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Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI 116 SE L 5dr Review

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1.0 TSI 116

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One of the greatest success stories in the car world of recent decades is Skoda’s rise to become a hugely credible mainstream maker of good-value, good-sense cars.

Central to that success has been its place within the VW Group, alongside the Volkswagen brand itself, plus the likes of Seat and Audi. That has given it access to exactly the same underpinnings for its cars as the other brands, and it has complemented this by adding its own developments, from the way the cars drive and ride through to the features they have and the pricing.

The result is a range that extends from a city car to a large executive saloon, with family and large seven-seat SUVs too. There’s a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are competitive for the class.

As a result, Skoda has a range of cars that is almost entirely class-leading or among the class leaders, and it has enjoyed long-time success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

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FABIA

If you can stretch to paying a bit extra, SE L will be a tempting choice because it adds plenty of extra creature comforts and only costs a bit more than an entry-level Polo. Those extras include 16in alloy wheels, rear electric windows, an upgraded 9.2in touchscreen infotainment system with built-in sat nav, dual-zone climate control, cruise control with a speed limiter, keyless start/stop and a handy umbrella stored in the driver’s door.

SE L

1.0 TSI 116 SE L 5dr

10-tsi-116-se-l-5dr

Manually adjustable lumbar support in front seats

LED daytime running lights with coming and leaving home feature

ESC including ABS, MSR, ASR, EDS, HBA and XDS

3-point height adjustable front seats belts with pretensioner and force limiter

Three rear 3-points safety seat belts with pretensioner and force limiter including stop function for outer rear seat belts

Central locking with radio remote control, interior controls, SAFE function and 2 foldable keys

Driver and passengers airbag with switch off function

Wireless SmartLink for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Anti-theft alarm system including immobiliser, interior monitoring, backup horn, and towing protection

Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors

Skoda Fabia

The Skoda Fabia is practical, comfy and remains one of the best small cars on sale today. It's not as engaging to drive as the Seat Ibiza or as efficient as the Honda Jazz, but it’ll cost you less than the latter and still manages to be good in every area. A Renault Clio has a smarter interior, but if you’re after a new small car, it’s definitely worth including the Fabia on your shortlist. Our pick is the 1.0 95 TSI engine, while SE Comfort keeps costs down.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought almost exclusively as first cars or by people with no children – but the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n106">Ford Fiesta</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">Volkswagen Polo</a> have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

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Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI 116 SE L 5dr Review

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380

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