Our 1.4tsi Octavia has developed a coolant leak and the first attempt to fix it failed and so back for round two I insisted on a loan car.

 

Delighted at the opportunity to drive a manual 1.0tsi engine Fabia and it has been an interesting experience.

The 3 cylinders are more obvious than I expected. As the rev counter rises the engine note doesn't, it just gets more 'intense'.

There is less low down pull  and less motivation when revved than I expected although more than enough for normal town traffic.

I got the equivalent of 70mpg for the 20km cross town journey home with the air-con on most of the time, which is pretty damned impressive.

There is a 3km stretch of dead flat uninterrupted road with little traffic where I like to settle the speed at a true 60kph in top gear with cruise control. The instant consumption flicked between 2.2L and 2.6L/100 the whole way (2.6L/100 = 100mpg). That is just incredible.

 

I cannot wait for the opportunity to try it out on the open road.

 

Overall, while I am so far quite impressed with the package I am not sure I would buy one though as those back seats are really quite tight for legroom.

 

More to follow

Thanks for this, Gerrycan! Love the name and picture, by the way.

 

Do you know whether it's the 95ps or 110ps iteration you're using? Looks as though I'll be picking up my 95ps Fabia Saturday so I'm looking forward to some frugal motoring! 

It is the manual so the local Australian variant is called the 70tsi (70kw I presume). The DSG has a higher rated 81tsi engine.

 

The throttle has quite a lot of travel compared to my car so I found today there was some untapped potential. More than comfortable highway cruiser and enough power for safe planned overtaking (lets face it all overtaking procedures should be well planned anyway).

 

Still impressed with economy potential of the vehicle. Display showed an average for todays trip of 60 mpg with aircon on in 38 deg C temps.

Of course I will have no chance to test the accuracy of the display.

The 71tsi would undoubtedly be the same guise as our '95ps'. 5 speed?

 

Perfect, that's great to hear! I'm assuming you are quoting UK MPG? If so, that'll be a marked improvement compared to my current! Looking forward to it (even if it has been delayed... boo)! Diolch eto, Gerrycan - thanks again, Gerrycan.

This is the first petrol car I have driven with stop/start and on the manual (5 speed) version I have it works very well. A diesel Kia manual was the first stop/start/ I drove and I found it very inconsistent about when it would choose to stop and found myself second guessing it.

 

I have a couple of questions that someone may be able to answer:

So the first question is about the aircon, every time the engine stops and restarts the aircon goes into recycling mode. Not sure if it is choosing to do that because of the high outside temperatures or whether there is some sort of 'pollution' detector. I realise the recycled air is a bit more economical but I am not entirely happy with the thought that the majority of the condensation on the cooling element is from breath rather than the outside air.

 

The 2nd question is about the braking energy being used to recharge the battery.

Being an economical driver I don't actually use the brake much, I either use engine braking ( to cover distance using no fuel) or slip it out of gear to coast at idle. Either way most braking is very late and at low speed, so the clutch is depressed. Would the battery be getting enough recharge to compensate for the stop/start regime?

 

A third question: On a hybrid with a proper braking energy reclamation system you can hear the 'dynamo' actually working and effectively retarding the car without using the traditional brakes (remembering all hybrids have auto boxes)

How does this work on the manual Fabia though? does energy reclamation require the manual car to be in gear, brakes applied lightly so the traditional brakes don't work but the alternator or stop/start motor connected to the engine provide retardation? And how much retardation can be expected?  A better explanation would be appreciated.

Edited 27 February, 20197 yr by Gerrycan

I believe that the brake recuperation basically just activates the alternator whenever the car is braking, in gear, and engine above idle RPM. If effectively increases the amount of engine braking available, but it's not a significant amount of additional braking. These little turbo engines have virtually no engine braking anyway! 

 

I also drive in a similar way, enjoying coasting to a stop as much as possible. I did wonder if that's why my stop/start is so often refusing to work!

