Skoda on a roll with the Fabia

Just to prove that its excellent Octavia family saloon model has not just been a once-off, Skoda has produced a VW Golf-size supermini which really shows these Czechs must be taken very seriously.

And although in the past the make was the butt of almost every car joke going, today competitors of both the Octavia and the new Fabia now know they have a serious contender on their hands for a slice of their customer cake.

I well remember visiting the Skoda plant back in the early ‘90s and coming away feeling that although Volkswagen had just taken over and brushed away the cobwebs, time stood still in the facility. However, few if any, cobwebs were to be found on the people I spoke to at that time. They know about cars in the Czech Republic - they were producing them long before the Second World War - but 50 years of communist domination suffocated the country’s engineering brilliance.

VW when it took over Skoda re-kindled the passion in the Czech motor industry and, if the Fabia is anything to go by, the Germans must be very happy with their investment.

Of course, proof of their satisfaction is the fact that the Fabia was given the new platform for the next generation Polo. Onto this platform has been bolted front struts and a rear torsion beam axle which, in itself, is really nothing new. But unlike many VW models Skoda seemingly spent more time tuning the moveable parts.

Shock absorbers, springs and anti-roll bar all lead to handling and comfort of which even VW must be envious. Steering feedback, brakes and gear change also relay a feeling of excellent mechanical build quality.

Driving the Fabia is rewarding and the secure, easy feeling it relays is as predictable as the Angelus ringing at noon. Powering what is one of the largest cars in its class is an up-to-date 1.4 litre 16-valve engine which can vary in output from 68 bhp to 100 bhp.

Proving torquey and easily capable in 100-bhp output, the only drawback I see for this car at present is its limitation to the 1.4 litre unit. The introduction of a 1.0 litre or anything less to 1.2 litre would mean our ports would not be capable of meeting the demand for the car.

Quite apart from its mechanical credentials, the Fabia is visually appealing and pretty. Good design, good build quality and strength are the order of the day.

Running the new Skoda is not as economical as driving a plastic bag on wheels but with a maximum return of 43 mpg and minimum return of 32 mpg, any differential is worth the extra cost. In other words, it’s a small price to pay for what you ultimately get.

The car is also practical with a load space that expands with easy adjustment from 248 to 1,016 litres. Well-equipped and differing according to model, the Fabia has a spacious interior which proved very easy to live with.

While the controls and seats are typically German, maybe Skoda should consider giving this car or the next one a different or un-German feeling to the seating. They feel so typically German that all that’s missing is the beach towel.

Overall, though, the Skoda Fabia is a very welcome addition to the supermini range even though it is actually bigger than a supermini. The Fabia is a supermodel, but it’s one which gets the headlines for all the right reasons. Now that’s what I call image!

My advice is to study the optional equipment available and leave the starting model for the hire companies.