Skoda Fabia Mk.3

2015 Skoda Fabia

The Skoda Fabia is now on its third generation and for the latest regeneration of Skoda's bestseller, this new model wants to go back to basics with its new platform, a new choice of engines, and a new design that looks pretty much average for the motorist's eye.

So, what's new? Everything. The design, the performance, the chassis, everything's new, and by the looks of it, it now resembles more like its German twin, the Volkswagen Polo, but with a little more oddball than the previous model. Because it wears the VW Group's MQB platform, the new Fabia is now 90mm wider and 31mm lower than the previous model. It's now lighter as well because of the new engine choices.

Depending on the variant, the new Fabia comes with a 1.0L MPi, 1.2 TSi, and 1.4 TDi. The most powerful in the lineup, for now, is the one with the 1.2 TSi engine developing 110PS of power and 175Nm of torque. With the 7-speed DSG equipped, 0-100kph takes about a moderate 9.4 seconds and a top speed of a not-so-much 196km/h. Not quite as fast as it seems but a little power goes a long way for first-time drivers who got themselves a driver's license for the very first.

Oh, and before you say it, No. There won't be a high-performance version of the Fabia because the previous version's hot model didn't meet up to its expectations.

2015 Skoda Fabia

Like any other commoner's car, the new Fabia feels somewhat average. It may not be brilliant to drive but it's not quite dull either. You can drive one of these for work or for the fun of it and the Fabia really balanced out with the comfort of the sedan, the touring-ness of a wagon, the spaciousness of the MPV, and the sportiness of a sports car. Still, this is a different story because this is a hatchback while the roomier Combi version is to follow but if you can balance that out, the new Fabia is a car with a whole lot of character to portray as. It can be comfortable, it can be spacious, it can be sporty, but overall, the new Fabia is working very hard to fit into any kind of role it sees fit.

2015 Skoda Fabia interior

While the interior is a fair bit average in terms of quality, it still works exactly as what a car should be and for the fun of it, you can fiddle its infotainment system if you have the knowledge because, for the first time, the new Fabia features the new SmartGate function which works like your smartphone as well as the new MirrorLink where your smartphone can be easily paired and use specific apps that both your phone and the car had. Looks like today's going to be a great day for the Fabia thanks to science, after all.

The new Fabia has a techno overload of gadgets. While some provide convenience to the occupants, most of the gadgets are here to make the new Fabia a safer car to be. There's the new Front Assistant with integrated City Emergency Braking Function and the Multi-Collision Brake, Driver Activity Assistant, Speed limiter, Hill-Hold Control, and electronic tire pressure monitor.

2015 Skoda Fabia

Should you buy one? The new Skoda Fabia starts at 234,900 Czech Koruna, which is the equivalent of around 8,500 Euros, so it's more affordable to own than the VW Polo or the VW Golf. It's a smart buy for the first timers but you'll need some more cash if you want to opt-in for some optional extras as well as the sat-nav that comes with MirrorLink and SmartGate just for the fun of it.

Photo: Skoda Auto a.s.