3 hours ago, vc-10 said:

I believe that the brake recuperation basically just activates the alternator whenever the car is braking, in gear, and engine above idle RPM. If effectively increases the amount of engine braking available, but it's not a significant amount of additional braking. These little turbo engines have virtually no engine braking anyway! 

 

I also drive in a similar way, enjoying coasting to a stop as much as possible. I did wonder if that's why my stop/start is so often refusing to work!

 

Indeed, I have a similar experience. The lack of engine braking took some getting used to - the 1.0 110 likes to run and run! Never had an issue with the S/S not working once the engine is up to temperature though.

I also had a Fabia 1.0 tsi 5 speed (so I think it is the lower power one) the other day as a courtesy car and for me it was a mixed bag although mainly because I'm a bit on the large side :-

 

Good

• Loved the engine thrum - sort of reminded me of a v6 I used to have years ago
• Was a surprisingly lively thing
• Economy seemed to be excellent - although hard to evaluate as I could only judge by the on board computer
• Stop start worked well - although you could really hear/feel it turn off (you can't on my Superb)

Not so good

• Totally gutless below 2000rpm
• Compared to my Superb it seemed a little noisy  (I suppose it should)
• Ride seemed pretty firm although it had rather low profile tyres
• As a large 6ft 4" person I had some driving position issues (I find the Citigo 3dr much better for the following)
  1. I had the seat fully back which had me nearly looking through the back window when turning right and my elbow was in the B pillar and not on the door arm rest 
  2. My right knee ended up too far back to clear the open leg space on the door card (ie it was constricted by the start of the wider arm rest bit)
  3. My wide and size 13 shoes couldn't get past the clutch pedal to the footrest

 

Overall pretty good car but perhaps not suitable for someone of my size.

Edited 27 February, 20197 yr by bigjohn

I'd never recommend the Fabia to larger than average people, but it is something every individual can easily work out for themselves.

Although the head height is quite good in the back seats the seat squab seems very short and unsupportive for longer journeys.

Older, less agile people may have problems accessing the rear seats too.

Fortunately, I'm a spritely 5'10" (and a half...) and 70kg there or thereabouts. Doubt I'll have any issues in it 

 

That being said, very useful for my older brother. At 6'3" and approx 17st he's looking to change his diesel Yaris. I might suggest a Citigo if the ASG is decent enough for small mileage (he sports an auto licence only).

3 hours ago, Benz3ne said:

Fortunately, I'm a spritely 5'10" (and a half...) and 70kg there or thereabouts. Doubt I'll have any issues in it 

 

That being said, very useful for my older brother. At 6'3" and approx 17st he's looking to change his diesel Yaris. I might suggest a Citigo if the ASG is decent enough for small mileage (he sports an auto licence only).

Funnily enough your personal stats are almost identical to mine so I can confirm you will have no issues in the front. Probably just conscious of the bac seats because the Octavia is pretty generous there.

The only way your brother is going to find a car he likes is by sitting in them.

2 minutes ago, Gerrycan said:

Funnily enough your personal stats are almost identical to mine so I can confirm you will have no issues in the front. Probably just conscious of the bac seats because the Octavia is pretty generous there.

The only way your brother is going to find a car he likes is by sitting in them.

Absolutely, I've already explained it to him but it's good to have a reference point.

 

Ha, well there we go! Happy days! Truth be told I didn't feel like there was a lack of legroom in the back when I test-drove the Fabia. In fact, it's a definite upgrade regardless going from a car with no back seats! Thanks for this Mister Gerrycan.

I'm 1.88m/105kg (6'2/16.5 stone) and I fit OK. Although I do find the door armrest a bit odd positioning wise- due to my height, my elbow rests too close to the rear edge of the door where it narrows. It's still a fairly comfortable car for me though, especially compared to the competition!

Surprise surprise but  Skoda did & still do the Citigo, then a size up a Fabia Hatch / Estate,

then a Rapid and Rapid Spaceback,  then you got to a Yeti then an Octavia Hatch / Estate, then a Superb Hatch Estate.

 

So a Fabia a class or class and a half down has less rear room than an Octavia is kind of obvious.

