Skoda Fabia (2000-2026)

ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS – I bought a 2017 Skoda Fabia NJ63ND Wagon and got onto the expressway to turn on the cruise control and it didn't have it. What 2017 model car does not have cruise control as standard!!! To make things worse, you can't add it later. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!!! DON'T BUY ONE OR CHECK IT HAS CRUISE CONTROL. Show details

Has met its purpose for 6 years / 150K – Reasons we purchased: - price (we paid 22K on the road new in 2017) - practicality (from memory, this was the only small wagon available at that stage, and we wanted a wagon for more rear boot space. This has about 550Ltrs of rear boot space which is perfect for our needs) - drive/handling (from our long experience Euro cars drive/handle better)… Read more

- large sidewall tyres rather than low profile (suits us perfectly for the all B grade country Rd driving that we do) - economy (we wanted a car that didn't use much petrol as we cover about 30K miles a year in each of our 2 vehicles during non-Covid periods)

Likes: - audio system and touch panel are excellent as is the android auto - economy (doesn't use much petrol at all) - engine/acceleration (has loads of power and accel, once you're on the move - rear boot space (a very usable/large practical space for such a small car, and also includes practical touches like luggage hooks etc...) - ride/handling: is just so smooth, including being excellent on country roads as we did not go for the larger rims or low profile tyres or lowered suspension, even though we bought the higher model grade. This flexibility to choose was also a factor in purchasing. A car like this handles so much better than an SUV, which we also have. - cabin storage (quite good for a small car/wagon) - reliability (has never broken down and parts have not been as expensive as for a VW)

Dislikes: - DSG gearbox (I truly hate this at low speeds such as when approaching busy roundabouts etc... and needing to pull off quickly for safety sake and to keep moving with the traffic. It's just jerky unless you drive it a certain way. There are techniques for doing that, but they don't always work, or one doesn't always remember to do them) - exterior/interior styling is what I would describe as "Skoda Daggy" - Hard plastics abound inside, though materials quality is far better than many Japanese cars we have owned. - Park brake cover console box/arm rest was an optional extra that we didn't go for, but that I now wish I had (even though in truth it is small) - Limited dealer network for servicing in country areas.

Would I buy one again? - for practicality sake, and if funds were limited (as they were back when we purchased it) absolutely I'd buy one again. - now that we have more money than back then though, I'd probably go for a larger wagon for our second car, like a Mazda 6 or an Octavia or a VW Golf or a Subaru Outback. The Fabia Wagon has plenty of space inside and does feel like a bigger car and drives well, but it pretty much looks like a Noddy car from outside, so I sometimes feel pretty daggy when I have to drive it around, and crave a more substantial/credible size and look of vehicle.

Honest, (actual) long term review of a Skoda Fabia – Normally when I read long term reviews of cars, I'm dismayed to discover that the reviewer reviewed the car after 6 or less months and dubbed it a "long term" review. The car in particular I'm reviewing we bought in early 2013. It is a MY12 model, wagon in black with manual gearbox. We bought it as a commuter, but due to dieselgate, we ended up… Read more

selling our Skoda Octavia and the Fabia became our main car by happen stance for the rest of the 10 years we've owned the car so far. We only ever serviced it at Skoda Service shops for the life of the car, and we still have it but we've ordered a replacement car that will likely arrive in the next 6 months.

Features: * Cloth Seats * CD player with Bluetooth streaming (music) as well as hands free phone * Cruise Control (yes, even though its a manual) * Fog lights (even though they're illegal to use in VIC) * Traction Control * Power Steering * Power Windows * Power rear-vision mirrors * ABS brakes

Driving: Great to drive, plenty of power, cruises nicely over 100 km/h Fuel economy is good, usually get around 520km's per tank without running dry (costs about $80 to fill up 98 octane fuel)

Space: A heap of space, more than most small and mid sized SUV's. The back seat folds up behind the front seats and allow you to store a lot. Not very wide across, you can find yourself bumping into your significant other while doing gear changes. Also the driver will have trouble seeing past their passenger while checking their blindspots. This car has no reversing camera or blindspot detection so it can be a bit challenging sometimes.

