Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £8,950 to £13,730
Roomy, cosseting ride, punchy diesel, economy, quality.
Dull steering, not very engaging to drive.
A fine car, just not a sporting one.
The chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel and handbrake feel substantial, but immediately there's a problem when you get behind the wheel. The standard sport seats are mounted too high and although they have large supporting bolsters, they are placed too far apart to allow slim people to sit comfortably.
Performance is reasonable: the 104bhp diesel will take you from standstill to 62mph in 10.8 seconds and it tops out at 118mph. Although raucous, the 1.9-litre TDI unit is best in the mid-range.
It becomes clear in only a matter of miles that the Sport is not as 'sporty' as you might expect. It is surprisingly comfortable and instead of hopping and skipping over broken, poorly maintained B-roads the Skoda glides.
Push on, and body control quickly begins to deteriorate. Where the firmer riding competition is stable and well planted, the Fabia feels nervous. Enter a bend too quickly and the nose-heavy diesel goes wide early on. Lifting off will do little to tighten your line and all this twitchiness simply tells you this car is nowhere near as balanced as competitors such as the Fiesta Zetec S. Factor in dull steering and a slow turn-in, and you are acutely aware that the Fabia has some way to go to match its competitors on the road.
