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Old 2nd February 2011, 14:53   #1
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Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Hello everyone, my silver Fabia 1.6 arrived sometime back and I have driven it now in a variety of traffic conditions, from congested city streets to golden quadrilateral highways. So thought I would put down my notes for the forum

Likes
- Solid build quality in and out. And yes the doors close with a satisfying German 'thud'. On youtube I saw a video of a Fabia with half a million km, am not at all surprised. This is indeed a car engineered to glide through a million miles
- Predictable handling, strong braking and good ride comfort. Very secure on highways and confident steering feel too. At low speeds potholes disturb the ride to some extent, maybe the 1.6 has lower profile tires?
- Performance is fantastic when the engine is revved. The steady pickup and the cabin insulation make the driver completely oblivious to the speeds. It's almost like a video game, some guy on the highway flashes you to overtake. You downshift and press the accelerator and the guy in the mirror just disappears in the horizon
- The 1.6 engine is quite refined at low revs and the cabin insulation is also good. When cruising at 80 kmph there is very little noise, even the tire noise is well muted compared to other cars in this price range
- Good fuel efficiency for a 1.6 car with such a heavy body. So far I seem to be getting about 12 in the city and 17 kmpl on the highway. My driving style does not provide good mileage in any car so have been surprised by the tripmeter numbers
- Airy interiors with a luxurious feel. Good glass area with few blind spots makes this an easy car to park. In the night it looks fantastic with the cabin lights on
- Very comfortable seats, front and back. The front seats are like cosy armchairs and the backseats are also pretty comfortable with adequate leg room for most
- The Skoda badge does have some considerable brand equity! Helps to impress family and friends and makes colleagues jealous
- Excellent safety features, ABS and airbags are standard

Dislikes
- Poor low end torque. Frequent downshifts are necessary in the city to keep her moving making it really irritating at times. The engine and gearbox package seem to be tailored for fuel efficiency rather than outright performance. Also the engine develops a coarse note at high rpms
- Overall this is not a sporty car, the package in India is clearly customized for comfort and mileage. It will disappoint one looking for Fiesta level sportiness

Overall this is a good VFM car according to me. I have used VW Golf and Audi A4 as daily drivers in Europe and this car provides that level of quality and performance for a reasonable price in India, so quite happy with my purchase

I will add some more details about the purchase and buying experience in subsequent posts. Some photos for now...

Subtle badging

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-fabia06.jpg

Front is my favorite angle

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-fabia01.jpg

The large headlamps remind me of the S Class

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-fabia02.jpg
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Old 2nd February 2011, 16:27   #2
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Let me be the first to congratulate you.

Now, with the price cut, the Fabia is indeed a very VFM car.

And yes, the FE you are getting is very good considering its build quality and that 1.6 mill.

A CAI and a cleverly designed FFE should take care of the low end torque and drivability to some extent.

Last edited by dhanushs : 2nd February 2011 at 16:32.
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Old 2nd February 2011, 17:25   #3
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Quote:
Originally Posted by dhanushs View Post
Let me be the first to congratulate you.

Now, with the price cut, the Fabia is indeed a very VFM car.

And yes, the FE you are getting is very good considering its build quality and that 1.6 mill.

A CAI and a cleverly designed FFE should take care of the low end torque and drivability to some extent.
Thanks
Fortunately or unfortunately, I decided to go for the extended warranty option which takes the cover to 4 years. It was a straightforward decision considering Skoda's lousy reputation for maintenance costs. So don't think I can play around with the powertrain for a long time

Some more pictures and comments

The side angle is not my favorite

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-fabia03.jpg


Bulbous rear has been executed well

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-fabia04.jpg


Good quality interiors look very airy with the light colour trim. But is going to be a nightmare to maintain

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-fabia07.jpg


Very comfortable front seat and easy to find the perfect seating position thanks to the height adjustable seat and tilt/telescope steering wheel

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-fabia08.jpg


Rear seats quite comfortable. Rear legroom would be about adequate for a 6 footer

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-fabia09.jpg
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Old 2nd February 2011, 18:48   #4
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

congrats on your new car.
Does fabia and polo have the same 1.6 engine?
If so, what factors did you consider when deciding between the two and why did you settle for Fabia?
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Old 2nd February 2011, 19:21   #5
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Quote:
Originally Posted by mxx View Post
congrats on your new car.
Does fabia and polo have the same 1.6 engine?
If so, what factors did you consider when deciding between the two and why did you settle for Fabia?
Thanks mxx. I believe the Fabia, Polo and Vento have the same 1.6 engine. The dealer quoted an indefinite 6+ months waiting period for the polo when I enquired sometime in november and immediately dropped the option

Polo +ves
- modern, sharper design. platform 1 gen ahead of the fabia (fabia is based on prev generation polo)
- VW badge is more premium

Fabia +ves
- lot more spacious
- much shorter waiting period

When I was waiting to take delivery of my Fabia, I was reading an Autocar magazine comparison of the Fabia and Polo diesel versions. Surprisingly they had Fabia on top
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Old 2nd February 2011, 19:35   #6
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Quote:
- Poor low end torque. Frequent downshifts are necessary in the city to keep her moving making it really irritating at times.
This is a complaint against many European cars and also some Asian cars with an European feel.

