I find it greatly amusing that someone is calling a Kia/Hyundai a souless box, yet they themselves drive a Fabia? hardly the epitomie of style now is it? it's just an over priced square box on wheels.

I bet Kia's and Hyundai's dont have leaky doors or a stutter either!

The Difference is, that Kia/Hyundai etc know what they are, they are a budget manufacturer producing cheap reliable vehicles, which is what Skoda need to realise they are too, Instead of producing expensive un-reliable cheap feeling and looking vehicles.

If you were desparate to buy VAG but wanted a bit of style or flair then you'd get a Seat, not a Skoda, People buy Skoda's because they (were) cheap, not because they look good, so in your analogy of miserly Kia/Hyundai buyers, you must be including yourself.

The fact that there are 7 year warranties just shows how confident they are in their products, Skoda clearly aren't confident that their cars are put together well enough to offer that kind of warranty.

We've been getting stiffed on warranties in the UK for years now, certain states in the USA require all new vehicles to be sold with 5 years warranties covering everything! most manufacturers offer significantly better warranties in the states than we ever get here, unfortunately its our own fault for letting ourselves be treated that way.

it's just an over priced square box on wheels.

So are ALL cars. Compare with GM, Ford, VW etc... Fabia is not bad value. Compared with Korean stuff perhaps but which one can be sold in 5 years time

I bet Kia's and Hyundai's dont have leaky doors or a stutter either!

Ehm... I had 2 Hyundai Pony's a D Reg 1986 1.3 L 5dr and a G Reg 1990 1.5 GLS 4dr (back in the early 1990's). The first one was a good car, but rotted like mad. The 2nd was a nightmare. Both cars stutered badly and the dealer could not cure them.

OK new ones are a little better but having test drove a Getz in 2004, I was not that impressed with it. Price etc was good but I knew I just could not live with it - so I bought a Fabia. Also the engine was rough.

The fact that there are 7 year warranties just shows how confident they are in their products, Skoda clearly aren't confident that their cars are put together well enough to offer that kind of warranty.

Tell me of a car manufacturer apart from Kia/Hyundai who offer more than 3 years. Most only offer 1/2 years if you are lucky. Skoda offer 3.

It is a brave move by the Hyundai group to offer long warranties. I am not saying the product is bad, just IMHO the Koreans have not moved their game along enough. True the Coupe is good - but look the Coupe came out 11 years ago and there do not seem to have been any major changes to it.

That said the Cee'd does not look that bad so who knows..

The wrong side indicaters actually is the correct side if you're doing a proper swap from LHD to RHD - you don't have a wasted hand. The Japs always did it but changed for the euro market, the Koreans have yet to do that and I say good on them.

That's how ALL cars are in LHD countries and how they should be over here - indicate whilst changing gear etc (Sorry Chris - promise I wouldn't do such a thing! )

Tell me of a car manufacturer apart from Kia/Hyundai who offer more than 3 years. Most only offer 1/2 years if you are lucky. Skoda offer 3.

It is a brave move by the Hyundai group to offer long warranties. I am not saying the product is bad, just IMHO the Koreans have not moved their game along enough. True the Coupe is good - but look the Coupe came out 11 years ago and there do not seem to have been any major changes to it.

That said the Cee'd does not look that bad so who knows..

So you are saying that this:

Hyundai | Choose | Coupe

is no different than the one from 11 years ago

Lets not forget that these people started out by paying Mitsubishi for their technology, rather than having to be bought out by someone who was brave enough because they were very much up **** creek without a paddle

Warranties are all well and good, but it's still an inconvinience if your car breaks, and all Skoda dealers I have been to have been pretty crap with dealing with problems and everything seems to be a "Common Problem", but of course that is just my personal experience.

My summary is, is remember that these people are who they are, they are not rebadged parts bin produce from someone else,

I like Skodas, and when I get the money I want to come back, but Hyundai Simply offered me something better for less money, and who doesent want that, apart from badge snobs.

Watch this space.... people turned to skoda because they were cheap VWs... now they are over priced so you may as well buy a VW for same money or turn to seat.

