Skoda Fabia vRS (2003 - 2007) 1.9 TDI PD (130bhp) 5d (2005/05) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

To someone in the know, it says that I get a very decent car which gives you a lot of bang for your buck. To a disappointing majority though, probably not a lot! Skoda suffers from an image problem still, which is a shame.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

My girlfriend seems to be "borrowing" it for work more and more :(. Most like it - you get the usual Skoda/tractor jokes for having a diesel, but take them for a spin in it and they soon shut up.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Not sure... I need something bigger to be honest; the boot's a little small for what I need now. But I'd defintely recommend it.

What are you likely to buy next?

Golf 2.0 TDI? Basically the successor to the Skoda's engine, but you get a bigger car. You pay a damn sight more for it though...

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

Yes

What price did you pay?

£11,600

When did you buy the car?

March 2005

Did you get a good deal and why?

I got £1000 off after getting the optional metallic paint; this was a good deal at the time. It did take 2 days to get the offer - nothing like walking out when you only get offered half a tank of fuel to panic the dealers.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Best car I drove; significantly better than the Golf, Corolla and Ibiza.

What was the dealer like?

Good - the best dealers I've dealt with when buying a car. Tried to flog finance though - as usual :).

What's it like to drive?

Worried about a "small" car on the motorway? Don't be with the vRS. It's effortless... you don't need to work the engine at all hard. It may not set the world on fire for 0-60 - but this might reflect the 6 speed box and the rev limits on diesel; in 1st you hit the redline with scrabbling wheels in no time, slowing down launch acceleration. Mind you, once you hit just below 2000 in 2nd or 3rd, it accelerates *fast* - which can be amusing. It can wheel spin in 3rd even with the relativey wide tyres, and you need a fair grip on the steering wheel. It's a excellent up hill too - the best fun I had was in the Lake District up steep hills.

What's it like to park?

Surprisingly difficult - visibility is poor for a car its size. The turning circle is reasonable, though.

Have you had any problems with the car?

No.

What's most practical about your car?

The fuel economy - my long term average is 59 MPG for a mixture of town, A-roads and motorway. I've got 72 MPG for my 35 mile journey to work.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The 6-speed 'box; just over 2000 RPM at 70 means driving is effortless on the motorway. And at 2000 RPM you're just inside the torque band, so overtaking is a doddle. I quite like the dual-range speedo too; nice scale for 0-90 (so the speedo sweeps satisfyingly as you accelerate), with a smaller scale for 90 MPH+.