Just thought I would share my opinions, after the first month, of my Fabia MkIV SE Comfort 1.0 TSI 110PS DSG.

 

The main reason for a share is having just returned from its first real test, a weekend trip to Scotland and back visiting family.

 

My first few weeks have been just tootling around town with only a couple of slightly longer journeys but never enough to properly get things tested out.

It has been more like a period of feeling my way around the car and getting used to the different elements.

This weekend, however, has been a really good test.

260 mile round trip between home (just south of Newcastle) and Edinburgh.

Tyne Tunnel / A19 / A1 all the way giving a decent combination of 60 and 70 mph roads under varying conditions.

Outward journey early Saturday morning saw pretty uncomfortable rainy weather the majority of the way there with not too bad traffic conditions and a full load.

Quite impressed by 52 MPG on the trip computer.  I know there is always comment about the inaccuracies of these things but, to my mind, it gives a general guide and if that is all that is used it is always compared to its own previous readings, so suits me.

The return journey early this morning had a slightly lighter load and not so much bad weather but had a couple of lengthy sections stuck at 50 behind HGV traffic. This really seemed to push the economy giving me a very healthy 57.6 MPG.

I also noticed quite a number of decent stretches of 'coasting' which would have helped this figure, I guess.

The real bonus features I found were with the actual drive quality.

That wee 1.0 engine just purred along and never felt under-powered. Combined with the silky smoothness of the DSG gearbox and the general suspension, road noise level and overall comfort of the ride made this car a joy to drive.

Even my good lady wife was happy and she hates travelling.  She has always been extremely prone to travel sickness, which was one of the reasons for going to the DSG box, but this trip had her rather happy we had made this choice!

 

Overall I felt that this small car felt like it was bigger, more powerful and more 'upmarket' than it should.

One month and 600 miles in and I'm a happy Fabia-ist.

Had my Fabia SE Comfort 1.0TSI 110PS DSG now for 6 months this week.

Really very pleased with it on all sorts of levels.

The driving experience is wonderful and, don't know if it is down to it being badged as 'comfort', I truly found it to be extremely comfortable.

Before retiring I was a professional driver, often driving multiple cars each day, and this is the first one where I have sat in the seat, adjusted the distance and the steering wheel height, and never had to change it since.

The DSG gearbox is a dream. You can simply forget about it apart from the odd times you need a swift getaway then just click the gearshift to select 'S' mode.

There are other wee tiny elements that I love like the inner door pull handles and the boot hanging pull which just make me happy!

Small things of joy.

I do have a few niggles. Things that I really DON'T like but they are minor and probably down to my own taste.

Don't like the way I can set the computer fuel consumption to 'from last fill' but it always seems to revert back to 'from start', which only gives you consumption for each short trip.

Absolutely HATE the infotainment system and the way it will only put USB albums in alphabetical order.

Hate that so much that I am seriously sourcing a portable CD player to plug in.

 

Anyway.   All round great car.

Another month in and another round trip of 280-ish miles from Newcastle area to Edinburgh.   

A great (driving wise) trip once again returning trip computer figures of 58mpg one way and 60mpg back again.   

This is truly a superb small engine car, from my perspective. 

Clocked up 2300 miles, from new, on this journey and have never felt the wee engine to be under powered. 

Managed to get the computer mileage stabilised at 'from last fill' but not really sure how I did it. 

Have stopped using USB music now, and just sticking to radio 4, as I simply can NOT come to terms with my huge collections of albums all coming up in alphabetical order.

If I could only get that one thing fixed I would be a happy chappy. 

Am now in the mindset of sourcing a plug-in portable CD player that is not too intrusive.

For all the supposed 'advances' in technology in these fine cars this, to me, is the major retrograde step. All I ask is a built-in CD player!

Anyway. Passed another milestone to emphasize how great this car is.