Reliability: It has been a very reliable car. It wasn't until we hit the 8 year mark that things started to go wrong. The first thing to go was a sensor under the motor that was also leaking oil. Then the water pump went about 6 months later. At around the 10 year mark, the radiator started leaking and needed to be replaced.

Servicing: It's a euro car: not the cheapest per service. Parts are far more expensive than Korean or Japanese makers. For example the radiator was $1100 AUD installed and parts with a flush. A lot of the time you're getting parts that have a Skoda and a VW and an Audi logo on them. You're just getting them put into the least expensive of the family's cars.

Overall, the verdict is they are really great cars, and its been perfect for what we need, but compared to a toyota that you can get 366k km's out of before things start to go awry, we're at 120k km's and things are starting to go wrong. If you plan to drive it through its warranty then replace with another- probably a good deal. If you're planning to keep it long term and baby it, I would probably recommend against it.

The most amazing Euro hatchback in Australia – I bought this car back in 2017 - I had always been into European cars so I had been split between VW and Skoda. I picked the Fabia with the peace of mind of knowing that it is essentially the same thing of a VW Polo. Yet in my coming years it exceeded my expectations. Having previously owned a Polo it was definitely quite similar however… Read more

everything in the Fabia was just way better thought out and had better build quality. The quality of the Fabia was actually quite astounding, it's as if they took VW parts and improved upon them.

Driving the Fabia is a blast. The handling is super precise and whilst it's not an overly powerful car - it's so much fun to drive! It handles bends incredibly well, speeds up super smoothly and had surprisingly good breaks. The breaking is powerful enough that it saved me out of a couple of tricky situations. Fuel economy is also great however it does take 95 or above, so bear that in mind. My biggest issue with the driving is that the DSG does seem to struggle a little when going uphill. By that I mean is that it tries to "predict" the necessary gear for the situation, but rarely does it fast enough. However I quickly learned to overcome this issue by putting it into manual mode when going up hill, which is a breeze.

For a car so small it's surprisingly spacious. I managed to fit quite a significant amount of things in the back when I was moving, including an entire washing machine. I rarely ever had any issues with storage capacity with this car. The front of the car is so spacious that it feels like you're in a sedan, which is stunning. You shouldn't have any issues if you're tall/big. The downside is that the back of the car doesn't have a lot of room, which makes it not ideal for passengers.

Servicing the car has also been a breeze. Service fees vary, and whilst it's a little more expensive than any of the Asian cars, it's not a huge difference. Skoda started selling "service packs" in recent years which cover all of your service costs ahead of time - I would highly recommend this option if you're considering buying a Skoda. It saves a ton of money. I believe if you buy a 5 year service pack you're basically getting 2 free services. They also started giving 2 more years of warranty with those. Unfortunately, I didn't purchase a pack when I bought my car, although I never found the service to be expensive.

Overall the car has been incredible. I highly recommend the Fabia over the Polo if you're planning on getting a new hatchback and I am beyond excited for the new gen Fabia coming out and I hope you will be too.

Purchased 2016, recent 60k service, still going strong – Reliable with no major issues, coming up to replacement brake pads for next service. Used mostly for shopping and short commutes although have been interstate. Test drove a i30, Cerato and Peugeot 308. At the time i30 and Cerato was essentially the same old car/engines and found both drives to be a little underwhelming. i30 is quite different… Read more

now so would need to retest but at the time it came down to the Fabia or 308. Found the 308 a fantastic drive but eventually opted for the utility of a wagon and better value for the package.

Driving the Fabia (essentially the Polo under the skin) is excellent. The interior is modest but liked the simplicity opposite of the Cerato dash. Riding position sits quite high which we were used to coming from a Honda Jazz.

Been great thus far for long (Syd-Bris) and short drives. Quite fun to drive and is effortless on motorways. Interior space for wagon is incredible with rear seats down and addition of roof racks affording a great deal of space.

This was our first Euro. Would definitely consider in future upgrading to another Skoda ie. Fabia Monte Carlo or Octavia. If not wagon would likely consider a Golf hatch

THE FABIA SKODA – We bought this 2nd hand Fabia Monte Carlo skoda in February 2019.....It is so reliable and the driving position is terrific. Very economical . This car is driven by both me and my wife...she uses it for going to her casual medical work. We would definitely recommend the Fabia.

