Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £8,625 to £13,570
Some of the lowest running costs in the business, good ride.
Longer gearing compromises drive, poor level of equipment, unrefined engine.
Greenline economy package spoils a fine supermini.
Volkswagen Group's 'eco' cars are like buses. You wait for ages for one to arrive and suddenly, three turn up at the same time.
First came the Polo Bluemotion. Shortly after, the Seat Ibiza Ecomotive arrived and now this, the Skoda Fabia Greenline, makes its entrance.
All follow a similar template eschewing complicated and expensive hybrid technology for simple engineering solutions - all to achieve the same result: a car that sips fuel and keeps carbon dioxide emissions down.
The Skoda follows the tried-and-tested formula. First it paid a quick revisit to the wind tunnel where the aerodynamics were tweaked and suspension lowered to reduce drag. Then a bespoke 5-speed gearbox with longer ratios and a set of smaller 14" alloys with energy saving tyres to pare down rolling resistance were fitted.
The results speak for themselves. In the estate we tested the Fabia Greenline averages an incredible 69mpg while emitting just 109g/km of carbon dioxide, while still feeling moderately quick and topping out at 105mph. Better still, it's priced at a very reasonable £11,490 for the hatch and £12,140 for the estate.
