News about Skoda Fabia making it to India has been going on for about 6 years now and finally the second generation 2007 Fabia has come to us now in 2008.
While bookings have been open for quite some time, cars are now being delivered to the buyers. My neighbor was one of them and I got a chance to look around.
Fabia Impression
Design wise, Skoda Fabia is definitely a looker. Its quite long for a hatchback (almost 1-foot longer than Maruti Swift) and very well proportioned. Looking around, my admiration of this Skoda’s looks grew with each of its design details - its wonderful headlights and grille, the prominent bonnet ‘V’ thats carried onto its bumper, all its wonderful curves and character lines.
Getting in and sitting in the drivers seat, if anything had doubled my appreciation for the Fabia. With all the storage spaces and high quality plastics, the interiors were top class. The steering wheel, gear stick, door levers were all very contemporary. There I was sitting inside, getting all hopeful and dreamy, unable to find anything to complain about.
And then, without closing my door, I started the car. The engine came to life, I got out and *pop* went my bubble. I was like “what the F*@*!” the sound from the engine was pure cacophony. It was grating on the ears and what bothers me even more is the fact that its a friggin’ 3-cylinder PD diesel.
And then he told me it’d cost 8.3 lakhs on the road for the Ambiente variant. All the enthusiastic wait for Fabia to make it to India and whatever praise I’ve had left for it went up in smokes. Now, I doubt if I’d even wanna consider Fabia an option, if I were looking to buy a hatchback in the Indian market.
Skoda Fabia Variants
Fabia for India is being offered in 4 variants. Starting from the base variant Skoda calls them Active, Classic, Ambiente and Elegance. Airbags, air-con and height/reach adjustable steering are standard on all the variants. Leaving the minor details out, following are some of the important feature differences between the all the versions.
- Skoda Fabia Active: This base variant is stripped out of power windows and cd/mp3 audio system.
- Skoda Fabia Classic: Second in line, this variant quite obviously has power windows and audio system.
- Skoda Fabia Ambiente: feature differences on this version over the Classic include front fog lamps and alloy wheels on the outside. Inside its got height adjustable driver & front passenger seats and dual-tone onyx/grey interiors. On the safety side, this Fabia gets ABS and remote key-less entry.
- Skoda Fabia Elegance: This range topping version has sunroof, projector headlamps and rear parking sensors with inside display.
Skoda Fabia Engines
As of now, there are 2 engine options - a 1.4 petrol and 1.4 diesel.
- The 1.4-litre diesel engine is no modern day marvel and is a disappointment in terms of refinement. Its got no VGT nor is it a common-rail and it has only 3-cylinders! with 2-valves! per cylinder. But, according to many testers this noisy engine is quite famous for its frugality and averages a 17 km/l. Its maximum power and torque are rated at 69 bhp at 4000 rpm and 155 Nm at 1600 - 2800 rpm. Fabia with this engine does the 0-100 km/h run in 15 seconds and can reach a top speed of 163 km/h.
- The 1.4-liter 16v petrol on the other hand, supposedly returns a fuel efficiency average of 12 kmpl. Max power output is 86 bhp at 5000 rpm (torque is 132 Nm at 3800 rpm) about the same as the Suzuki Swift but with all its safety features & luxuries is heavier than the Swift. Fabia with this engine takes 12+ seconds for its 0-100 km/h dash and can reach a top speed of 173 kmph.
Right now the 1.4 petrol is offered only on Elegance variant. The word is Skoda will introduce another 1.2-lire petrol in addition to the above engines.
Skoda Fabia Prices
On road Mumbai price for Fabia petrol offered in Elegance trim is 7.9 lakhs. Here are the Indian on road prices of Skoda Fabia diesel in lakhs INR.
| Delhi | Mumbai | Bangalore | Hyderabad | |
| Skoda Fabia Active | 6.65 | 7.00 | ||
| Skoda Fabia Classic | 7.05 | 7.42 | 7.52 | 7.43 |
| Skoda Fabia Ambiente | 7.95 | 8.34 | 8.46 | 8.35 |
| Skoda Fabia Elegance | 8.50 | 8.96 | 9.08 | 8.96 |
Thanks for the well formated review on this “amazing but over priced” car.
In terms of price, the Fabia disappoints a litle but it has no doubts unmatched luxuries and it standsup for the “SKODA” brand name.
I am not sure of the prices but the other sites over here suggest that the basic version starts of around 5.9 lakh of price tag, offcourse not On road but bringing that on road according to you makes a difference of 1.1 lakh which is quite astonishing. Anyways Im planning to go to the dealer and would confirm the “pricing” terms
Secondly, Active and Classic has a odd difference of Power windows and Cd music system. Leaving Power window aside, the other sites claim that Music system is quite moderate. So is investing 42K more in the Classic version a good choice?
Considering 17km/l for an average isn’t bad either, but is it highway reading or in city reading. A guy from other site says he gets 20+ in city for Ambiente version (MUST be a very good driver or city has no traffic jams .. LOL).How far you consider this for true
Thanks. I Appreciate your Review
Regards,
Yogesh Mhatre
Thanks a lot Yogesh. I’m really glad to know I was of some help.
I’m not so sure about the price of Active coz in here (hyd) Active is not on the list. We only have the top 3 variants on offer. Also the prices are not precise to the rupee.
In your place I’d definitely go for the Classic variant over the Active. I think it’d be a bit odd to be sitting in a luxury hatch without power windows & add in the music system (decent but goes well with the interiors) and its worth that extra cost.
About the FE, A far-off cousin of mine bought one (Ambiente). He does about 100 km a day, 70 % of which is on a highway and he says he does an 18 kpl. All these are words and rough estimates. we need professionally tested figures for some reassurance and we can look to Autocar India for that. They’ve tested a 14.1 kmpl in the city and 18.5 kmpl on a highway, thats an average of 16.3 kpl. Also, I believe Autocar India did their testing in Maharashtra.
Hope I’ve been helpful and please do let me know which variant you chose when you do.
Ravi
Thanks Ravi,
After much of seeking and calculating, my dad was “Self” convinced to opt for Fabia for a hatchback car
When I took my dad to the Skoda Autograph Showroom, I was praying my dad would atleast settle for Active if not Classic. I asked a gentleman at the counter to guide me towards the Active version of Fabia. But he said, “Sir, Active version is not available” At that time I was like you “POP went my bubble too” But, then he moved us towards a Fabia and my dad sat in Classic version and felt quite satisfied and agreed to book. I was pretending to be calm at that time but inner me was “dancing” to say the least.
He agreed on the pricing and terms which came out to be 7.42 lakh Rupees OnRoad. Just then he noticed a car quite similar to Classic but for one making his eyes blind with shining alloy wheels. Sooner the technician over there handed him a small black colored box which had a erectile metalic stick like thing, which in turn turned out to be the key of the same. A keyless entry to the car; He sat into it and to express him - I would say he was flattered by rest all the accessories and inner upholstery.
“This one would cost you 8.07 lakhs” said the voice of the Presenter.
After that his eyes turned on to me and he raised is eye brows twice with a smile increasing gradually. I couldn’t had hoped for a better day that day.
I then tried to look out for Elegance version but for my bad it was out on test drive. Nevertheless my dad was getting late and he agreed to book an Ambiente version on any auspicious day coming in the recent future.
So I’m waiting for that day and will let you know if there are any changes in the prices after Budget-2008
Thanks for your help.
Regards,
Yogesh Mhatre
hey, do you know the price difference between the Active and the Classic versions - i.e. the additional cost one has to pay for mp3 and power windows?
While one can buy a mp3 player anytime, the power windows are best done at factory.