its info is often out of date and inconsistent, and I perceive a bias in favour of VW's products over its group siblings

eg point against the Fabia: 'curtain airbags standard only on top of the range model ' (I believe they are a cost option on all versions of WC's supermini of the year, the Polo!).

The Fabia estate's 'engines are noisy' (The same engines as in the hatch and other VW superminis. I think they're probably referring to the previous PD engines as the 1.6tdi and 1.2 tsi engines are generally reviewed as refined).

Seat Ibiza: 'dated engines let the side down'. Similar range in other VW group superminis and curiously WC's favourite Polo is the venerable 1.4 petrol, an engine now superseded in the Fabia.

Edited 8 January, 201115 yr by helix

When I reviewed the Fabia 11 many of the testers stated the car had a tendancy to body roll in corners. After a couple of Months in my little Fabia I've got to say, where is the roll?. I find the handling of the car to be great and yes, I could make it roll in corners if I were to take them at silly speeds, as you could with any, but for normal driving the car performs as well as any other supermini I have driven. I must say I also love the gearbox and where Whatcar get the idea that the gear change is "sloppy" I'll never know( see whatcar review). One thing I did notice in a review video, it was claimed 'vague steering' and the driver waggled the steering from side to side whilst driving in a straight line andthe car didn't seem to respond. However if I do that in mine I get immediate response from the very sharp steering. So all in all I reckon it's a superb drive but do wonder, do these cars vary in minute detail when they come off the production line i.e. are some better than others?...

I owned a Mk1 1.2 HTP and also still have a Mk 1 1.4 MPI Fabia. My new Greenline does have more body roll than my previous models. Its not bad body roll, its just more than my older and previous model Fabia. Wooliest gear change is on the 1.4 MPI but its not at all a problem, just woolier than the other two. Best was my old 1.2HTP which had the crispest gearbox of any car I ever owned. The Greenline gearbox is perfectly fine but not quite as good as the HTP. The HTP was the most responsive for steering but then I always slightly overinflated the tyres from book figures. It gave better mpg, improved wear characteristics and sharpened up the steering considerably. Again the Greenline is in the middle, better than the 1.4 MPI but not as sharp as the HTP. None of what I described was ever a problem or even a niggling issue.

All in all they are just differences between models but to say the roll or gearbox are questionable is to me totally wrong. Nothing actually wrong with any of them

Many of these testers probably also drive sports cars or high spec vehicles. You cant compare a little cessna aeroplane with a supersonic fighter jet.............if they just said everything was 'ok' it wouldnt make for good reading would it

Edited 8 January, 201115 yr by raisbeck

Ive no issues at all how the Fabia drives, everything is just spot on for what I want... handling, comfort and noise. Gearbox is very nice, much better than any roadtest would have you believe. They also say you cant use the HTP out of town, well thats a load of bull too Only thing I would say is fuel consumption isnt great if I use that little engine, can easily dip to low 30s!

Ive no issues at all how the Fabia drives, everything is just spot on for what I want... handling, comfort and noise. Gearbox is very nice, much better than any roadtest would have you believe. They also say you cant use the HTP out of town, well thats a load of bull too Only thing I would say is fuel consumption isnt great if I use that little engine, can easily dip to low 30s!

100 mile commute used to get me just over 400 miles before the fuel light came on with my HTP. Was about 48 mpg provided I kept to speed limits.

Edited 8 January, 201115 yr by raisbeck

I agree with helix's views of What Car - they've got a real badge snobbery going on, and it's completely unjustified. Whilst I've not actively looked for it in other marques, I bet you can find the same with the Ford Fiesta/Mazda 2 and the various collaborations between NIssan and Renault, and Peugeot and Citroën.

I agree with helix's views of What Car - they've got a real badge snobbery going on, and it's completely unjustified. Whilst I've not actively looked for it in other marques, I bet you can find the same with the Ford Fiesta/Mazda 2 and the various collaborations between NIssan and Renault, and Peugeot and Citroën.

There's hardly ever a mention that Ford Fiesta and Mazda 2 are virtually the same car. In fact Fiesta is said by most to be the better car. Ford do get great press for everything they do. The Mk1 Ka being given a perfect score of 5 stars, likewise the Focus and Mondeo scored a perfect 5 in different guises. I always wondered if these write ups reflected the sponsorship and advertising space the big boys plough in to the media?.

I'm hoping to give my 1.2 (70) a decent run soon. Haven't had chance since I bought it. The OBC is telling me its doing 35mpg around town. It's done 14500 miles so should be loosened up enough to perform. I'll report when I have done this on the mpg it returns.

it's bias, I don't rely on other people's opinions (the testers) apart from my own when buying a car.

it's bias, I don't rely on other people's opinions (the testers) apart from my own when buying a car.

+1

What Car has gone really downhill. I know people who take their word for gospel. This results in said person slagging off Skoda's saying they are outdated and don't match Audi's and VW's.