People dont buy cars for long term anymore so if kia are cheap mark my words... people WILL buy them.

So are ALL cars. Compare with GM, Ford, VW etc... Fabia is not bad value. Compared with Korean stuff perhaps but which one can be sold in 5 years time

I disagree, there are some very nice looking small cars out there, Fiat Grande Punto for example, Alfa Romeo, even the Fiesta is quite a nice looking car, but the Fabia is simply a series of rectangles, there is no real 'design' or 'style' in it at all, if you asked a computer or someone who'd never seen a car before to design the simplest possible shape for a car they'd probably come up with something very similar to the Fabia.

And the residuals are no better than anything else, worse if anything due to the fact people still dont like the badge .

Ehm... I had 2 Hyundai Pony's a D Reg 1986 1.3 L 5dr and a G Reg 1990 1.5 GLS 4dr (back in the early 1990's). The first one was a good car, but rotted like mad. The 2nd was a nightmare. Both cars stutered badly and the dealer could not cure them.

It's hardly fair to compare a 20 year old car to a modern one, but if thats how you judge your Fabia then it doesn't bode well for the Fabia if thats what it looks good alongside!

I can just see the new adverts now -

'Buy the new Skoda Fabia, it's better than a 20 year old Hyundai Pony - (just)'

Tell me of a car manufacturer apart from Kia/Hyundai who offer more than 3 years. Most only offer 1/2 years if you are lucky. Skoda offer 3.

Unfortunately in the UK we get shafted on warranties, buy a VW in the USA and it comes with a 5 year unlimited milage warranty, in the UK its the standard 3 years or 60k affair with first 2 years unlimited.

Skoda offer the same warranty as every other manufacturer in the uk with the exception of Kia/Hyundai and Jaguar, the uk standard warranty wether its a Ford, Vauxhall or Skoda is 2 years unlimited mileage, or until 3 years so long as the mileage stays under 60,000

The exeptions are the 5/7 year warranties from Kia/Hyundai and 3 years unlimited mileage from jaguar.

It is a brave move by the Hyundai group to offer long warranties. I am not saying the product is bad, just IMHO the Koreans have not moved their game along enough. True the Coupe is good - but look the Coupe came out 11 years ago and there do not seem to have been any major changes to it.

Personally I find that a most ridiculous statement, the Koreans and the chinese are moving the game on faster than any other manufacturers, they've done more in less time than any other manufacturer has ever.

If you think the Hyundai Coupe hasn't changed in 11 years since the days of the S-Coupe then you should get your eyes tested and then go drive one, your in for a huge shock and a rather nasty reality bite as you realise how much better the quality and build of it is than most other mainstream manufacturers including VAG.

IIf you were desparate to buy VAG but wanted a bit of style or flair then you'd get a Seat, not a Skoda, People buy Skoda's because they (were) cheap, not because they look good, so in your analogy of miserly Kia/Hyundai buyers, you must be including yourself.

I actually bought my Mk1 Octavia vRS because I liked the looks. When they came out in 2001 I remember seeing one and thought that if finances allowed, I would have one at some point in the future. I could have bought a more expensive car, my finances aren't so bad that I have to buy a Skoda, but when one of the last Mk1 cars came up for

Hey Skinnyman, anyone who disses a Capri V6 driver is just showing themself up as an idiot.

And ref the original Kia and Hyundai stuff; I bought the Octy cos it checked all the important boxes for me; the Koreans have yet to produce anything that checks the "driving appeal" one.

I guess it's all subjective really, personally I dont find Skoda's very nice looking, they all look the same just different sizes.

As for Capri's, RWD Rules!!

Surely Kia/Hyundai and Skoda are all chasing the same market segment?

Exactly, but Skoda seem to think they are on the next rung up the ladder, sadly, and too there cost, they are not. hence all the dealers closing all over the shop!

OK new ones are a little better but having test drove a Getz in 2004, I was not that impressed with it. Price etc was good but I knew I just could not live with it - so I bought a Fabia. Also the engine was rough.

Which Getz couldn't you live with and what Fabia do you drive?

