The new Skoda Fabia is officially unveiled and has almost nothing to envy of its cousins Volkswagen Polo and Seat Ibiza.
New Skoda Fabia 2021 – Seven years after the launch of the 3rd opus, the Czech city car is completely renewed and lengthens intensely to steal from the Dacia Sandero the title oflongest urban street in its class.
Historically, since the launch of the first generation in 1999, the honor went to the Skoda Fabia to inaugurate the new A-segment platforms, within the VW galaxy, before his cousins Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo did. But in 2017, it was the big forgotten of the modernization plan of this category, within the Volkswagen group, when the Spanish and the German offered the unprecedented MQB A0 base. This year, when the latter go through the restyling box, at mid-career, the Fabia takes the opportunity to hang up the wagons, on a technological level, by inheriting this modern technical base.
Clone… elongated Ibiza / Polo
However, do not believe that the Skoda chip is about to compete with the latest powertrains that the competition pits against it. Like the Polo and Ibiza, the new Fabia does not display no resistance to hybridizations of Renault Clio E-Tech and Toyota Yaris, even less compared to 100% electric variants of the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa. Its engines have not even taken the care to convert to a mild hybridization as, for example, the recent Hyundai i20.
A Fabia RS in sight?
Under the hood of the new Skoda Fabia, it will be necessary to be satisfied with a gasoline offer made up of majority of 3-cylinder 1.0 l (65, 80, 95 and 110 hp) to which is added a more “punchy” 1.5 l 4-cylinder, developing a whopping 150 hp, and attached to a 7-speed DSG double-clutch gearbox, to move the Monte Carlo finish. This is the only good surprise of this engine grid, while waiting for thehypothetical return of a Fabia RS.
More than 4.10 m
Waiting, the new Skoda Fabia is growing. An impressive growth crisis that makes it pass from 4.99 m to almost 4.11 m to make it the largest in the segment. If its wheelbase remains similar to that of its cousins Seat and Volkswagen (2.55 m on average), the Czech gains precious centimeters at the level of the trunk to gain 50 l of carrying capacity, compared to its ancestor. With a volume of 380 l, the Fabia is now the benchmark in its category.
Less slender attitude
On the aesthetic level, the girl from the east does not revolutionize the stylistic codes of the brand, but gains in maturity, compared to the one it replaces, thanks to a sharper look, whileit pays for the luxury of lights split into two parts, at the tailgate. By playing on the horizontality of the lines, it lightens its stern which, in the past, only enjoyed vertical optics.
Thanks Ibiza
On board, the new Skoda Fabia seems to have benefited from changes to the cockpit of the restyled Ibiza, with a similar framework. The positioning of its from the 9.2 “floating tactile power plant above the aerators themselves overhanging the air conditioning unit bear witness to this, as is the round shape of the side nozzles biting on the door trims.
Techno au top
In terms of equipment, it focuses on the technologies advocated by its Iberian and Germanic alter egos, like the10.25 ”Virtual Cockpit screen tucked behind the steering wheel, the Wifi access point, the charging of the smartphone by induction, and 5 prises USB-C. To this is added a standard gesture control system, and a optional voice assistant that understands 15 languages.
Where is the Polo’s central airbag?
Not to mention that the new Skoda Fabia strengthens its security arsenal. It adopts, for example, the Travel Assist system for semi-autonomous driving up to 210 km / h, and improves its blind spot detection (70 m). If the Czech prides herself on getting on board 9 airbags, we regret that she does the deadlock on the airbag between the passengers before the restyled Polo has just announced. The German also reserves the first Matrix LED headlights, unavailable on the Fabia.
Thousand and one tips
But, as usual with Skoda, it is in the detail and the practical aspects that the urban area stands out. Among the unexpected equipment, we retain the USB-C socket housed in the interior mirror, to power a dashcam, for example, without a suspended cable obstructing the view of the driver. But also a umbrella housed in the driver’s door, a lamp of front-controlled reverse playback or a deployable trunk sill protection.
New Skoda Fabia price
Marketed in September, the new Skoda Fabia should stay the most affordable of the Volkswagen group’s trio of city cars, by maintaining his entrance ticket below the € 16,000 mark.
Skoda news:
New Skoda Kodiaq 2021: price, info and photos of restyling
Skoda Octavia Scout Combi test: our opinion behind the wheel
A coupe version of the upcoming Skoda Enyaq iV?