Edited 9 January, 201115 yr by MartynVRS

Gotta say I agree Horkin, the road testers sometimes (often!) over criticise a vehicle if it feels different from the one they have just stepped out of. As has been said...it's as if they live on another planet sometimes. We want to know what the car is capable of when pushed, but they forget to relate that to real everyday driving sometimes...as in "it just won't go round a 90 degree corner at 60mph without understeer and loads of body roll, but the porche did it ok, so this must be a rubbish car"! Mines the standard level 2 estate. I drive enthusiastically especially on faster country roads when and where it's safe. I've yet to detect this undesirable body roll I've read about. Mine goes round corners as if on rails with minimal roll. Not saying it's the best handling car of all time but it's very forgiving and does what it's suppose to do in comfort. Now compare it to the VRS or a car like that and there'll be a notable difference obviously.

Glad you are pleased with your new car...I've driven the 1.2 3 cylinder many times and it's one of the best in the range in my opinion. Never goes wrong either...(Raisbecks bad experience aside). A lovely engine to work on too for servicing.

+1

What Car has gone really downhill. I know people who take their word for gospel. This results in said person slagging off Skoda's saying they are outdated and don't match Audi's and VW's.

Being a substantial monthly, and by presenting itself as a consumer mag, WC has managed to achieve an image of authority that some of its weekly competitors lack.

However WC, like all publications, has a market it wishes to appeal to. In WC's case it seems increasingly aimed at an affluent home counties type reader who wants to read about cars that match their self image. Last month's issue's Personal Shopper article featured a full time mum in her late twenties who's 'hectic family life means (she) needs a large, classy 4x4'. The car would be used for the school run and local trips. Budget: £42k. Nothing against the mum or her choice if that's what she wants and can afford, but it does give an indication of where WC's marketing is.

Edited 9 January, 201115 yr by helix

Glad you are pleased with your new car...I've driven the 1.2 3 cylinder many times and it's one of the best in the range in my opinion. Never goes wrong either...(Raisbecks bad experience aside). A lovely engine to work on too for servicing.

Just to put Horkins mind at rest. The fault on mine was a design fault in a minority of early HTP engines. They replaced the head with a modified/cured head. The fault was failed valve seats resulting in poor valve sealing giving failure to start and rough idle. This is caused by heat distortion when doing extended high speed for long periods. Maybe my trips down the the motorway at questionable speeds to Wales and back did it. Yours will have the modified head so your fine. Driving and efficiency point of view its a cracking little engine.

That whole engine episode was my one bad experience with Skoda. It was out of Waranty period and after much negotiation they payed half the entire cost. This was only after I proved the head was redesigned due to the known fault. I could have gone to court and easily won but to be honest the car was fixed at moderate expense to me and I just dont have the tme or energy to take it as far as i could have. As the car was only £7000 brand new for a silverline 1.2 HTP I dont consider myself out of pocket for what I got out of the car. The Skoda dealer who repaired it werent one of the best from customer service point of view.

I nearly lefft Skoda after this but ultimately the best car for the money is imho a Fabia for the trips I do.

My new Skoda dealer where I live now is excellent.

Edited 9 January, 201115 yr by raisbeck

Just to put Horkins mind at rest. The fault on mine was a design fault in a minority of early HTP engines. They replaced the head with a modified/cured head. The fault was failed valve seats resulting in poor valve sealing giving failure to start and rough idle. This is caused by heat distortion when doing extended high speed for long periods. Maybe my trips down the the motorway at questionable speeds to Wales and back did it. Yours will have the modified head so your fine. Driving and efficiency point of view its a cracking little engine.

That whole engine episode was my one bad experience with Skoda. It was out of Waranty period and after much negotiation they payed half the entire cost. This was only after I proved the head was redesigned due to the known fault. I could have gone to court and easily won but to be honest the car was fixed at moderate expense to me and I just dont have the tme or energy to take it as far as i could have. As the car was only £7000 brand new for a silverline 1.2 HTP I dont consider myself out of pocket for what I got out of the car. The Skoda dealer who repaired it werent one of the best from customer service point of view.

I nearly lefft Skoda after this but ultimately the best car for the money is imho a Fabia for the trips I do.

My new Skoda dealer where I live now is excellent.

Raisbeck, thanks for reply re Estate Mans post. It's always good to read of others plights sad as they may be for the individual, as it does serve as a pointer .

I'm glad it was resolved in such a way that you have not given up on Skoda. I too had a bad experience with my Mk1 Estate 1.9Tdi Elegance. A truly great car but my problems started with binding brakes.The Skoda Dealer I bought it from had ceased trading, the car was nearly 5 years old and it also being a brake related issue I never persued the possibility of a warranty claim. I took the car to my local Skoda specialist and they stripped and greased the calipers. It was no better so a call to Skoda by them resulted in them changing the Master Cyl. Even worse, as I drove the brakes would apply themselves and it was blue smoke time, filling the cab with an acrid stench!!. It was possible to pump the brake pedal and they would 'free' for a time. Another call to Skoda and the Servo was changed. By this time I was negotiating with the garage who offered to not charge me for labour as a goodwill gesture. It turned out to be a faulty Servo and the problem was solved after over £400 and a lot of grief!! The point of telling all this is that I too could have lost faith in the brand but accepted this is not a common fault with the Fabia and I had just been unlucky. It happens!!.

