The Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo launched with some wow issue earlier in 2022.

Not solely did the collective automotive automobile reviewer scene gasp at this sporty wanting new mannequin’s look, additionally they have been left with jaws agape on the worth.

And now, it’s much more costly than it was. Costs rose mid-2023 as a result of, after all they did – however, there was no spec adjustment to make the deal sweeter.

So is it candy sufficient to think about, even at such a giant value? Or are there different choices you ought to have a look at if you would like a classy metropolis hatch? Let’s discover out.

How a lot does the Skoda Fabia value?

There is just one grade of Skoda Fabia obtainable in Australia, the Monte Carlo Version 150 at $38,990 drive-away.

That worth is only a few hundred bucks greater than the checklist worth (RRP) of $38,590, which in flip is $600 greater than when it launched.

Both method, you must take into account that this can be a Skoda metropolis hatchback with a better worth than the associated Volkswagen Polo, which begins from simply $25,990 and ranges all the best way to $39,690 for the GTI scorching hatch, which in flip makes this not-a-hot-hatch-Skoda look a bit dear.

It even prices greater than some variations of the also-related Audi A1, which begins from $34,250 for the 1.0-litre 30 TFSI, and $36,850 for the 1.5-litre 35 TFSI model – which has the identical engine and outputs as this.

Sure. I’m saying you will get an equal Audi for much less than a Skoda. However this Skoda does come extensively geared up – I’ll run via the main points in that part down beneath.

What’s the Skoda Fabia like on the within?

The Fabia Monte Carlo seems sporty and feels a bit playful inside. The bolstered, fabric-trimmed sports activities seats and leather-based steering wheel with perforated bits make it really feel fairly athletic, and the supplies are principally fairly good, too.

There’s a carbon-look end throughout the sprint and on the seat edges, with good white stitching that’s mirrored on the seats and different touchpoints within the cabin. I actually like that there’s a giant, daring “FABIA” embossed on the dash-top portion of the instrument cluster encompass.

Some purple materials highlights are strewn all through the cabin, too, with a bar throughout the dashboard (together with a single ambient gentle), and a bit down close to the centre console encompass. One strip of purple adorns the seat trim, too.

My greatest annoyance with the cabin is the cupholder state of affairs. They’re too small and too shallow, so these of us who like a take-away espresso (in a throw-away cup or a Maintain Cup) will discover it’s an even bigger subject than it’d seem to those that don’t fancy highway drinks.

In any other case there are bottle holders within the doorways, a coated console with armrest, a storage spot with a wi-fi cellphone charger in entrance of the gear selector with an extra stowage field forward of it, and a guide handbrake.

There are correct controls for the air-con system for temperature adjustment, recirculation air-con, and seat heating, however you must regulate the fan pace via the infotainment display, which could be annoying in case you wish to fiddle with the fan pace rather a lot.  

That 9.2-inch touchscreen has wired or wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it has built-in sat nav too; nevertheless it doesn’t have a quantity knob or any bodily ‘buttons’ regardless of having a strip of contact controls on the sting. It additionally options gesture controls, so you may merely swipe your hand in entrance of the display to leap via menus.

There’s one other digital show for the driving force, with configurable shows that permit you to get the data you need, the place you need it. Effectively, for essentially the most half, anyway – I had some points making an attempt to determine the journey laptop information.

The steering wheel has buttons and dials on it to permit you to transfer via the menus on that display, whereas there’s additionally a security help button which you could press to toggle security techniques, if you want. I realized the sequence for disabling the energetic lane retaining tech fast sensible on this automobile, as a result of I don’t like how pushy it’s.

Now, again seat area is a giant consideration in case you plan to hold large people with you – as a result of it’s not overly accommodating within the second row. I had the driving force’s seat set for my place – I’m 182cm or 6’0 – and I struggled to have any wiggle room for my knees or ft whereas wedged in behind that spot.