Skoda say it is clever. It sure is! – I am amazed by my wagon with the sports pack. It has a fabulous pick up for a small car. Never hesitates even tho it is set to turn off the engine when stationary. Corners magnificently very stable on the road. Fuel economy fabulous and I am using 95 octane. The car tells you about everything including tyre pressure. Yes how many Ks you got… Read more

for ur tank of petrol. It is a green car and i am so glad I bought it as if the government decide to put guzzlers off the road this won't go!!!! I never wanted electric windows but you can turn them off it problem kids in the back. Nothing has been forgotten. Parcel hooks for my bags in the back, and mesh to stop things rolling around. Pockets and nooks for everything. Even an umbrella under the front seat. It does everything including remind you to take ur phone when exiting vehicle. All my numbers come up on the screen. It is user friendly, the exterior finish is superb and so is the design. I never expected it to be this good, Soda have won me over. Skoda had requested a factory review but it was too soon to evaluate the car. Thanks Josh.

A well balanced car with great build quality – Firstly I must confess this is my fourth Skoda. I have owned a 2009 Skoda Superb 125 TDI which was faultless. I now own a Skoda Superb Outdoor (125 TDI 4x4 wagon) which is an amazing vehicle which I have owned for 3 years now, with nil issues. I recently bought a Skoda Kodiaq 132 TSI SUV which is another great vehicle. I have recently bought a new… Read more

Skoda Fabia my18 which my wife has had for about 2 weeks. This little vehicle certainly punches above its weight division. The 3 cylinder engine is more than adequate and the economy is getting better as the engine runs in (only done about 300 kms) currently averaging 5.3 l/100kms. The car is very well put together with no rattles what so ever. We have the 81kw three cylinder engine combined with the 7 speed DSG. The car is optioned with the premium sports pack which adds many nice to have features. The ride can be a little twitchy around Melbourne metro roads (poor standard) as this setup comes with 17” alloy wheels and sports suspension. But the advantage of this setup comes to the forefront once you pick up speed and are negotiating country and twisty roads. This little car handles really well. So we are very happy with our Fabia to date.

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Nice stylish car – Got this car because wanted something different and also it has a very good safety rating. The look of the Skoda Fabia and the interior looks very stylish and some of the features include bluetooth, reversing camera and smartlink, which can connect to android smartphones. I find the engine a bit noisy, but overall when driving the car it performs well. It is a good sized car, not too big and not too small. So far, happy with the Fabia.  Show details

Great First Car – The Skoda Fabia comes highly recommended for those looking for a first car, or another option to the Suzuki Swift/Toyota Yaris/VW Polo. It is well built and styled nicely both inside and out, especially with the sports interior. It is basic on the inside, but does not look overly bare. The car is also well insulated, so when driving it is quite smooth. The engine is also very quiet, and the steering is light.  Show details

Perfect Small Family Car!!! – A beautiful, well made and Economical car that has the looks and the technology. Very Comfortable and perfectly sized for a small family!! Does 4.8l/100km - has an amazing sound system - Brilliant handling and sharp looks. We're so impressed with our MY12 Monte Carlo and we look forward to driving it for many more K's!  Show details

Gearbox Problems!!! Beware!!! – My Skoda Fabia III is 7 months old. It required the mechatronics replaced after 4 months under warranty and again more Gearbox faults. Very dissapointed. I have lost my faith in the Skoda brand. Quite rattly in front end over speed bumps when travelling slow. No leg room in back.  Show details

Very Exciting car! even though hardly known! – This Skoda is a replacement of a large Peugeot which we lost after an accident. Although this Skoda is a smaller car which I need to get used to, I love all of the safety features and all the innovative technology. Getting used to the car slowing down when I am approaching a car on the same lane, also stopping at the traffic light, a feature… Read more

which a lot of people do not like, but I do, the great media options, the acrylic roof and the internal look - quite sporty. My only negative point is that I feel the suspension not as smooth as my previous car. But all in all, a great car to purchase at a very reasonable price and drive. And finally, not the run of the mill - I always seem to be the only one on the road driving it!! I feel very special.

