Still in the "honeymoon" period, obviously, but I thought someone might be interested...

Anyways, my job moved and since January I've been driving 40 miles each way for work everyday. My little Rover 214si had done me proud for years, and was pretty efficient too (usually got 45mpg out of it) but it was starting to age a bit since I started doing 18,000 miles a year.

Picked up the Fabia last Saturday. First impressions were good - the interior is a bit stark compared to the Rover, and the buttons and such do feel a bit cheaper, but the seats are very comfy and there are far more little storage compartments. There's better legroom in the back, which I think is to do with the seats being higher and the footwells deeper, and the boot is (obviously) cavernous by comparison - we've got some big crates in there now since the shopping went everywhere last time. The boot lid seems incredibly heavy though - more powerful lifters (if that's the right term) would be good.

Performance is much better - more overtaking oomph in particular. The clutch pedal feels much better - shorter travel and a better defined biting point. The gear level has a lighter and slightly plasticcy feel, but is more precise and much quicker and more positive. Accelerator is, erm, fine. Nice two-section feel, with good low end control then a lovely turbo surge.

The brakes are a different matter though - the Rover brakes felt much, much better. You really have to stomp the Fabia pedal to get it to slow down quickly and it doesn't feel as easy to modulate the braking pressure. It does stop suitably quickly though so it's probably down to getting used to it. I've not yet felt the ABS come on at all.

Handling and ride; the Fabia feels much better in corners - the Rover would wallow a bit and you could easily feel understeer starting, whereas the Fabia seems to go where it's pointed. The Rover was mildy more comfy over bumpy surfaces due to the softer ride, but on any normal roads the Fabia wins. The Fabia is also a lot quieter at speed - 70 in the Fabia feels like 50 did in the Rover. Obviously I've not exceeded the national speed limit, yet I am somehow sure that the Fabia cruises effortlessly at 85 and can probably go quite a bit faster if necessary.

Overall the Fabia gets a big thumbs up so far - it's averaged just over 50mpg ; I gather that should improve as the engine runs in. Also the radio is better sounding, the aircon is fantastic and it's nice to have electric windows and mirrors. We've been on a few day trips this week and they've been far, far less tiring than the same sort of journeys were in the Rover.

[edit] Doh - forgot to mention; I'll be back at work next week so if anyone seems interested I might do a commuting hell update.

nice one

Ive just done 1000 miles in my vRS that I got last Wednesday !

Once that motor is run in you'll have a problem keeping it below a ton on the motorway

Dunno how accurate the speedo is ... had to stamp on the loud pedal on the motorway this week to avoid two motorists having a road rage thing ... was doing around 100mph when it happened, looked at the speedo when these 2 clowns had passed to see it coming back from the wrong side of 120mph ... ooops !

I had some old loon swing out on the motorway - I was (of course) doing 70, not 80, he was doing about 60 and pulled over - indicating only once he started - about 20 yards ahead.

Still, at least we know the horn works now, even if the bit you push isn't in the "right" place (used to the Rover!)

Forgot something else too - the Fabia is somewhere around a foot longer than the Rover, but appears to have a turning circle at least a metre or two less wide. Neato.