Been loaned a 1.2 TDI Greenline while my local dealer tries for yet another time to sort my slightly poorly Monster and fix the front park sensors they managed to completely disable (and so far failed to restore) :S

Have driven quite a few versions of the Fabia I & II (including the vRS) and we currently have an example of each in the household (1.2 HTP 54 Classic and 1.2TSI 85 Elegance), however this is my first drive of a Greenline and sad to say so far I'm not a fan. Engine sounds very agricultural even when warm, the long gears felt awkwardly spaced, finding myself in 3rd or 4th for most of the rural A road drive home; very uncomfortable in 5th at national speed limits. Also normally prefer smaller and narrower tyres to the modern trend for wide low profile rubber bands but this Greenline appeared to have a tendancy to wander about, didn't fill you with confidence that it was holding the road. Even the extra 20mpg showing on the fuel computer could not persuade me to replace the TSI for one of these.

Appreciate this is only a brief observation but for me either the HTP or TSI are far superior motors.

TP

Sorry you don't like it. Lots of rave reviews on hear. It would not be my sort of car either, great to get another opinion. Hope the yeti gets sorted soon

It's an aquired taste Plumber.

You get used to how it likes to be driven.

Problem is you are used to a quieter/smoother/more powerful vehicle.

Had my Greenline II for a year and I only notice the engine noise on start up now.

And yes, you do have to rev it a bit before changing up.

Try 5th before 52mph and you are wasting your time, but it does 60/70mph just fine.

Driving a Greenline is like learning to drive all over again! I've had mine 4 months and have only recently really got used to the gears. Sure it's noisy on start up but fairly quiet when up to speed. The tip is to ignore the gear change indicator don't shift up before you hit 2200rpm -if you can keep it between 1750 and 2000rpm when cruising it's at it's best, that said don't be afraid to rev it (a lot higher) when you need to -it's more economical than grinding away in a high gear waiting for it to pick up, this engine just hates to be labored.

I am a bit perverse though -I really love to drive small cars with small engines -I think they are far more fun than big cars with big engines.

I agree that they are not everyones cup of tea, however I have had mine for only a couple of weeks and done nearly 1000 miles a week and it has been great

The extra 30mpg I am getting over my old car is saving me a fortune 9especially when you fill up in ROI and get mileage allowance....this coupled with no tax and the drop in insurance (nearly £350) mean Im quids in...and thats why I got it.

My days of blasting around hot hatches and bigger are over (until the mid life crisis hit) sothis wee car is perfect for trndling up and down to the office and meetings.

Admittedly its taken me a few miles to get used to driving it ie ignore the gear change indicator and drop a few gears to get it up to speed then cruise in 5th...but ahh well give it time and Ill not even know Im doing it