These engines are tuned for the power to increase at higher revs keeping in mind the higher average speeds in those markets.

Thats why these cars are more fun in the highway for people who don't like the increased gearshifts in the city.

This is more true for petrol engined cars.

Diesel powerplants tend to have a flatter range which means they are also more tractable in the city.
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Old 2nd February 2011, 19:52   #7
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Congratulations on your new car!
The silver shade add even more elegance to your elegance trim

Can I check what is the tyre size / profile, and how good is stock the audio system?

Are you planning to do leather covers for the seats?
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Old 2nd February 2011, 20:54   #8
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Quote:
Originally Posted by vivriti View Post
This is a complaint against many European cars and also some Asian cars with an European feel.

These engines are tuned for the power to increase at higher revs keeping in mind the higher average speeds in those markets.

Thats why these cars are more fun in the highway for people who don't like the increased gearshifts in the city.

This is more true for petrol engined cars.

Diesel powerplants tend to have a flatter range which means they are also more tractable in the city.
Well said! I used to drive a VW Golf 1.9 TDI when I was working in Europe. It had about 120 bhp I think, enough power to pull ahead even at 150 kph. However surprisingly for a diesel it had very poor low end torque and one had to keep downshifting in the city

Asian cars are so much more tractable. My Honda CBF Stunner bike has no problems running at 20 kmph in 5th gear!

Quote:
Originally Posted by vb-san View Post
Congratulations on your new car!
The silver shade add even more elegance to your elegance trim

Can I check what is the tyre size / profile, and how good is stock the audio system?

Are you planning to do leather covers for the seats?
Thanks. The car looks fantastic in cappuccino beige but the waiting period quoted was 3+ months. Silver was available in about 3 weeks, so went for it

I am not so familiar with tyre numbers, the number quoted on Autocar site is 185/60 R141. Audio system is so-so, a good 15k system will trample this

The standard upholstery is actually quite nice. So not planning to change for some time, will go for leather seats once these interiors get worn or dirty
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Old 2nd February 2011, 21:04   #9
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Congrats Guha! Fabia looks FAB! Enjoy the ownership.

The only design I didn't like is of AC / Blower knobs!
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Old 2nd February 2011, 21:33   #10
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Quote:
Originally Posted by guha_2001 View Post
Fortunately or unfortunately, I decided to go for the extended warranty option...
Ah.. Your decision could not be more correct.

Quote:
Originally Posted by guha_2001 View Post
Good quality interiors look very airy with the light colour trim. But is going to be a nightmare to maintain
Are the seats fabric?. If not, 1000 bucks for an interior wash, and the interiors will shine away in full glory.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vb-san View Post
... and how good is stock the audio system?
Yes, I would also like to know that.
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Old 2nd February 2011, 22:43   #11
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Congrats and do not do any thing with the motor or whatever. Keep it stock and enjoy the ride. You will get used to it or make ammendments to your driving style

I have always loved the interiors of the Fabia and the layout of the dash, including the fit and finish.

Beige interiors always lend a very airy feel to the cabin, but with care, you can definitely help in maintaining it.
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Old 3rd February 2011, 01:23   #12
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Shot a few pics of the car in the night
Attached Thumbnails
Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-img_0912a.jpg  

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-img_0914a.jpg  

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-img_0919.jpg  

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-img_0921.jpg  

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-img_0904.jpg  

Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol-img_0906.jpg  

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Old 3rd February 2011, 09:13   #13
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Quote:
Originally Posted by guha_2001 View Post
my silver Fabia 1.6 arrived sometime back
Congratulations and best wishes, guha_2001, on becoming a proud owner of a fabulous Fabia. Both the interior and exterior look classy! Explore and enjoy your Fabia.
 
Old 3rd February 2011, 14:53   #14
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

Congratulations on the Fab! I own a 1.6 Fabia as well and agree with most things you say. Mine incidentally is Flash Red.

My only thought was on the low end torque though, I did seem to think so initially but have changed my opinion now mainly due to a friend who has driven an Octy for a long time now. He told me something about Skoda cars having a sweet spot in the range of motion for accelerator. It did take me 1K KMs to find it but I think I have now - and am able to get it to pull straight of the line. Its not at the top end of the pedal is for sure and unfortunately thats where most of us would look to be off the line (maybe its just in my head though) but experiment a little bit and maybe your head will get influenced like mine!

Great choice on the car and I think we should exchange notes regularly - you can have a look at my ownership thread as well - Now thats a Fab New Years Eve - Skoda Fabia 1.6!

Drive safe

PS - For those who asked, the stock system isnt too bad its the speakers which are right awful! UPGRADE!
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Old 3rd February 2011, 15:23   #15
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Re: Silver Fabia Elegance 1.6 petrol

funkykar, thedreamcatcher, dhanushs, J.Ravi: thanks for the wishes!

shivir: nice colour choice there, hopefully I should be able to find the sweet spot soon
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