Long term tests: new Skoda Fabia 130 vs used Skoda Octavia vRS

I’ve been living with the Skoda Fabia 130 for three months now, and in that time I’ve covered almost 3,000 miles. I’m growing to really like this sporty little hatchback, but every now and then I do still miss my old long term test car.

At the start of 2026, I spent four months with the Skoda Octavia vRS Estate. I don’t reckon all-rounders get much better than this, but it costs £10,000 more than my Fabia. Comparing the two therefore seems a bit pointless.

However, I recently found a great deal on a used Octavia vRS Estate which makes it look like a much more viable alternative. Which should you choose? After covering thousands of miles in both cars, I’m going to help you decide.

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New Skoda Fabia 130 vs used Skoda Octavia vRS: prices and value for money

Let’s kick off with the prices. The Skoda Fabia 130 starts from £30,010, but my car has a few options fitted to it.

I have adaptive cruise control for £345, a must-have in my book because I do a lot of motorway driving and it takes the strain out of long journeys. I also have the Winter Package Premium, which includes heated seats, steering wheel and windscreen. That costs an extra £560.

The Simply Clever Plus Package adds some handy nets, storage dividers and an adjustable boot floor at a cost of £300, bringing the total cost to £31,215.

The Skoda Octavia vRS Estate starts from £41,800, but I’ve found this used, 2026 example with just 2,225 miles on the clock for sale through Carwow. It’s new enough that you still have almost all of the original three-year warranty left, and it’s up for £32,450.

It comes with heated seats, adaptive cruise control, wireless phone mirroring and a reversing camera, all for around £1,200 more than the Fabia. It’s a lot of car for the money.

New Skoda Fabia 130 vs used Skoda Octavia vRS: engines, performance and economy

These are both the sportiest versions of their respective models, so what’s going on under the bonnet?

My Fabia 130 has a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 177hp, paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It’ll do 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds.

The Octavia on the other hand uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine as you find in the Volkswagen Golf GTI. It has 265hp, fed to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and 0-60mph takes 6.5 seconds.

So the Octavia is a lot faster, and I reckon that 2.0-litre engine makes a much nicer noise as well. If you’re after a car which feels quick and sounds sporty, I’d choose the Octavia vRS.

However, the Fabia isn’t without its merits. It’s plenty quick enough, and it’s also far more economical than the Octavia. I’ve averaged 49.9mpg in the Fabia over the last 3,000 miles, whereas the Octavia only averaged 36.9mpg. That’s a big saving at the pumps, so if you want the lowest running costs, the Fabia is a better option.

New Skoda Fabia 130 vs used Skoda Octavia vRS: interior and practicality

Skoda makes some of the most practical cars in the business, and these two are no exception. It’s pretty obvious that the Octavia vRS Estate is the more practical option though on account of it being so much bigger.

It has a massive 640-litre boot, acres of rear seat space and loads of handy storage cubbies inside. The Fabia, on the other hand, has a really impressive 380 litres of boot space. That’s the same as you get in a larger Volkswagen Golf, but it’s still dwarfed by the Octavia.

Rear seat space is decent for a car of this size, but if you have a growing family and need plenty of room for buggies and baby seats, buy the Skoda Octavia vRS Estate.

As for the interiors themselves, it’s a tale of two halves. I think the Octavia’s dashboard looks more modern, and the 13.0-inch infotainment screen is much brighter and easier to use than the slightly dated 9.2-inch display in the Fabia.

However, the Fabia has one of my favourite features in a new car: proper buttons. You get a row of knobs and switches for the climate control and heated seats, whereas in the Octavia this is all operated through the touchscreen. It’s easy enough to do, with some shortcut buttons for the most important features, but the Fabia’s cabin is more user-friendly.

It’s a close call, but I still prefer the Octavia’s interior. Being a car from the class above, it feels more premium and offers more space than the Fabia.

New Skoda Fabia 130 vs used Skoda Octavia vRS: driving and comfort

The vRS badge on the Octavia signifies that it’s a full-fat performance model from Skoda, whereas the Fabia 130 is more semi-skimmed.

Day-to-day, I found the Octavia to be a really relaxing travel companion. It has adaptive dampers which can be switched to comfort mode, making it smooth over lumps and bumps, and it’s a quiet motorway cruiser.

Flick it into Sport mode on a twisty road and you can have a bit of fun. It’s not as agile or grin-inducing as a BMW 3 Series Touring, but it’s an easy car to drive quickly thanks to the accurate steering and well-judged suspension.

I did find that front-end grip was an issue. The Octavia spins up its front wheels a bit too easily, which is amusing when you’re in the mood for it but annoying when trying to pull out at a junction.

The Fabia is a lot less powerful, so I don’t have this issue. It also handles the daily grind similarly well. It’s a bit firmer over bumps thanks to the more basic suspension setup, and there’s a tad more road noise, but it’s still a comfy car to commute in.

However, it’s not quite as fun as the Octavia when the road gets twisty. It’s perfectly capable, and like its larger stablemate it’s easy to get a wriggle on, but the whiny engine noise and slightly numb steering just doesn’t encourage you to drive like a hooligan.

Neither of these cars are what I’d call thrilling, but I think the Octavia vRS Estate strikes a better balance between sporty handling and sensible comfort.

New Skoda Fabia 130 vs used Skoda Octavia vRS Estate: my final verdict

So then where does all this leave us?

Well from a value perspective, the Octavia vRS Estate looks like a bit of a no-brainer. For just a little bit more than the Fabia you’re getting a bigger, more powerful car which is much more practical and nicer to drive as well.

However, the Fabia still has its merits. Not all people need a massive estate car, for starters, and I fall into that camp. It’s also cheaper to run, and I reckon it’s better-looking as well. I really like the big spoiler, twin exhausts and deep front bumper.

You can also save almost £3,000 on a Skoda Fabia 130 through Carwow, which makes it look much more tempting. It’ll cost you around £5,000 less than the Octavia once you factor that in.

So if you’re after a sporty small car, which is also sensible, the Skoda Fabia 130 is a great choice. Just make sure you shop around on Carwow to get the best price, or else it is quite expensive.

But if the Fabia just isn’t big enough, and you want something which is more fun to drive, I recommend checking out a used Skoda Octavia vRS Estate.

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