There’s good headroom although, and it is going to be fantastic in case you plan to take littler occupants or youngsters with you, as there are ISOFIX factors within the window seats and three top-tethers as nicely. Simply don’t go considering you’ll match three adults throughout, facet by facet, it’s too tight for that.

On this automobile there’s just a little storage tray between the seats on the transmission tunnel hump that additional limits the potential for that, nevertheless it does provide just a bit bit of additional (lolly?) storage. On the seat backs there are twin map pockets, and there are bottle holders within the doorways, too. Plus rear-seat riders get directional air vents and a pair of USB-C ports.

Within the boot there’s a claimed 380 litres of cargo area nevertheless it’s a little bit of a bizarre form, and so becoming a bigger pram isn’t a easy job as a result of it’s fairly a tall boot space, however not that deep. 

Even so, in case you want extra room, folding the 60:40 split-fold rear seats down will enable 1190L of capability. You’ll simply have to take away the nets and cargo equipment earlier than you do… there are such a lot of practicality aspects to the baggage maintain on this automobile, that you simply’re sure to lose or misplace one of many nets or shields sooner or later.

One terrific function is the reversible cargo mat, which has a rubberised facet which is nice for damp or muddy objects, and a carpet facet as nicely. I’d say that if you would like a extra sensible small Skoda by way of boot or back-seat area, you actually, actually want to take a look at the bigger Skoda Scala – it’s tremendous sensible.

What’s below the bonnet?

The Fabia Monte Carlo runs a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, with 110kW of energy (6000rpm) and 250Nm of torque (1500-3500rpm). 

Humorous that – precisely the identical as that Audi I discussed earlier… besides that the Audi does 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds, whereas the Skoda takes 8.0s. It’s mated to a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission, and it’s front-wheel drive.

What about gas consumption? Effectively it’s just a little engine with a reasonably wonderful official mixed cycle gas consumption determine of 4.9 litres per 100 kilometres.

Over every week of testing, with city, open highway, freeway and freeway driving, I noticed a real-world variety of 5.2L/100km – spectacular!

How does the Skoda Fabia drive?

If semi-sporty is what you need, semi-sporty is what you’ll get right here. In the event you’ve ever thought, “geez I’d like a hot-hatch, however I don’t wish to cope with the hot-hatch-ness of 1 full-time”, then this might be an excellent selection for you.

It’s sporty sufficient to drive to tick the field for individuals who assume they’re automobile fans however know they gained’t go to trace days and perceive the worth of their driver’s licence. It’s a sensible automobile, in that regard.

There’s ample grunt from the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, which is a likeable factor. It presents tractable grunt and poke aplenty, with – at instances – an excessive amount of punch.

It could actually overwhelm the entrance tyres below exhausting acceleration from a standstill, resulting in tyre scrabble and, in moist conditions, some ‘axle tramp’, the place it feels just like the entrance finish is bumping up and down because it struggles to try to get buy on the highway beneath.

Nevertheless, in contrast to some earlier small-capacity turbos with DSG autos, this one doesn’t have a variety of the low-speed hesitations and frustrations handled.

There’s a little bit of hesitation if start-stop is energetic, nevertheless it does transfer away from a standstill fairly promptly as soon as the engine refires, with out an excessive amount of of that identified dual-clutch hesitation to take care of, fortunately. 

That makes it a comparatively simple automobile to dwell with in each day driving conditions, with a reasonably urban-friendly nature. Nevertheless it’s additionally good on the open highway, with clean and fast shifts at pace.

The steering is gorgeous, good in its weighting and nippy sufficient for the enjoyable issue to current itself in case you occur throughout a few corners which are begging for a bootful, and it’s additionally very easy to show the wheel at decrease speeds for parking strikes, too.

My greatest frustrations with the drive expertise are the suspension firmness, which could be unrelenting over bumpy roads due to the 18-inch wheels and low-profile tyres combining with the stiffened sports activities suspension. It could actually get tiresome if the highway floor is patchy.