I wouldn't describe my car as "roly poly". It's anything but in fact! In normal driving, and even driving quickly it is very well controlled and not a lot of body lean at all. It's very comfortable too, and to get both at the same time is harder than you might think

When you really press on hard, it can get bouncy and it rolls and loses composure, but it isn't set up for vRS driving capabilities, so I can't criticise it for that. Even so, stay within a sensible limit and it's very capable!.

It all comapres what you are basing the amount of roll on.

I definitely felt the body roll on the vRS, but thats due to my last car having coilovers, font/rear ARBs etc, so there was very very little roll. ill be fitting a Rear ARB to get rid and get rid of the understeer a little more

It all comapres what you are basing the amount of roll on.

I definitely felt the body roll on the vRS, but thats due to my last car having coilovers, font/rear ARBs etc, so there was very very little roll. ill be fitting a Rear ARB to get rid and get rid of the understeer a little more

Good point, well made!

If you are used to driving hot-hatches/performance cars a 1.2 70bhp Fabia will feel like it has a comical amount of body roll and also the engine will feel like it's not able to pull the skin off a rice-pudding.......

My Mk1 is a bit soft on the suspension, but it rolls/lurches less that the Mk2s I have driven. I think this is because the driver sits lower down in the Mk1 than in the Mk2. Lurching would thus be noticed more by fat gits like myself. The advantage of the Mk2 is that the higher seat makes it easier to get in and out.

Good point, well made!

If you are used to driving hot-hatches/performance cars a 1.2 70bhp Fabia will feel like it has a comical amount of body roll and also the engine will feel like it's not able to pull the skin off a rice-pudding.......

True mate but my days of Vrs/ hot hatch type driving are well and truly over. But this thread is not about comparing a 1.2 (70) to a Vrs, only an idiot would do that. It's about Whether the Fabia criticism is justified and it appears most people agree, the little Fabia does NOT roll in corners any more than any comparable Super mini. I reckon ther's a bit of jealousy in some quarters of the media that Skoda manage to build a reletavely tall car with good body control.

True mate but my days of Vrs/ hot hatch type driving are well and truly over. But this thread is not about comparing a 1.2 (70) to a Vrs, only an idiot would do that. It's about Whether the Fabia criticism is justified and it appears most people agree, the little Fabia does NOT roll in corners any more than any comparable Super mini. I reckon ther's a bit of jealousy in some quarters of the media that Skoda manage to build a reletavely tall car with good body control.

I think you're right about the media being down on skoda sometimes, the fabia is a cracking little car. For sure it will roll about abit when pushed hard through the twisty bits but the trade-off is excellent ride quality which is what most people in the target market are after. I'm sure it doesn't roll any more than other comparable superminis (Ford fiesta aside). Can't wait to take delivery of my fab vRS now, only a few weeks to go woohoo!

Been driving my 1.2HTP (70) for a couple of weeks now and it has significantly LESS body roll than the big (by comparison) 4 door saloon I used to drive. The gearbox is also fantastic by comparison, love the way it slips in to gear with a flick of the stick, not at all like the notchy early 90's style thing in the Nubira I used to have.

My Fab was really rolly polly until I got the Eibachs put on it - its still rolly now but nowhere near as much. Stiff enough to allow the unloaded tyre to spin up if your being even a bit vicious round a tight bend or roundabout.

I did find it a bit alarming when I first got the car and barrelled into a bend thinking it would be "sporty" only to feel the car rolling. Didn`t make that mistake again until I had the springs done!

Heh, a standard Fabia is nowhere near sporty and isn't supposed to be either You would get the inside wheel spinning up with softer suspension. If you've gone much stiffer, that issue should have reduced, not increased. And I think we now see the reason for your fuel economy

ha ha, yes maybe initially but I stopped being quite such a hoodlum with it now, much prefer to granny drive unless someone annoys me. Fuel economy was in the 20s when I first got it, still only just starting to improve. Still a long way off the official Skoda figures!

Will be dropping it on a set of coilies and some ARBs soon, get rid of the bodyroll totally.

ha ha, yes maybe initially but I stopped being quite such a hoodlum with it now, much prefer to granny drive unless someone annoys me. Fuel economy was in the 20s when I first got it, still only just starting to improve. Still a long way off the official Skoda figures!

Will be dropping it on a set of coilies and some ARBs soon, get rid of the bodyroll totally.

I like what you have done with your motors but just curious why you would buy a 1.2 Fabia and then spank a load of cash modding it with vRS wheels, aftermarket suspension, bodykit etc etc when you could buy a VRS in the first place (and then mod that if that takes your fancy)......?