Fabia 1.0 TSI 110hp - What are they like to live with?

[MATT0693]

Hi All,

 

Just wondering if there are any 1.0 TSi owners that could share their views on living with one? (Noise, Comfort, Economy etc.)

The wife has just put a deposit down on a 2018 Fabia Redline to replace her Fiesta Ecoboost, the car is mostly for the school run and town driving with the occasional motorway trip.

The Fabia seems to have less spec and have higher running costs on paper, hopefully the quality wins over the Ford!

 

 

[ettlz]

To live with? Well, few Fabias are house-trained so mine lives out in the garage.

 

Nevertheless, I find mine is very economical (on a par with or better than my parents' Up!) if driven carefully: 55-60mpg reported on an extended, flattish run. (Real fuel economy depends heavily on driving style anyway. Floor it at the right moment and you'll see 8mpg.) Engine nice and torquey when needed; good you're getting the 110PS variant, it does have a small but noticeable extra shove over the 95. Noise is fine for a car of its size (once you're used to a 3-cylinder growl), apart from a few trim rattles and a faint, annoying buzz from the touch-screen. Comfort? Seems alright, I've no complaints nor have I ever had any from passengers. I rank the rear visibility in the better end for its size class.

Edited 4 May, 2021 by ettlz

[Planetse]

 

Having owned numerus Ford and still do along side our Fabia. I can honestly say, the Fabia is not in the same refinement league. Fiesta has better handling, far less road noise and feels a much better drive than the 1ltr Fabia. Trim level is much better on the ford.  

 

That aside, the Fabia is great for the price. Good mpg, same power delivery and great to live with. Less problematic than the Ford, cheaper to fix. Redline a little lacking on speck. Monti is the one to go for.   

Edited 4 May, 2021 by Planetse

[MATT0693]

2 hours ago, ettlz said:

To live with? Well, few Fabias are house-trained so mine lives out in the garage.

 

Nevertheless, I find mine is very economical (on a par with or better than my parents' Up!) if driven carefully: 55-60mpg reported on an extended, flattish run. (Real fuel economy depends heavily on driving style anyway. Floor it at the right moment and you'll see 8mpg.) Engine nice and torquey when needed; good you're getting the 110PS variant, it does have a small but noticeable extra shove over the 95. Noise is fine for a car of its size (once you're used to a 3-cylinder growl), apart from a few trim rattles and a faint, annoying buzz from the touch-screen. Comfort? Seems alright, I've no complaints nor have I ever had any from passengers. I rank the rear visibility in the better end for its size class.

Thanks for the feedback, she is used to the three cylinder noise from the Ford. The rattles are probably no different to my VRS! 

 

11 minutes ago, Planetse said:

 

Having owned numerus Ford and still do along side our Fabia. I can honestly say, the Fabia is not in the same refinement league. Fiesta has better handling, far less road noise and feels a much better drive than the 1ltr Fabia. Trim level is much better on the ford.  

 

That aside, the Fabia is great for the price. Good mpg, same power delivery and great to live with. Less problematic than the Ford, cheaper to fix. Redline a little lacking on speck. Monti is the one to go for.   

 

Ouch, not sure she will be happy then! 

The road noise on the Ford was one of the gripes, along with all the things that go wrong with it. 

 

We have looked at a few Monti's, I think the interior swayed her towards the Redline. 

 

 

[Planetse]

Fabia are not quiet at all. Road noise is much worse than on the Fiesta. Ride and feel is much worse also. WOOPS. Not a great swap then.

 

[MATT0693]

9 minutes ago, Planetse said:

Fabia are not quiet at all. Road noise is much worse than on the Fiesta. Ride and feel is much worse also. WOOPS. Not a great swap then.

 

 

Luckily there is a 14day no quibble money back guarantee. May be worth handing it back and looking at other manufacturers.

 

She picks it up tomorrow so we will find out.