Which Getz couldn't you live with and what Fabia do you drive?

Also you drove a pre-facelift. Hyundai listen to Criticism and react to it quickly. Face lift model is much more refined, certainly more refined than a Fabia, though the engine is a bit noisier at high revs.

Surely you would have noticed that it handles better too

And they're a lot quicker than the equivalent Fabia and have arguably the best gearchange of any small car

But its not a Fabia. ergo - it must be rubbish

And they're a lot quicker than the equivalent Fabia and have arguably the best gearchange of any small car

Yup, it uses a double synchro thingy

This is the interior on mine (Facelift) and as for quality can anyone pick at it,

Well, it looks like the gear lever would be awkward for block shifts.

More seriously, how do you expect us to comment on feel of materials and "squeak and rattle" type fit from photos? All I can say is that there's a lot light, silvery looking plastic bits in the arm rests and dashboard, and I don't like that sort of thing any more in a £500_000 car than in a £5_000 one.

Well, it looks like the gear lever would be awkward for block shifts.

More seriously, how do you expect us to comment on feel of materials and "squeak and rattle" type fit from photos? All I can say is that there's a lot light, silvery looking plastic bits in the arm rests and dashboard, and I don't like that sort of thing any more in a

Yup, it uses a double synchro thingy

This is the interior on mine (Facelift) and as for quality can anyone pick at it,

Looks good, nice fresh and modern... one of my only two gripes about my VRS was that the dash design was stuck in the 1990's

Was reading in this weeks Autocar about the Kia (sorry to go back on topic)

It has 2 Aux sockets for mp3 players, Skoda have only just added it to the Octavia.

Sometimes it's little details that swing peoples buying decisions.

I have family with Kia and Hyndai cars. I used to laugh at them because I have a Fabia vRS and thought I got a great deal, i.e. a VW quality car for less money blah, blah ,blah, and I thought there's were nasty Korean skips. The tables are turned, I was picked up from the Skoda dealer in a Kia (or Hyundai) when the Fabia's brakes were faulty, when the doors started leaking, the 2 visits so far for the (unresolved) faulty gearbox that won't go into 2nd when warm, the trip for the broken central locking, the second visit for the leaking doors, then the light clusters full of condensation.......and on and on to this day.

And for the Korean pair, no faults at all. Who makes the nasty cars? It's not the Korean's.

I have family with Kia and Hyndai cars. I used to laugh at them because I have a Fabia vRS and thought I got a great deal, i.e. a VW quality car for less money blah, blah ,blah, and I thought there's were nasty Korean skips. The tables are turned, I was picked up from the Skoda dealer in a Kia (or Hyundai) when the Fabia's brakes were faulty, when the doors started leaking, the 2 visits so far for the (unresolved) faulty gearbox that won't go into 2nd when warm, the trip for the broken central locking, the second visit for the leaking doors, then the light clusters full of condensation.......and on and on to this day.

And for the Korean pair, no faults at all. Who makes the nasty cars? It's not the Korean's.

It's better engineering and design,

E.G, there are reports of Fabia owners having to shell out over £600 on new ECU's because they have suffered water ingress. Well duh, if you mount it in the engine bay what do you expect. Hyundai stick it behind all the pedals inside the car. Also theres posts about air con/heating system flap motors getting stuck on the Fabia, with the hyundai, there heater/fan/recirc are simply metal rods connected to the rotating bits. Less fuss, less expense and less to go wrong.

Also the whole of the engine bay is exposed for you to work on. Theres no plastic covering everything up. Spark plugs, cables and everything else ready to be worked on should you so wish

Getz has all round electric windows..... now even the fabia cant offer that apparently!!

Getz has all round electric windows..... now even the fabia cant offer that apparently!!

They also give you standard electric sunroof on the CDX too,

Most car makers don't bother now because of A/C

Which Getz couldn't you live with and what Fabia do you drive?

The Getz was a 1.3 Gsi 3dr (would have been a 54 plate). Looked at it when the delivery on my Fabia went wrong.

In the end the dealer got me a 1.2 12v ambiente - yes it cost