January 5th 2019 Update: Skoda, Fabia - 18 months later

Still pleased with my little Fabia, some points to mention, the boot is quite small, the suspension is not the best if you are travelling on rough roads as we are, so it is far from.a smooth ride, the GPS does not allow keywords so not able to enter for example "Melbourne Airport",

But as previously mentioned, if anyone is into music, you get great sound.

Awesome Car – Done 48000 kms since purchased 2 years ago. Not a single issue. A pleasure to drive. Despite what many people think, no DSG concerns and servicing reasonable. Has been excellent on the tyres and fuel economy close to the pre-purchase figures. Definitely would recommend anyone buy one of these. Definitely looks more sporty that Polo equivalent and for a lot less :)  Show details

Great little car – There's plenty of reviews out there already for this car, so I'll try and focus on a few things that are not generally covered. I've only had the car for a week or so, so this is more about early impressions. Firstly, being of European origin does mean you have to get used to a few things that are different to most non-European cars sold in… Read more ·  2

Australia. The indicators are on the left stalk, wipers on the right; the headlight switch is on the dash, not on the right hand stalk. Not a problem, but something to get used to.

I have the 66tsi base model hatch with the non-projector headlights (H4 bulbs), and they are surprisingly good.

Getting in and out of the car is unexpectedly awkward - a combination of low seats and a narrow-ish front door opening. Older folks or those with mobility issues might struggle more than in some other cars.

Leg room in the back seat is quite limited - with the front seat all the way back it's pretty much non existent.

Engine noise is louder than expected, but road and wind noise are relatively subdued, so overall noise levels are quite acceptable.

I've had a few issues using Google Maps with Android Auto (Maps will only launch on the car's screen if I start it on my phone first, before I connect it). I'm not sure whether this is related to my phone or the car - I'll investigate further. The sound quality of the stereo is quite good (for a cheap car) - certainly better than I expected.

Performance is adequate, fuel economy is great, boot space is generous, steering, ride and handling are fine.

A/C gets nice and cold; the fan on the lower settings is fine, but on 3 and especially 4 it's startlingly loud. The actual airflow is OK, but not as spectacular as the volume level would suggest.

Switchgear is all good, with the exception of the power external mirror / heater control - it's awkwardly positioned and feels flimsy. Front seats are comfy with nice under-thigh support, and the driving position is good. The doors and boot all close with a nice solid "thunk".

Panel fit, paint quality and interior fit and finish are all excellent; the car seems really well put together.

The owner's manuals are not particularly well written, but they can mostly be deciphered.

Great car – Great car all round. I got the Premium estate with the sunroof. The boot is surprisingly large even with the back seats up, has storage bits everywhere... and a bin. Android Auto/iCar head unit works great meaning you have everything from your phone on your dashboard (well everything you need when you drive). the ride is firm but… Read more

comfortable, with the wheels being at the corners it drives like a go-kart and the 1.2t engine is great.

I am always getting people saying "nice car" when they jump in (I think its the sunroof that does it).

The only thing I don't like is the hand brake location. it could have been better situated as the center console gets in the way a bit, though that's the only thing I don't like, and its a small thing

Good mix of style and reliability – A Skoda owner recommended the Fabia and I bought it after research on European sites, as an alternative to a Golf. It's solid, doesn't use much petrol, and looks good. It is thoughtfully designed, small on the outside, but big on the inside. I like the austere-looking interior (no bling there), though not the armrest, which gets in the way. The… Read more ·  1

sound system is good. After 3 years, nothing has gone wrong.

The rear view is poor.

It meets my needs for a small car with a high level of comfort.