[matthall94]

I find my 1.0 tsi 95 very easy to live with considering my last car was a golf gti. It strikes a fine balance between cheap everyday motoring with some nice things thrown in too like smartlink etc. Only things I don’t like are the windy windows in the back, no one touch windows in the front and how basic the seats are (colour edition) 

 

never had an issue with road noise, mines on Dunlop tyres, my golf was on Bridgestone and was much louder in comparison. 

Edited 5 May, 2021 by matthall94

[mark999]

I’m really impressed with our 1.0tsi 110 Estate. It very much has the feel of our old Octy Scout. A keen driver wouldn’t be very impressed with the handling, I don’t find it quite sharp enough - but it’s safe and predictable. 
The ride is good and once loaded it’s very impressive. On the performance front I still miss the torque of the diesel, but as the engine is loosening up it’s getting much more flexible.

The best recommendation is an extended test drive - which you’ve effectively got with the 14 day money back guarantee.

Hope this helps.

Mark

[gumdrop]

Fabia Estate Monte Carlo 1L 110ps Fuel economy good, Performance very good, fitted with top box for camping

carried everything including the kitchen sink. Loved it

[logiclee]

If ride and noise are the main concern avoid the Monte with wide low profile tyres and sports suspension.  Try an SE perhaps?

 

My wife tried the Monte but the low speed town ride was far too unsettled and that's where our Fabia spends all it's time.

Edited 9 May, 2021 by logiclee

[MATT0693]

Hi All,

 

Although the car was quite a pleasant drive, we rejected it due to some issues. We have opted for a higher-spec Polo.

 

Looks like she'll be using my VRS for the week.

 

 

[hetty1]

 I  have had a 2017   Fabia sel 110 estate for over a year now and its been a good car.  Regular readers will know it had two unexpected repairs ( wheel bearing and water pump) and    I wont deny they took the shine off my ownership.  Even with those faults  I   still like the decent torque( 129 pounds per square foot) that comes in at only 1400 rpm and  that definitely reduces the need for frequent gear changes. That has got to be an asset in town driving?   The boot is very large but  I dont suppose thats an issue on the school run?   I havent had a Ford for eighteen years now and my 1996  Fiesta wasnt bad overall  but it was no better on fuel than my current car which has a lot more power.  I think the  Fabia is, generally. a well built car, not sure about the Ford.  I definitely think the Fabia is worth considering all in all.  Pricewise, it is competitive.

[Shaw8670]

I've had a 110tsi for 2 weeks. After a 140tdi Octavia it is not much slower. Punchy revvy engine, returning low 50s to the gallon. Accelerates from 60-90mph briskly. When you look at the performance figures they're about the same as an 80s xr2.... As I understand it, the 110 is the only 1.0litre that has a 6 speed box, which quietens things down. I've bought a set of 16 inch alloys and will put 205 tyres on as I feel it doesn't out enough rubber on the road on 60 profile 15s.

[Carlston]

5 hours ago, Shaw8670 said:

I've bought a set of 16 inch alloys and will put 205 tyres on as I feel it doesn't out enough rubber on the road on 60 profile 15s.

 

The Fabia MK3 uses 215/45R16 not 205/45R16.

 

It's easy enough to fit 205/55R15 instead of 185/60R15 to the 6Jx15 ET38 rims.

 

Uniroyal Rainsport 5 205/55R15 88V

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m53b0s289p188338/Uniroyal_Tyres_Car_Uniroyal_RainSport_5_-_205_55_R15_88V_TL_Fuel_Eff_%3A_C_Wet_Grip%3A_A_NoiseClass%3A_2_Noise%3A_71dB

 

However, 195/60R15 might be preferable to 205/55R15 as it's a more common and cheaper tyre size. There's a lack of choice in the 205/55R15 size, especially good all-season tyres.

 

Vredestein Quatrac 195/60R15 88H

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m138b0s7993p202144/Vredestein_Tyres_All_Season_Car_Vredestein_Quatrac_6_-_195_60_R15_88H_TL_Fuel_Eff_%3A_C_Wet_Grip%3A_B_NoiseClass%3A_2_Noise%3A_70dB

 

Edited 23 June, 2021 by Carlston