The Škoda Fabia is a small 5-door hatchback car built by Skoda and based upon Volkswagen's Polo. It replaces the Felicia . The car is also available as an estate or saloon.
The range starts with the 1.2 6v Classic (which costs less than Volkwagens smaller 3-door 1.0 Lupo) to the 1.9 PD TDi vRS.
Škoda Fabia vRS
The range topping Fabia vRS, while not the first diesel hot hatch, it is the first exclusively diesel hot hatch with no petrol equivalent. The engine is VAG's 1.9 litre Pumpe-Düse Turbocharged-Diesel producing 96 kW (129 hp) and 229 ft·lbf (310 Nm) at 1900 rpm, with a six speed manual gearbox.
The performance figures are impressive. Offical figures state 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes 9.5 seconds, but many motoring magazines have timed this to be less than 9 seconds. In-gear acceleration times are even more impressive; 50-70 mph in 5.6 seconds is quicker than BMW's 330i which needs 6.0 seconds. 20-40 mph in 2.4 seconds is as quick as the lightweight Lotus Elise 111R. Despite this the Fabia vRS can achieve more than 5.4 l/100 km (45 mpg).
The handling and ride is a little on the spongy side compared with other hot hatches, however the vRS was shown to be quicker than a similarly priced Mini Cooper around Top Gear's and Fifth Gear's test tracks.
The Fabia vRS was named the Diesel Car of the Year 2003 in the Scottish Car of the Year Awards.
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