Good Little Car. Oil Consumption is Horrible – Good little car. Handles fantastically. Engine is very punchy with a nice sporty note to it. Suits its purpose as a second car which I really enjoy driving. Has a great factory sound system. One of the best you will hear straight out of the factory. Fuel economy is great. You can give it a bit of a squirt and have fun and not impact too much on… Read more

the economy. 55lt tank gets us about 700km around town. You will use a lot of oil in this car. For some reason the engine burns it up, which I noticed from the exhaust within a week of owning the car. The dealership said let it get to 30k km and everything will be run in. Up to 62k km now and the same problem exists. Based on the maths from the oil consumption test the dealership finally did on the car, it will have none of the original oil in the crankcase by the time of the next service which is 15k km. So much for long service interval oil!! The car is good. The VW Group would have know of this issue prior to selling it in Australia. Perhaps that is why the diesel Fabia was so popular in Europe?! It's a real shame about the oil because it is the only con I have about the car, but it's an important one given the cost of the 5/30w oil. I'm using 5/40w oil to see if a thicker oil will reduce use. So far it hasn't. Why only 3 starts? Because of the oil use.

great little hatch – bought one of these after my partner wanted something a bit different. The RS model we bought for around 27 000 is a little rocket. great seats and gearbox (dsg) and with the 2 tone colours, silver with black roof, really stands out. Needs at least 95 octane but I only use around 5-6 l/100km anyway. handles like a go cart but of course if on bad… Read more

roads, the ride with the 45 profile tyres can be a bit jiggly. Uses a bit of oil (500ml after 2000km) but who cares.

Bad things- dash a bit old school, maybe poor resale (if I sell it)

Good things everything else

superb fuel efficiency! exceptional power and 4 star comfort – Since purchasing the car (1month ago) we took it interstate straight away and clocked 5500km on the trip. Not a single issue, runs smoothly and extremely efficient even when you give it a little. Pros: -Hill start is handy -Bluetooth tech is awesome -Cruise control is handy on the long drives -very spacious boot -sleek look with a unique… Read more

roof style

-arm rest!! Woo-hoo!

-fuel efficiency

-steering wheel is beautifully finished easy grip and comfy

-high head space for taller people

-decent sound system

Cons:

-cup holder kinda too far to reach and the gear knob gets in the way when in park mode

-suspension not hard enough (for my liking)

-interior panels rattles occasionally on rough bumpy road

-can't customize sound system upon purchase, must be aftermarket

In conclusion:

it would be good to be able to add customize sound system to the car and maybe optional rim style. Other then that the car runs beautifully, exceptional handling and superb fuel efficiency. Easy to park and stylish little fast car :)

Nice work Śkoda

Fabia Monte Carlo Forever – I purchased an un-driven dealer demo Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo that had only 20km on the clock (before I added another 30km on a test drive). Its silver with a black roof and black mags and looks great. I wanted to buy a Polo in January but was told I could not get one till June. I bought a Holden Cruze instead which was a mistake. Went back to… Read more ·  3

try and get a Polo a few weeks ago and got the same story, but the salesperson pointed me to Skoda, saying that the Fabia was based on the Polo.

I did some research and found that the Aussie Polo's are built in South Africa, and the Fabia's are built in the Czech Republic. I did some googling and could not find anything bad on the Fabia's.

So I reluctantly went to Skoda and to my luck they had a Monte Carlo on special ($16k down from $22.5k). After taking it for a long test drive I was very, very impressed. The car looks a bit quirky, like an old mini.

Cons:

The only thing that feels a bit flimsy is the inside door handle is a bit too thin for my liking.

There is no USB connection to the radio - but I'd never use it anyway.

Pros:

Everything with this car so far has been positive.

It drives quietly with a nice firmness and has real grip on the corners in dry and wet weather.

Its way faster than my old 2011 Corolla, and even my Holden Cruze. It won't catch my wife's FG MKII XR6, but comes closer than I would have thought. For a 1.2 litre it sure as hell goes quick, I wish I could of tried a RS version with almost double the KW.

The sports seats are comfortable and hold you in place.

The stereo sounds better than any car I have owned yet!

The hill start assist is a real gem.

The steering wheel is the right thickness and not slippery like the Holden Cruze.

Fuel consumption I would guess to be at something less than 6 litres per 100 km. I've done 650 km so far on my first tank of fuel and still have 1/3 a tank left.

I absolutely love this car. It has a quality feel that was missing from every new car that I test drove earlier his year.