Cars Service

Skoda FABIA 1 4 16v 100bhp Ambiente Review

Advantages: VW buildquality and components, but better body design

Disadvantages: not exactly flash, the steering wheel is on the wrong side

Skodas Fabia 1.4-litre 16v 100bhp Ambiente Variant Is Situated In The Middle Of The Fabia Range And Might Be The Finest Fabia Of The Lot. Jonathan Crouch Checks It Out Its not an exaggeration to say that the Fabia supermini is the car that has turned Skodas fortunes around. From the moment it was launched the accolades came flooding in and the British public knew that they would need to take this Czech contender very seriously.



If youre thinking of buying a Fabia, this 100bhp 1.4-litre 16-valve Ambiente model is the best all-round package to go for. So, having got that established, what can you expect from the 1.4 16v 100bhp version? Well, rest to sixty in a fleet 11.

5s on the way to 115mph for a start and an average of around 37mpg at the pumps. Lower C02 figures (161g/km) can also be expected. Plus theres the choice of five-door hatchback or estate bodystyles (the estate version of this particular derivative costing £10,680). The Fabia has recently received its most far-reaching set of revisions since it was launched, the visual changes centring on a revised front grille, spoiler and fog lamps, as well as restyled rear light clusters that echo the "C" shape of the latest Octavias rear lights. The interior look is modernised with fresher interior upholstery.

"If I had to be in an accident in a supermini, Id want to be in a Fabia"
Other than that, its the familiar Fabia recipe. This is the longest car in its class and has the interior space efficiency to capitalise on those extra inches. Nor is any future rival likely to surpass it in this respect, for anything larger would stray into Golf, Astra and Focus family hatchback territory. Certainly buyers of such larger cars could consider this surprising little Skoda, for five can be seated in reasonable comfort, even if the rear centre occupant must make do with a lap belt rather than the three-point affair now offered by most rivals.

This and the rather Spartan feel are the only real criticisms you could make of an interior that is otherwise a class above most other offerings in this sector. Only that of Fiats Punto matches it for space - but that car doesnt feel as well screwed together as this one. Forget the plasticky feel of previous Skodas: the materials used are of the highest quality, plus there are lovely Audi-esque touches like a beautifully damped drawer beneath the radio. At Ambiente level, you also get lots of extra storage bins - something it would have been nice to see across the range. But this is a minor point.

The boots a useful shape (offering 1,016 litres with the seats down), with 60/40 access through the split-folding rear bench and sturdy luggage hooks for securing awkward loads. Front side airbags are optional and parents get two Isofix mounting points in the rear for the latest child seats. At the front, every Fabia gets rake and reach adjustment for the airbag-equipped steering wheel and the two plusher variants have drivers seat height adjustment. Which means that just about everyone should be able to get comfortable. The Fabias chunky styling means a boxy shape that offers good headroom, even for those in the rear. And that in turn contributes to a general feeling of spaciousness.

Electric front windows, electric heated mirrors, front fog lights, tinted glass and side airbags are all standard but you have to stretch to Elegance trim for heated front seats. The estate version, whilst not the largest estate car around, certainly offers significant extra utility over the standard Fabia hatchback. The first thing that catches the eye is that rounded rump. Surely this has a catastrophic effect on load space when compared with the more perpendicular lines of something like a Volvo? Actually, no.

Despite its soft angles, the Fabia estate can still manage a load space of 426 litres with the rear seats in place, which is more than apparently larger cars like the Alfa 156 Sportwagon or the Audi A4 Avant. Admittedly, this isnt saying much, as neither of these estates would claim to be the last word in tea-chest transportation, but with the rear seats folded an impressive 1,225 litres of room is freed up. Under the skin, the Fabia uses the VW Groups latest small car platform which is ultra-safety conscious: suffice to say that if I had to be in an accident in a supermini, Id want to be in a Fabia. As weve suggested, the 100bhp 16v 1.4-litre engine offers a good all-round package, and is surprisingly high-tech. There are no throttle cables: your right foot impulses are communicated via a drive-by-wire throttle. Five years ago, you found this technology on F1 cars: now you find it on Skodas. In summary, the Fabia may not be as cheap as small Skodas of the past but its still great value for money, especially in this 1.4 16v 100bhp Ambiente guise. Czech mate? You might well think so.

General Comments

After 23 years in the motor trade, and after owning several really nice top marques (BMW Mercedes Lexus to name a few!) I bought a Skoda Octavia, closely followed by a Skoda Fabia 1.4 Elegance estate.

I thought the Octavia was good, but the Fabia family car is a tad better despite being a little smaller.

General Feel is astonishing, as it is very light to drive, sweet and quiet with no creaks or rattles, and grips like a little limpet even in the wet.

The cabin is the class leader for space and quality furniture which is hardly surprising considering the mix of VW parts trimmed with slightly more exciting Czech upholstry!
All I can add is this. Drive a Fabia, and you will be seduced by its overall brilliance and quality. Ask every Skoda Fabia or Octavia owner the big question, and the answer is always the same. They love their Skodas, and I am no exception.

Mine is a 2002 1.4 16V Elegance (100bhp) and has covered 14000 fault free miles to date.