It’s been a few weeks since I got my Fabia 1.6 MPFI Petrol. Putting down my initial impression of the car
Likes
Solid build quality in and out. And yes the doors close with a satisfying German’thud’. On youtube I saw a video of a Fabia with half a million km, am not at all surprised. This is indeed a car engineered to glide through a million miles
Predictable handling, strong braking and good ride comfort. Very secure on highways and confident steering feel too
Performance is fantastic when the engine is revved. The steady pickup and the cabin insulation make the driver completely oblivious to the speeds. It’s almost like a video game, some guy on the highway flashes you to overtake. You downshift and press the accelerator and the guy in the mirror just disappears in the horizon
The 1.6 engine is quite refined at low revs and the cabin insulation is also good. When cruising at 80 kmph there is very little noise, even the tire noise is well muted compared to other cars in this price range
Good fuel efficiency for a 1.6 car with such a heavy body. So far I seem to be getting about 12 in the city and 17 kmpl on the highway. My driving style does not provide good mileage in any car so have been surprised by the tripmeter numbers
Airy interiors with a luxurious feel. Good glass area with few blind spots makes this an easy car to park. In the night it looks fantastic with the cabin lights on
Very comfortable seats, front and back. The front seats are like cosy armchairs and the backseats are also pretty comfortable with adequate leg room for most
The Skoda badge does have some considerable brand equity! Helps to impress family and friends and makes colleagues jealous
Excellent safety features, ABS and airbags are standard
Dislikes
Poor low end torque. Frequent downshifts are necessary in the city to keep her moving making it really irritating at times. The engine and gearbox package seem to be tailored for fuel efficiency rather than outright performance. Also the engine develops a coarse note at high rpms
Overall this is not a sporty car, the package in India is clearly customized for comfort and mileage. The engine seems detuned for Indian conditions
Cost of maintenance remains to be seen
Overall after the price cut this a great value for money car and I would heartily recommend this. Skoda however is notorious for high maintenance costs and I am keeping my fingers crossed!