And likewise, the quantity of highway noise intrusion into the cabin by means of these tyres could be irritating. Over coarse-chip roads, of which there are a lot in Australia, the roar within the cabin can get to an insufferable stage in case you’re delicate to sound.

What do you get?

Fabia Monte Carlo Version 150 highlights:

• 18-inch black alloy wheels
• House saver spare wheel
• Stiffened sports activities suspension
• Drive mode choice modes
• Bi-LED headlights with cornering perform
• LED daytime operating lights 
• Entrance snd rear fog lights 
• LED tail lights 
• LED facet repeaters in facet mirrors 
• Parking sensors entrance and rear
• Tyre strain monitoring 
• Gloss exterior black accents
  • Grille
  • Spoiler
  • Mirrors
  • Rear diffuser
  • Badging 
• Aspect mirrors
  • Electrically adjustable
  • Heated
  • Energy-folding 
• Aluminium door sill trims 
• Rear privateness glass 
• Proximity key entry
• Rain-sensing wipers 
• Aluminium end pedals 
• Black headlining and pillar trim 
• Auto dimming rear-view mirror 
• Charcoal cloth sports activities seats with strips
• Heated entrance seats 
• Pink inside trim highlights 
• Flat-bottom steering wheel 
• Twin-zone air-con with humidity sensor 
• LED ambient inside lighting 
• Umbrella within the driver’s door
• 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment
• Satellite tv for pc navigation 
• 6-speaker audio 
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto 
• Bluetooth cellphone, audio streaming
• Digital radio 
• Voice management 
• 10.25 inch ‘Digital Cockpit’ instrument cluster 
• Wi-fi charging pad 
• 4 x USB-C shops

What’s lacking? Effectively, the entrance seats are manually adjustable, not electrical, so there’s that. You can also’t get it with leather-based seat trim, and neither is there an obtainable sunroof – so it may need rather a lot, nevertheless it doesn’t include the lot.

Is the Skoda Fabia protected?

It scored the utmost five-star ANCAP security score in 2021 with scores of 85 per cent for grownup safety, 81 per cent for baby safety, 70 per cent for weak road-user safety, and 71 per cent for security help. 

Customary security options embrace:

• 6 airbags 
• AEB with Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
• Adaptive Cruise Management
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert 
• ISOFIX x 2, high tethers x 3
• Lane Help 
• Manoeuvre Braking Help
• Multi-Collision Brake 
• Rain Brake Help 
• Driver Fatigue Detection 
• Emergency cease sign 
• Parking sensors entrance and rear 
• Reversing digital camera
• Seat belt reminder
• Velocity limiter
• Tyre strain monitoring 

How a lot does the Skoda Fabia value to run?

Skoda not too long ago stepped up its guarantee sport, with all new fashions offered coated by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

That’s two years higher than earlier than, and might be a straightforward justification for why it prices a bit extra now.

However, there are another actually promising components for individuals who plan to purchase and grasp on to their automobile for an extended interval. As an illustration, in case you service your automobile with Skoda, you’ll be eligible for as much as 9 years of roadside help at no additional value.

Servicing is fairly respectable too, in case you purchase one of many model’s pay as you go service packs. There’s a five-year/75,000km plan for $1800 or a seven-year/105,000km plan for $2500 – they work out rather a lot cheaper than in case you pay as you go, too.

Not dangerous… not dangerous in any respect.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Skoda Fabia

I can see the worth within the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo for somebody who needs a sporty wanting, sporty feeling little hatchback however doesn’t need or want the unrelenting sportiness of one thing like a VW Polo GTI. 

Nevertheless, if that’s you, I’d say that you would additionally get a complete lot of European metropolis automobile within the type of the aforementioned Audi A1, maybe with out a number of the compromise the sports activities suspension reveals on this automobile. 

It has a variety of the Skoda brilliance that we’ve come to count on, and the longer guarantee does assist make it a bit simpler to justify. However you’re going to have to essentially need the Fabia Monte Carlo to have the ability to justify it.

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