I’ve been living with the Skoda Fabia 130 for a month, and I have mixed feelings about it

This is my Skoda Fabia 130 – a warmed-up version of the brand’s sensible hatchback. I love hot hatches, having owned a Ford Fiesta ST and an Abarth 595, so I was excited to get to grips with the first small sporty Skoda in more than a decade.

After one month with the car, I’m in two minds about it. On the one hand, it’s a brilliant daily driver. On the other, I’m not convinced it’s fun enough to live up to the aggressive styling.

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Living with a Skoda Fabia 130: first impressions after one month

I’ve covered around 2,000 miles in the first month with my Fabia 130, taking in a mixture of town driving, twisty roads and a lot of motorways.

Just like the standard Fabia, the 130 is impressively refined for a small car, with wind and road noise kept to a minimum. The larger 18-inch alloy wheels do make it feel a bit more fidgety over broken surfaces, but I reckon it’s worth it for the looks.

I do really like the styling upgrades on this car. The black strip across the tailgate has been controversial in the Carwow office, but I happen to think it looks good. The additional fins on the spoiler are also unique to the 130, as are the twin tailpipes.

I’ve also been averaging an impressive 51mpg over the past month, bang on what Skoda claims it’ll do. That’s great for my wallet, but every now and then I’ll remember that this is supposed to be a hot hatch. This is where the car falls down, because I think it’s a bit too sensible for its own good.

Other than the engine, which is the same 1.5-litre unit you get in the standard Fabia tuned from 150hp to 180hp, there aren’t many changes. The suspension is basically the same as you get on the Monte Carlo model. This means it’s slightly lower, but it’s still not all that engaging through the bends.

Speaking of the engine, it may have plenty of power, but it doesn’t deliver it in an especially exciting way. There’s no sense of urgency when you put your foot down, it just gradually builds speed and makes a pretty unpleasant groaning noise as it does.

Combine these two things together, and I never feel obliged to drive this car in a particularly spirited way. It feels much more at-home pootling around in comfort.

I am enjoying my time with the Fabia 130, mostly because it does all the sensible small car stuff really well, while also looking cool. But at almost £31,000 as tested, about the same as the faster Volkswagen Polo GTI, I’m yet to be convinced that you wouldn’t be better off saving a few grand and getting the similar-looking Monte Carlo version instead.

*Savings are made up of the maximum dealer discount off RRP – subject to dealership, location and trim. Prices correct at the time of writing.

Report 1: Introduction to my new Skoda Fabia 130

Let’s get 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.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos. You can also subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news sent straight to your phone.