Skoda Fabia 130 (2021 - )

Skoda is celebrating its 130th anniversary and is kicking off the party with a special edition Fabia 130 model that takes its inspiration from the Czech company’s rallying success and has been developed by the Technical Development Team.

The Fabia was initially launched back in 1999 and is currently in its fourth generation. The current Fabia line-up offers customers a choice between 1.0-litre or 1.5-litre petrol engines delivering power outputs ranging from 80PS to 177PS. There are five or six-speed gearboxes, alongside a DSG automatic unit. 

And, the Fabia is available in well-equipped trims called SE, Design, SE L Monte Carlo and the high-end Fabia 130, which is based on Monte Carlo specification, but gains some extra kit and firepower. In fact, it’s the fastest production Fabia ever created.

Powering our Fabia 130 was a retuned 1.5-litre petrol engine delivering 177PS and 250Nm of torque. Those figures translate into some interesting performance numbers with a 0-62mph sprint time of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 141mph. Not exactly vRS or total hot hatch territory, but plenty of oomph for a compact Fabia.

The acceleration through the seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission is smooth and responsive with steering wheel mounted paddles for added driver engagement. 

It’s a car that can sit happily at 70mph on motorways cruising with ease, but can deliver the goods when faced with twisting country lanes too. It’s grounded, confident and the sports chassis, that lowers the suspension by 15mm, results in impressive balance through tighter bends. However, the lowered ride height and larger wheels mean you will feel the full force of any unexpected potholes along the way.

Drive modes called Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual alter the characteristics of the car with Sport adding a certain edge. And with nicely weighted steering and agile handling, manoeuvring through busy city traffic is problem-free. Additionally, the Fabia’s compact 4.1-metre length makes squeezing into tight parking spaces a simple process.

The Skoda Fabia is a compact five-door hatchback that is perfect for city dwellers, but has plenty of power and confidence to venture further afield. It’s also a good looking vehicle without being over-dramatic or garish in any way. That said; the Fabia 130 is a nod to the company’s rallying heritage, so expect some additional design cues.

The LED headlights have darkened glass, there are black twin tailpipes, a black grille, lots of model-specific ‘130’ badging, a black contrast roof and mirror caps, 18-inch wheels with a smoke-effect top coat, along with red brake calipers. Our car featured Race Blue paintwork which seemed most apt.

The interior also has more dynamic design features than the standard Fabia with sports seats upholstered in a smart black material with red, grey and white stripes and offering added side bolster support. These seats are manually adjustable and, along with the steering wheel, can be heated against the winter chill. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is leather wrapped and there are aluminium pedals, along with lots more ‘130’ badges.

On-board technology impresses and so does the number of physical controls rather than being overly-dependent on touchscreen menus. The main focal point is a 9.2-inch infotainment screen and this offers access to the sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, Bluetooth, six-speaker audio with DAB radio, reversing camera and lots more besides,

A 10.25-inch virtual cockpit behind the steering wheel clearly shows all the important driving data and this can be personalised to taste, while there is a separate panel for all the climate control settings. It’s all very driver-focused and we really like that.

The Skoda Fabia 130 is a ‘proper’ five-door hatchback. By that, we mean there is actually room in the back for a couple of adults if the front seats aren’t pushed right back, or ideally a trio of youngsters. Up front, there is bundles of space to stetch out and it’s a comfortable place to be.

The car stretches 4,137mm in length, is 1,954mm across (with door mirrors), 1,458mm tall and has a 2,549mm wheelbase. It’s perfectly proportioned on the outside and, as mentioned, the interior is deceptively spacious too. 

The boot, accessed via a manual tailgate, can swallow 380 litres of kit – this is ample for the fortnightly supermarket shop and the capacity can be increased to 1,190 litres by dropping the 60:40 split-folding rear seats. Our Fabia 130 also had a variable boot floor meaning the height could be adjusted. This is particularly handy if loading heavy items, and our test car came with a rubber boot liner which is a practical asset if carrying muddy or wet clothing.

Elsewhere, you will find a number of useful storage options, including a glovebox, central cubby, door bins with room for a water bottle, seat back pockets, front cup holders, a sunglasses compartment, some trays, plus a couple of USB-C ports.

Skoda models generally feature some Simply Clever features and ours had an umbrella neatly tucked away inside the driver’s door, plus an ice scraper inside the filler cap.

The Skoda Fabia line-up starts from £21,055 for the entry-level SE Edition, and rises to £29,995 for the Fabia 130, as tested. This car is very much based on the Monte Carlo trim, which costs £24,290, but gains a number of extra styling cues, along with that beefed up powertrain. 

Our model also featured a number of options, including the Simply Clever Plus package, a Winter Premium pack, a spare wheel, a variable boot and Assisted Drive pack. These add-ons saw the final cost increase to £31,750.

According to official WLTP testing, the Fabia 130 can achieve a combined 50.4mpg with carbon emissions of 126-127g/km. We were seeing just a few miles short of the official fuel economy figure at 46mpg after our week-long loan, which is still pretty impressive.

The carbon emissions figure will result in a first-year road tax bill of £440, although this will drop to the standard £195 fee after 12 months. For business drivers, Fabia 130 has a Benefit in Kind tax rating of 31 per cent, but at least there is no Expensive Car Supplement to worry about as the asking price is well below the government’s £40k threshold.

Skoda has an enviable reputation for producing well-built and reliable vehicles but, for added peace of mind, the Fabia 130 is sold with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty package; and potential recalls are announced here.

With global sales topping the five million mark since launch in 1999, there’s no denying the appeal or success of the Skoda Fabia. And now, customers are offered the special Fabia 130 version to mark an epic 130th anniversary milestone in the company’s history.

It’s the fastest production Fabia Skoda has ever built and certainly looks every bit the hot hatch. We would have preferred a manual gearbox and at times, a little more zip, but those minor gripes aside, what a great car.