]Hello,

So - I have now covered 2500 miles in my gorgeous* shiny white Fabia.

I posted an initial review back in November but thought I would give a brief update.

Positives

Performance is brilliant. It pulls excellently from 1500RPM through to 3500RPM giving a useful wide band of torque. It is impressively smooth and refined too - I often forget I'm in a diesel car when on the move.

Economy - I acheived 62.3 MPG on my twelve mile commute from near Oldham to Manchester. Admittedly, this was exceptional with traffic being lighter due to half term and I had a lucky run with the lights, but still - fantastic nonetheless. Usually, I get 50MPG without trying. On the way home, things differ and I generally get very early 40's. On the motorway I tend to average mid 50's.

Comfort - the car is incredibly comfortable. Some long runs from Manchester to London have been an absolute pleasure. The centre armrest gets a lot of use, even when commuting and it adds to the big car feel. Coming down from a new model Citroen C5 has been no hardship whatsoever. In fact, in many respects it feels like a step up.

Stereo - excellent. Really good sound quality and volume.

Space - the estate is brilliant, the seats are easily folded down and I love the removable luggage blind. It has proved to be a great load lugger - seriously impressed with how much this car can carry.

Negatives

The interior trim under the glove box is hanging off. I tried to put it back yesterday thinking it was just unclipped, but as I did this my radio crackled on and off and went into safe mode. Hmm - back to the dealers methinks.

The door seals are crap in that water drips on me if it has been raining heavily. I think this is more a design fault leading to water running onto the seals when I get into the car as opposed to general ingress or faulty seals. I'll monitor it.

So, all in all I am delighted with the car and couldn't be happier with it. I know it looks a bit dodgy, but actually, I like it. I gather that some cretins in Rochdale did too, which would explain why they were pointing at me, laughing and generally being gleeful as I was stuck in traffic outside their shop!

Hi Matty,

Glad you're liking the car. I think for the money they are an awful lot of car, much better value than a Polo. Wife has ordered a vRS estate which is due to arrive in June, long wait but one I'm looking forward to!

Hi Matty,

Glad you're liking the car. I think for the money they are an awful lot of car, much better value than a Polo. Wife has ordered a vRS estate which is due to arrive in June, long wait but one I'm looking forward to!

Yes the VRS sounds like an amazing car. I am jealous... but you know, perhaps at 31 I'm old before my time, I really like the balance of warm hatch performance and frugal economy and running costs.

Hi Matty, very glad you like your new car and you are having a good experience with it.

If it makes you feel any better, the door seal water thing is common to most cars and everyone of my cars over the last 15 years has had this water running in thing. My fabia estate does it too and so did my Merc 500SEC, my Toyota's, my Fiats, and Fords. There are many reasons why manufacturers build them like this, but aerodynamics and quietness on the move are two of them. Having said that...it doesn't happen very often and I don't regard it as a problem.

Hi Matty, as I have the same car as you (except mine is red) I hope that you will not mind if I add my impressions on the car after doing 3000 miles in it.

I agree with all your positives - especially the comfort, and I also agree with the water dripping in when the door is opened. However, I also agree with Estate Man that this seems to be common with many newer cars.

As to MPG, and this is the main reason for my choice of this particular vehicle, I am becoming more and more pleasantly surprised. A leisurely trip from Essex to Manchester this weekend returned 63.5 MPG and a more frantic return (65-75 MPH) still managed over 60 MPG. I have noticed that I have to travel more than six miles to achieve over 50 MPG and twenty to break 60 MPG, but as I live in the middle of the countryside where even a return trip to the supermarket is a 14 mile trek this is not a problem.

Possibly related to the length of my journeys, in all the 3000 miles I have never had the DPF light on and have never been aware of a DPF regeneration cycle happening.

One thing I have noticed from my old car (Toyota Avensis) is that the ride is bumpier - It may be stiffer suspension, but I am personally blaming this on the low profile tyres fitted to the "Elegance" I am not a great fan of low profile tyres :(

Interesting to hear that Im not alone with the door seal issue! Im sure I had some water ingress a few weeks ago when I had to drive through a large puddle. Again it is something to keep an eye on. Must admit I was surprised when it happened.

