• More interior space than before
• Comfortable for four adults
• Larger boot and more safety tech

How much space is there?

The Skoda Fabia is longer than quite a few of its rivals, which results in lots of legroom, especially for rear passengers. Skoda hasn’t wasted the space on offer, either. There are plenty of clever storage bins, such as the large cubby under the dash.

Front passenger space is equally as good. The fact you don’t have to move your seat forwards as far to accommodate those in the back improves things all round. We found four adults will fit with ease, while five is a push but not impossible.

143

Boot space and storage

The practicality benefits don’t stop at the seating arrangement. The Fabia also comes with a 380-litre boot, which is almost as spacious as the much larger Volkswagen Golf. That’s impressive. Plus, if you fold the rear seats flat, the capacity swells to 1,190 litres.

There are also some neat practicality surprises to be found in the Simply Clever package, namely an umbrella pocket in the driver’s door and a USB C outlet near the rear-view mirror to plug a dashcam into. We found both of these features to be very useful when running a Fabia on our fleet for six months. An optional net retention system can be attached to stop items from flying around the boot when you’re driving, too.

Is it easy to park?

The Fabia’s small stature, light steering and good visibility make it very easy to park. You can also specify additional technology to help in this department, such as a variety of sensors and a rear-view camera to spot hazards.

Safety

• Five stars from Euro NCAP
• New safety and driver tech added
• Up to nine airbags can be specced

Key safety features include lane-keeping assist, front side and head airbags and three sets of Isofix mounts – one on each of the outer rear seats and one on the front passenger seat. Every version of the Fabia also comes with an autonomous emergency braking system that can spot pedestrians.

Skoda’s optional safety or driver assistance packs include:

• Travel Assist – adaptive cruise and lane keep
• Park Assist – automatic parking system
• Side Assist – helps with pulling out of junctions
• Manoeuvre Assist – keeps an eye on moving vehicles while you’re manoeuvring

Watch: Skoda Fabia crash test video