 

Now it is Citigo, Fabia, Scala & Kamiq coming, then Karoq, Octavias, Kodiaq & Superbs.

 

Seems like they have the interior space and luggage space pretty much covered.

The display showed an average 4.4L/100 (64mpg) for a 300km trip with the temperature hovering between 41 and 43 deg C. and an overall average speed of 89kph.

The combined distance travelled and calculated range added up to 1100km although that is unlikely to happen.

A tailwind and being stuck behind some 100kph trucks for a while would have helped achieve that outstanding figure.

 

Loan Fabia handed back and overall it was a fun drive and made a really good impression.

 

80 yo mother-in-law passenger asked if it was a diesel   Understandable as the 3 cylinder engine really does sound like a previous 1.9PD I owned, the same sort of 'chuckles' sound at lower revs and as the revs rise during acceleration the tone doesn't, it just gets more intense. I got used to it and even grew to like it.

Three cylinder is not as smooth as four though.

 

Just 15 inch wheels on steel rims but the ride was really quite good, firm (which I like) but it handled moderately bad roads well although big bumps and potholes were best avoided. What surprised me was how little road noise was generated, even on course surfaces.

I was also surprised how well it cornered up to 7/10 (not my car so not pressed any further) and the steering was light positive and accurate (general VW family characteristics which I like).

 

From my previous posts you will also note I was really impressed by the potential economy of the engine. I say potential as driven 'normally' (braking/accelerating) around town, with the aircon on then consumption could be decidedly average, but a little bit more concentration on economy techniques and not too much overuse of the turbo and it was amazing.

 

The stop/start was very effective and unobtrusive, but I could understand why there are frequent reports of reduced battery life on cars equipped with it. Not my car and even I turned the stop/start off due to the really hot weather we experienced during the loan.

 

Loved the excellent all round vision and sensible windows. Skoda practicality at its best.

 

3 hours ago, Gerrycan said:

Loved the excellent all round vision and sensible windows. Skoda practicality at its best.

 

 

I drive a lot of different cars with work (lots of rental cars when visiting clients) and there aren't many cars that I've driven which offer the same natural all-round visibility as the Fabia. It's down to the very conservative styling, but that suits me down to the ground.

 

Looking forward to seeing what the Scala is like - will be looking to upgrade to something larger in 2020, and that might tick all the boxes...

I have have been my Fabia Wagon 70kw manual around Adelaide since May last year. Not many around, but I seem to be seeing more Skodas in general.

I am at the XXL end of the spectrum - 197cm tall and I specifically choose because of its comfort. The headroom is perfect. My last two cars had me constantly touching the headliner. It became quite annoying.

I ordered the sunroof option which I think also helps, even if its been a bit roasty lately. 

When I first jumped in, I dropped the seat and put it far back. That position didn't work at all. Now I bring the seat a few notches forward and have raised it back up. Its quite comfy. I can jump in and out with a hat on - something I could not do in Sabaru Forester with its huge headspace. No problem.

I saw some reviewers comment - that you don't sit in a Skoda seat, you sit on it. That kind of sums it up to me.

I did find the armrest annoying when I test drove, it though. Didnt end up with it.

I would have no issue recommending a Fabia to a big'un.

Adelaide' s free moving traffic does allow some pretty good fuel economy. Once the long term drops to 4.9 litres/100km its time to hit the Hills/McLaren Vale/Barossa wineries with a carload of mates. I have heard these motors need a good caning every so often to keep them keen.

Speaking of hills, I do like to change down on a steep hill to let the engine braking do its thing. With the 5 speed manual that means I had had to learn how to rev match to get into second gear at 60-70 kmh. Third and Fourth gear provide no engine braking whatsoever. A six speed box would be nicer.

The tardis like wagon element is awesome. So practical for carting my dogs and occasionally entire drum kits.

I fear that Skoda wont update the wagon into the next model, That would be a tragedy. 

 

 

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the wagon was effectively replaced with the Kamiq mini-SUV thing. That's what's happened with the Seat Ibiza- when the current car was launched, the 'wagon' version put on a bit of plastic cladding and some tall springs and is known as the Arona!

