Why do Skodas have heated rear windscreens? To keep your hands warm when you’re pushing them. Skoda used to be the topic of much playground humour and as a child I was horrified when my father seriously considered buying one. Back in the 1980s Skodas were noisy, slow, unreliable and often painted yellow. I would have been the uncoolest kid in school.

But time and Volkswagen ownership has changed all that. Today Skodas are fine cars. While most manufacturers are struggling to sell new models, Skoda has just had its best year in Britain and when you look at the Fabia, you can see why.

Introduced to Britain in spring 2000, the Fabia shares its chassis and underpinnings with the VW Polo and Seat Ibiza. You will find that most of its engine options also crop up under Seat and VW bonnets and there is plenty of choice with a 1.2 litre, 1.4 litre and, unusually for a car of this size, a 2 litre available. The pick of these petrol engines is the 75bhp 1.4 litre unit, which gives good economy but still feels up to the job of moving people and luggage.

There are diesels as well; a 1.9 litre unit offering a choice of 64bhp or 100bhp was available from launch and not surprisingly it’s the more powerful version that offers the most fun. In mid-2003 a sweet little 1.4 litre diesel unit with 75bhp was introduced, together with a 130bhp version of the 1.9 litre. Badged vRS, the 130bhp model is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and ideal for embarrassing GTI owners.

In terms of practicality the Fabia — available as a hatchback, saloon or estate — is fabulous. The saloon and estate both have voluminous boot space but it’s the prettier-looking hatchback that sells in the biggest numbers, and buyers will be impressed at how the compact external dimensions still translate into a roomy cabin.

Drivers should have no problem getting comfy. The seat can be raised and lowered with a simple ratchet and the steering wheel is adjustable for reach and rack. On the downside the dashboard is functional and clear but uncompromisingly dowdy, although the switches have a reassuring quality feel.

The Fabia rides and handles like a much bigger car and road and wind noise is well suppressed. Only the petrol engines when pushed hard or the diesel engines when cold spoil the ambience. The most enthusiastic drivers will probably hanker after a bit more feel from the overly light steering but for most this should not be a problem.

Sharing so much with VW-branded rivals not only keeps the cost down but also means the Skoda is ultra-reliable. Owners report few faults and Skoda dealers consistently receive praise for their reasonable service costs and courteous service. All cars start life with a three-year 60,000-mile warranty that is transferable to subsequent owners if the car is serviced correctly.

For second-hand buyers, however, all this is not necessarily good news. While the Fabia is reasonably priced when new, its desirability as a used car has kept second-hand prices high. In terms of residual values it now leads the way — you’ll pay as much or more for your used Skoda as you would for a VW, Peugeot, Vauxhall or Nissan. Buying a used Skoda is not the “cheap” alternative it once was, but neither is it the joke option.


Body Electrogalvanised body should remain rust-free and comes with a 10-year warranty

Safety Front airbags and ABS are standard; the car scored a very respectable four stars in the Euro NCAP tests in 2000

Security Alarm system standard on top spec Elegance and vRS models, immobiliser is fitted across the range

Service history Due every 10,000 miles: all cars come with three-year 60,000-mile warranty when new. Insist on seeing the original service invoices to validate mileage

Tyres Front tyre wear can be heavy if the car is driven hard, particularly on diesel models, which carry more front-end weight

Upholstery Light colour cloth interiors get dirty very easily

Steering Light and lacking feel but accurate

Rear access Door sills are relatively high, which can restrict access

Rear seatbelt Centre rear seatbelt is lap only

Facelift From late 2004 cars get smoother exterior lights and improved dash

Engine Timing belt tensioner on 1.4 and 1.6 litre petrol engines can fail

The one to buy

A 2003 03 registration Skoda Fabia 1.9TDi Elegance five-door hatchback with 30,000 miles on the clock and a full service history. Pay £7,825 from a dealer or £7,000 privately

Or for similar money...

2003 03 VW Polo 1.9 Sport TDI
2004 04 Seat Ibiza 1.9TDi SE
2005 54 Nissan Micra 1.5dCi 82 SVE
2005 54 Vauxhall Corsa 1.3CDTi SXi

Vital statistics

Model Fabia 1.9TDi Elegance hatchback
Engine 1896cc four-cylinder turbodiesel
Power 100bhp
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel 56.5mpg (combined cycle)
Acceleration 0-62mph: 11.5sec
Top speed 115mph

Values


Source: estimates based on confidential CAP black book prices. ‘Trade’ is what a dealer would pay to buy your car; ‘Retail’ is what you would pay a dealer