Skoda Fabia Hatchback (2000 - 2007) 1.2 12V Ambiente (64bhp) 5d Owner Review

I bought this lovely little nugget in March this year (2021) as my first car. It is a small car that many will mistake for being tiny on the inside which couldn't be farther from the truth! This little Fabia will swallow just about anything you throw at it (except a fully assembled picnic bench because you weren't paying for delivery). I have the 1.2 12v Ambiente (replaced the Comfort model when the car was facelifted) model with a massive (sarcasm used here) 64 three-legged horses pulling the thing. Frankly, it's a little gutless going up hills unless you shuffle through 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear. A LOT. Having driven other cars, I can say that the Fabia itself handles well, it feels planted and fun. Not necessarily "sporty" by any means, but fun! The engine, although slow, sounds good being a perky little three cylinder, making it ideal for city driving, but perhaps not for "hilly" areas. It also comes with heated mirrors and functioning air conditioning as standard, which puts it a peg higher than the 2008 Fiat Punto I was going to be inheriting (it had a button for air conditioning, but the thingy was knackered). If you were to ask me if I'd buy another one, then the answer is both yes and no. Yes, I'd buy another Fabia Mk1 hatch because I think they are good solid, reliable modes of transportation. Certainly, it won't set the world on fire with its looks, but it gets by with them. And no, I wouldn't buy another 1.2 12v, or even the 6v iteration. I'd buy at least a 1.4 16v engined model, or a 1.9 TDI for that extra bit of SPEED compared to its slower counterparts.