My car has now done nearly 5000 miles and I think Im on my way to almost 500 miles on a tank of diesel!

Thats always been my benchmark for my diesels.

Hi Matty well I have same model as you but hatch in black magic with a few bells added,today I did a round trip of about 200miles today again, lad wants to join the Royal Navy so its a long drive from home to the recruitment office in Wrexham ,to my utter amazement I am getting over 66 miles to the gallon 2 up and on the the way back 65miles per gallon,900 miles on the clock I must have had some of the summer fuel now when the temp rises and engine loosens up yet more I will be getting amazing mpg I think :thumbup:these cr engines are truly frugal

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Edited 23 February, 201115 yr by seboni121

So is summer diesel now in the pumps?

So is summer diesel now in the pumps?

Could be starting to come through, but doesn't make a lot of difference with diesel and certainly not in the same league as winter gasoline. winterised diesel is normally achieved by using a slightly lighter cut but the refinery can't go to deeply into the barrel as it starts to cut into the kerosene fractions used for jet fuel and heating oils. Normally, to get the low temp properties it is achieved by the addition of cold flow improvers which effect the way that wax crystals are formed.

Yes the VRS sounds like an amazing car. I am jealous... but you know, perhaps at 31 I'm old before my time, I really like the balance of warm hatch performance and frugal economy and running costs.

I've recently turned 30 have driven a few but have personally never had a properly rapid car. Fastest thing i've had is probably an 1.9 CDTi 150hp Astra SRI XP. Been hankering after getting a hot hatch for ages, may well be my last as well.

Was a funny scenario, wife wanted a 1.2 TSi DSG Elegance, I was all for the vRS. Wife drove the vRS, really liked it but decided its ride was way too firm (have a baby on the way) so wrote the vRS off. We bickered about it and decided we'd leave the decision down to what would have the cheapest monthly cost. I thought i'd lost. Transpires that because the vRS has a much better future value (certainly in a PCP deal which is what we're doing) the vRS worked out a few quid a month cheaper and the decision was made! Have been smiling ever since!

I'm curious, did you ever consider the 1.2 TSi 105? Personally i'd consider that to have more warm hatch status than the CR 105; appreciate the fuel economy is nothing like as good though. I have a 2.0 TDi CR 140 MK6 Golf and I have to say i've not been overly impressed with it where performance is concerned.

Could be starting to come through, but doesn't make a lot of difference with diesel and certainly not in the same league as winter gasoline. winterised diesel is normally achieved by using a slightly lighter cut but the refinery can't go to deeply into the barrel as it starts to cut into the kerosene fractions used for jet fuel and heating oils. Normally, to get the low temp properties it is achieved by the addition of cold flow improvers which effect the way that wax crystals are formed.

Most of us with the 1422cc TDI lose about 5-6mpg on winter diesel, and it seems to be about the same on the 1.6cr we've noticed. Winter diesel has a lower calorific value, due to the flow improvers, by I think near to 5-8%, but don't quote me on that., it could be more. Winter petrol on the other hand used not to have quite so much effect on fuel consumption but it's been a long time now since I owned a petrol car so can't be too certain how modern petrol is stacking up now. If what you say about petrol is true then it must hurt lots....ouch!!

I'm curious, did you ever consider the 1.2 TSi 105?

I did consider it, as I'd driven a Yeti with that engine in it and was seriously impressed, but when I test drove a Fab with the 105 crdi the decision was made. I probably don't do enough miles to warrant the diesel (13k a year) but I just loved the way it drove. I also love the £20 per year car tax and how frugal the car is.

Congratulations on the baby!

when the temp rises and engine loosens up yet more I will be getting amazing mpg I think :thumbup:these cr engines are truly frugal

I didn't realise just how addictive chasing +60 MPG would be!

the door seal water thing is common to most cars and everyone of my cars over the last 15 years has

Hmmm, I'm surprised at this. My Citroen C5 didn't, neiher did my Kia Rio, Seat Ibiza, Honda Accord or Renault Clio. What a shameful list of past cars!!!