Gerrycan.

Interesting to hear your report.

My mk2 Octavia hatch (1.8tsi/M6) is at the end of its useful economic life and I'll be forced to change it this year.  I want a wagon this time around.  I was thinking another Octy but the Fabia 70tsi manual wagon is only $18,500 driveaway in NSW and the price looks tempting.

 

Do you think you could live with it as a long term proposition or is there really another $9k of value in the Octavia 110tsi manual wagon ($27390 d/a)?

 

More to the point, is the difference in cargo area really noticeable?

11 hours ago, brad1.8T said:

Gerrycan.

Interesting to hear your report.

My mk2 Octavia hatch (1.8tsi/M6) is at the end of its useful economic life and I'll be forced to change it this year.  I want a wagon this time around.  I was thinking another Octy but the Fabia 70tsi manual wagon is only $18,500 driveaway in NSW and the price looks tempting.

 

Do you think you could live with it as a long term proposition or is there really another $9k of value in the Octavia 110tsi manual wagon ($27390 d/a)?

 

More to the point, is the difference in cargo area really noticeable?

I only had a hatch on loan so cannot really comment on the Fabia wagon ( for UK readers: Aussiespeak for estate) capabilities.

To be honest I think there is A$9k value in the Octavia over the Fabia but the Fabia wagon would seem a pretty good fallback.

For your $9k you get a far larger vehicle, with a much more powerful and far smoother engine, 1.4tsi performance would be comparable to your 1.8tsi and much better economy.

On the other hand I cannot think of a new vehicle on the Australian market  with the utility/performance/economy of the Fabia Wagon for the price....unless you are prepared to contemplate a Holden Astra wagon which they are virtually giving away.

Edited 7 March, 20197 yr by Gerrycan

Gerry, the Fabia 3cyl 95ps is incredibly econimical, as is the older 4cyl 1.2TSI with the cambelt from 2015 onwards. Difficult to beat them and it's what they were designed to be good at. As you found out, 70mpg is quite easy to attain. I even managed that in my 2017 1.2TSI over a  220 mile run and I was hitting 70mph often. That was in my 7spd dsg car. Although the 95ps version we took to Wales struggled a bit with the load we had on board, it was still a good motor. Thanks for posting your experience.

I'm a 20 stone 6 foot fat ****.  I have no issues getting in and out of my fabia, if anything it's easier than the A3 it replaced as the seat is higher.

On 01/03/2019 at 12:30, Skoffski said:

Surprise surprise but  Skoda did & still do the Citigo, then a size up a Fabia Hatch / Estate,

then a Rapid and Rapid Spaceback,  then you got to a Yeti then an Octavia Hatch / Estate, then a Superb Hatch Estate.

 

So a Fabia a class or class and a half down has less rear room than an Octavia is kind of obvious.

 

Now it is Citigo, Fabia, Scala & Kamiq coming, then Karoq, Octavias, Kodiaq & Superbs.

 

Seems like they have the interior space and luggage space pretty much covered.

 

With the pending Scala, it looks like the new Octavia is going to be a big car, at least as big as current mk3, and maybe bit longer, to keep model differentiation.

 

I wonder what a replacement Fabia will actually be, the Citigo is city car size, the Kamiq is short (but higher), the Scala has more luggage space.  Almost feels as if a direct Fabia replacement is squeezed out.   As for the estate version will Skoda bother (used to be able to get Ibiza estate and a Polo estate).  Been no attempt to replace the boxy van-like version (Roomster which was a mk2 Fabia at front half).  

 

Personally not convinced there will be a new Fabia estate, and a new Fabia sized car may turn out to be an electric car.  Just my current thoughts.

 

The 'Boss' said a new Family City Car EV.  Surely there will be a petrol hybrid out of the new model range.

There is the Kamiq and that is not short. Looks a bit estate like / spaceback like!

The thing is what will be Fabia priced in the range?

£10,000 - £18,000/19,000 sort of money.

 

 

Edited 16 March, 20197 yr by Skoffski