The lowest running costs come from the low-powered diesel engine thanks to its claimed 83.1mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 89g/km. Insurance groups haven’t been published for the estate model yet, but judging on the hatchback’s impressive performance in this regard we wouldn’t worry too much. The highest grouping possible is 12E.

Servicing shouldn’t break the bank, but if that’s a concern then plump for a three-year servicing pack when you buy the car. This costs £479 at the time of writing.

Be careful to do your sums carefully when it comes to deciding which engine to choose, though. It’ll work out cheaper to run a petrol in most situations with the Fabia, so using the Parkers Cost of Motoring Tool is a wise move before taking the plunge.

If running costs are an issue for you, it might be worth waiting for the Greenline version coming in the second quarter of 2015. It’ll feature a range of fuel-saving features and exhibit the lowest cost-per-mile of any Fabia Estate in the range.

Predictably, the best Skoda Fabia Estate emissions (in terms of CO2, at least) come from the 1.4 TDI diesel with 89bhp. This one emits just 88g/km, but we suspect there’s a Greenline version in the pipeline that’ll see that figure drop even further.

Since it’s based on the Volkswagen Polo and uses a selection of parts from the Volkswagen Group, you can expect Skoda Fabia Estate reliability to be top-drawer. All of the engines and gearboxes have seen service elsewhere without any problems reported, so there’s no reason to think this is going to be an unreliable vehicle.

While the interior plastics are notable for their lesser quality, they’re harder too so should be more difficult to damage.