Skoda's Fabia cuts the small torque in search of mpgs

IF you are the kind of motorist that rates a car on the size of its engine capacity then I fear there may be tough times ahead.

Stringent European laws dictating the level of emissions created by new cars, coupled with manufacturers battle to offer lower fuel consumption to customers struggling with ever higher prices on the forecourts, has led to a sea-change in the way manufacturers are powering their cars.

Once the preserve of performance cars alone, forced induction is now being employed under the bonnets of everything from small hatchbacks to SUVs, and the move towards turbocharging and supercharging is a trend that has seen engine capacities plummet as power and mpg ratings soar.

It's important to understand this when approaching the £12,500 Skoda Fabia Elegance.

Not ccs but mpgs

Once-upon-a-time car buyers would have expected many more ccs for their money than those offered by this, Fabia's 1,198cc litre TSI engine, but with 85bhp and 118lb.ft. of torque on offer the little turbocharged unit has the same power and a deal more torque than many normally aspirated 1.6-litre engines.

What's more, there's even a 105bhp option for an extra £650.

The 1.2 TSI emits 134g/km, putting it in the £110 road tax band. It also achieves a genuine 49.6mpg on the combined cycle. Thats 18mpg behind the diesel alternative that costs around £1,000 more.

It's not very often I match manufacturers fuel consumption claims, but I did in the Fabia TSI's case and it was thanks to the TSI's even spread of torque throughout its rev range.

No small torque brings impressive efficiency

With all 118lb.ft. available between 1,500rpm and 3,000rpm, I was able to hold high gear, spending more time at low revs than might usually be the case and saving fuel in the process.

This low-rev delivery also paid dividends in terms of refinement.

For such a small car, the Fabia eliminates engine and road noise well and on the motorway the relatively high final ratio of its five-speed manual gearbox made for serene cruising - not what you'd expect of such a small engine

The Fabia Elegance tested here sits just below the sporty vRS in a range which also includes S and SE specifications. Prices start at £9,330 for a 60bhp 1.2-litre Fabia S.

The premium spec includes cruise control, rear parking sensors, climate control, a front armrest, a leather steering wheel and gear knob, fog lights and 16-inch alloy wheels as standard.

Spacious but slightly gloomy interior

A Tardis-like feeling of space pervades throughout the Fabia's interior. From the outside its inoffensive styling looks fairly tall but manages to be compact at the same time. Inside, there's yards of headroom, decent leg room front and rear and a 300 litre boot.

In my test car dark plastics throughout make the overall feel a little bit gloomy, but many of the controls are familiar Volkswagen-Audi Group fare and boast impressive quality.

White-on-black graphics for the stereo, climate control, trip computer and dials look crisp and stylish.

A centre armrest which comes as part of the Elegance spec did get in the way of my elbow as I shifted through the gears and was folded away early on.

It would perhaps make better sense coupled to the twin-clutch automatic DSG gearbox which is an option with the 105bhp car.

Another thing that I realised within a few hundred yards of driving in the Fabia is that this is a car built for comfort.

Supple, long travel suspension built for comfort

There's a supple, long-travel feel to the suspension of almost all Skodas and the Fabia's no different.

A dose of lean into corners is the trade-off but I soon found myself settling into a speed and rhythm that suited the cars laid-back dynamics.

Considerable changes must have been put in place to create the sporty Fabia vRS hot hatch because the soft-edged dynamics extend to a chassis which naturally pushes into understeer if you stoke up the pace too much.

At no point did I feel the Fabia suffered for its relaxed approach, however.

As a comfortable and and practical hatchback, it has the formula pretty much spot on.

Even the remarkable power delivery of that 1.2-litre engine contributed to stress-free progress, both steep inclines and overtaking manoeuvres being dispatched with ease.

The 1.2 TSI Fabia is no hot hatch

Skoda claim an 11.7-second sprint to 62mph and a top speed of 111mph for its 85bhp, 1.2 litre TSI-engined Fabia but, in reality, the sheer usability of the engine's torque makes it feel quicker than that in almost any scenario.

Don't get me wrong, the Fabia 1.2 TSI is no hot hatch, but I was left wholly impressed by its engines blend of power, refinement and economy.

It is a power plant which is a great endorsement of the fruits borne of the greater investment in the development of turbocharged petrol engines in recent years and suits the Fabia perfectly.

It seems that bigger isnt always better, after all.

 

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