The new Skoda Fabia is coming. Next spring, the B-segmenter will make its debut, which means that the current generation will leave after six years. Of course he deserves a place in this column before then.
Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI Active
€ 17,890
The third generation of the current Skoda Fabia saw the light of day in October 2014. In 2019 it received a facelift, including the grille slightly larger and Skoda slightly sharpened the design of the headlights. As far as the choice of engines is concerned, not much is possible: the 1.0 TSI Greentech with 95 hp is the only possible option. In the Active trim level, this three-cylinder is exclusively coupled to a manual five-speed gearbox. On the Ambition, which is slightly higher up the ladder, the seven-speed DSG can be ordered for a hefty additional cost of € 2,000. In any case, that makes the price list and the options for the Fabia quite clear.
Colorful
With a Fabia, the above term may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but Skoda offers quite a lot of choice when it comes to the paint color of the Fabia. As standard, it is, like most other Skoda models, painted in Energy Blue. You have to pay extra for the other paint colors: the other two uni paints cost € 250 extra, while the nine available metallic paint colors vary in price from € 650 to € 830. Unfortunately, you have less choice when it comes to wheels. As standard, there are steel copies with a size of 15 inches under the Fabia, if desired Skoda can mount light-alloy copies with a five-double-spoke design for € 590. There is no extra choice on the Active from the factory.
Apart from the bright blue paint, the exterior of the Fabia has few frills. For example, the window frame is black and only around the grille is an edge of chrome. Furthermore, the Active has LED daytime running lights with halogen headlights as standard. You have to fold the mirrors manually, but they are electrically adjustable and heated. In terms of active safety, the Fabia enveens is short of substance: Front Assist, for example, is only available from the Ambition. Cruise control is also not available as standard.
It can be anything …
… as long as it’s black and gray. The time-honored adage of Henry Ford also applies to the interior of the Fabia. The fabric on the seats is black on the cheeks and gray on the seat. On the dashboard is a similar composition of plastics, with the gray trim making a questionable attempt to make something cozy. There are no other choices on the Active, so you have to make do with this. In terms of infotainment, the Fabia excludes the smartphone: the standard ‘Radio Swing’ has a 6.5-inch touchscreen and DAB +, but no option to connect the phone via Bluetooth. However, external media can be played via the USB connection and an SD card. Air conditioning is also not on the list of standard equipment.
The Fabia Active is therefore not very well equipped. Fortunately, you can remedy that somewhat with the Active Launch Package of € 1,190. Then you get things like air conditioning, a Bluetooth car kit, cruise control, a multifunctional leather steering wheel and a more extensive screen for the on-board computer. Another option, which can be ticked in the configurator at no extra cost, is the sports suspension. This puts the Fabia 15 mm lower on its legs. Incidentally, the Fabia Ambition seems to be a better deal than the Active with the Active Launch Package, because then the difference is suddenly only € 1,110. With the Ambition you get all the aforementioned items, including rear parking sensors, LED rear lights, Radio Swing Plus with Apple CarPlay and a rear seat that can be folded down in parts. There are also many more additional options available for the Ambition, such as adaptive cruise control, a blind spot sensor and climate control.
All in all, the Fabia Active is a true ‘Back to Basics’, because there is not much on it and not much is possible in terms of options. With the Active Launch Package he is already slightly better in his equipment, but then it might be worth saving for the slightly more expensive, but much more richly equipped Ambition.