Skoda Fabia: a supermini refreshed - Ownership

The five-door hatchback is due for launch in the UK in May, and an estate version will follow in the early part of 2008. The sporty vRS version won't be with us until later that year.

At launch, you'll have seven engines to choose from. Two 1.2-litre petrol engines give outputs of either 60bhp or 70bhp, and a 1.4-litre unit will provide 85bhp. The petrol range is topped by a 105bhp 1.6.

There will also be three turbodiesel engines to choose from. The entry-level 1.4-litre engine comes with either 70bhp or 80bhp, while a 1.9-litre unit has 105bhp.

Prices and specifications for the new Fabia are still some way off. We expect equipment levels to be slightly enhanced, safety equipment in particular. This is because Skoda is chasing a now-vital five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.

What's more, with much of Skoda's appeal resting on value for money, we can't see prices rising by much more than a few hundred pounds.