I’m living with the new Skoda Fabia 130 for six months to see if it can prove me wrong

This is my new daily driver: the Skoda Fabia 130. It’s a warmed-over version of what is usually a very sensible, comfortable and practical small hatchback, with a more powerful engine and some sporty styling upgrades.

I first drove the Fabia 130 at the initial launch in Spain, and half a day with the car left me a tad conflicted. I did really like it, in the same way I like the standard Fabia, but it didn’t have quite the sense of fun that I want from a hot hatch.

But that was after half a day with the car, will I change my tune after half a year? This is what I’m going to find out.

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Introduction to my new Skoda Fabia 130

Let’s start by getting to know my new Skoda Fabia 130. It’s a special edition which was built to celebrate Skoda’s 130th birthday, and under the bonnet is a tuned version of the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine you can get in the standard car.

It usually makes 150hp, but Skoda has added bits from the North American version of this engine to up the power to 177hp. This is fed to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and 0-60mph takes 7.4 seconds. That’s exactly the same as a Ford Puma ST.

You also get a handful of styling upgrades which help the 130 look more sporty. Those 18-inch alloy wheels are an optional extra on the Fabia Monte Carlo, but they come as standard here. You also get a different roof spoiler with some additional fins, twin tailpipes and deeper front and rear bumpers.

This colour is called Race Blue, a no-cost option, and it’s paired with a contrasting black roof. I reckon it looks great; suitably aggressive without being over the top.

My car is fitted with a few nice optional extras. I have adaptive cruise control, a must-have in my book because it makes long drives much more relaxing, as well as the Winter Premium pack. This gives you heated seats, a heated steering wheel and a heated windscreen. I didn’t think I’d make much use of this in late April, but to my surprise I’ve encountered a couple of frosty mornings in this car.

The Simply Clever Plus package adds some handy nets and dividers in the boot, and I also have an optional spare wheel.

These options add just over £1,500 to the price, so as tested this car costs £31,545. That makes it around £2,500 cheaper than a Ford Puma ST, and it’s also very close to the Volkswagen Polo GTI.

You can save up to £4,000 on a new Skoda Fabia 130 through Carwow at the time of writing, so make sure you check out the latest deals to see what sort of discounts are available before buying.

Why does the Skoda Fabia 130 need to prove me wrong?

When I first reviewed the Skoda Fabia 130, I concluded that, while it is very good, I would buy a Volkswagen Polo GTI instead. For around the same price the Polo has a more powerful 2.0-litre engine which sounds nicer, as well as a slightly posher interior.

At £30,000 it’s also around £6,000 more expensive than the Fabia Monte Carlo, which offers similar styling upgrades just without the tuned engine. It has a 116hp petrol three-cylinder which, while obviously not as quick as the 130, is still nippy enough in a car this size.

It was a conclusion which pained me to write because, as anyone who read my long term review of the Skoda Octavia vRS Estate will know, I love a fast Skoda.

But maybe I need to view the Fabia 130 through a different lens. Instead of seeing this car as an all-out hot hatch, perhaps it’s actually a sensible and practical small car made better with some performance and styling upgrades.

That’s what I want to find out over the next six months with this car. Does this hot Fabia have a place, or are you better off saving a few thousand pounds and going for a more basic version?

First impressions of my Skoda Fabia 130

I’m currently a few weeks into my time with the Fabia, and first impressions are good. Having spent the last four months with the larger Octavia vRS Estate, I don’t feel as though I’ve massively downgraded.

It’s a comfortable motorway cruiser for my 100-mile-round commute, and so far it’s returning around 55mpg. That’s 15mpg more than I got from a Polo GTI, and with the current price of fuel it’s quite the relief to be running something so economical.

It does feel a bit firmer around town than a standard Fabia thanks to the larger alloy wheels and slightly lowered suspension, but it’s by no means uncomfortable. I’m also grateful for the abundance of proper knobs and buttons for the climate control, and the handy boot hammock has been put to good use holding my tripod securely in place.

So the Fabia 130 is already winning me around as a daily driver, but time will tell if it wins me over as a hot hatchback.

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