Skoda Fabia (2006): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

12 December 2006 11:30

Skoda Fabia: the lowdown

The Skoda Fabia is growing up. The second generation of the supermini will roll into UK showrooms in May 2007 – and Skoda promises it’s bigger, better equipped and safer than before. The new Fabia is less wacky looking than the cut ’n’ shut Roomster mini-MPV, but shares that car’s new family face, framed by large swept-back headlamps and a prominent grille. Only one photo has been released ahead of its debut at the Geneva show in March, revealing a more upmarket design than today’s slab-sided look. Skoda’s claiming class-leading space, thanks to a 22mm jump in length (it’s 47mm taller, too); expect more space for bodies and bags, then. An even bigger Fabia estate will arrive in January 2008. There’s no sporty vRS at launch, but there’s familiar VW Polo engine offerings: four petrol engines ranging from a 60bhp 1.2 to a 105bhp 1.6, and three diesel options spanning from a 70bhp 1.4 to a 105bhp 1.9 TDI. A higher gadget count includes optional niceties such as a six-speed Tiptronic auto and iPod compatibility. Skoda is exploring the possibility of building a Citroen C2 rival to slot beneath the new bigger Fabia; its growth means there’s space for a smaller city car, possibly twinned with the next VW Fox and a replacement for the defunct Seat Arosa. Don’t expect anything before 2009 at the earliest, though.

By Tim Pollard