Featuring a fresh form, the fourth-generation Fabia is fit for a fight in the forever ferocious European B-segment.
It’s expected to arrive in Australia “within 12 months”.
Two rounds of teasers have prepared us for what was unveiled today: a handsome, if evolutionary, new body with a much more modern and luxurious interior.
Under the skin, the new Skoda Fabia uses the Volkswagen Group’s MQB-A0 platform, which also underpins the Volkswagen Polo.
For the first time, the Fabia is available with interior ambient lighting, contrast stitching, dual-zone climate control, rear seat air-conditioning vents, a heated steering wheel, full LED exterior lighting, and a windscreen with built-in heating elements.
Three touchscreen infotainment systems are available. The base Swing unit has a 6.5-inch screen, while the mid-range Bolero has a larger 8.0-inch display, and supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The top-spec Amundsen gains a 9.2-inch screen, as well as gesture control and the Laura voice assistant.
Other options include wireless smartphone charging and a customisable fully digital instrument cluster.
On the safety front, available items include lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, semi-autonomous parking assist, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition.
With Travel Assist these systems work together to drive itself in heavy traffic, automatically keeping the car in its lane, keeping a safe distance from the car in front, and stopping and starting as required.
Improved interior space is claimed as the Fabia’s body has grown significantly, with the new car measuring 4108mm long (up 111mm), 1780mm wide (up 48mm), and featuring a 2564mm wheelbase (an increase of 94mm).
Boot space is up 50L to 380L, and this expands to 1190L when the rear seats are folded down.
Despite the increased dimensions, the new Fabia is said to weigh around the same as the outgoing model due to its use of high-strength steel.
As with other its models, the Czech firm has a number of surprise and delight features dotted around the car, some optional and some standard.
These include an umbrella holder in the front doors, an ice scraper located in the fuel filler cap, flaps to hold smartphones in the front seatbacks, an A-pillar ticket holder, a folding front passenger seat, and a USB-C port in the rear view mirror suitable for a dash cam.
New options include a removable drink holder, a rear seat storage box located along the centre tunnel, and various devices to keep luggage in the boot tidy.
A broad range of engines are available in Europe, starting with basic naturally-aspirated 1.0-litre MPI engines rated at either 48kW or 59kW.
The most likely powerplant for Down Under is the 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, which is available in both 70kW and 81kW tunes.
A 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder with 110kW powers range-topping models in Europe.
The 70kW 1.0-litre is fitted with a five-speed manual, while the 81kW 1.0-litre is available with a six-speed manual. Only the 95kW 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre mills are offered with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
In Europe entry-level Fabias ride on 14-inch steel wheels, while top-of-the-range models run on 18-inch alloy wheels.
