When Skoda originally revealed their new development, the Skoda Fabia vRS, there was a mix of excitement and judgment among the motoring community. Whilst it does seem that the Fabia vRS possess all the necessary features to be successful within the world wide motoring market, there are some potentially negative aspects of the car as well.
Skoda originally introduced the car as a neat handling family car. Combine that with the fact that it is actually extremely reasonable in size, and people start to listen. Remember, this is a family based car, with a few mod cons, so the 130bhp engine provided, is potentially more than what is needed.
So far the public reaction to the Fabia vRS, it has to be said, has been an extreme mix of positive and negative. However, it is the actual consumers that tell the full story and generally the truth. According to recent satisfaction surveys, the Fabia vRS is actually a really good and functional vehicle.
But what does the Skoda Fabia vRS actually offer motorists?
Well, if you are looking for amazing power delivery and immense speed, out of the box, this is probably not the best car for you! The 1.9 TDI diesel engine produces 130bhp, which propels the vRS to 60mph from a standstill in 9.6seconds. Of course, this will be pushing the vRS to the limits, most advise to keep it in the lower rev range, as this is where the most torque is produced.
Whilst this might not seem very impressive, I’d say it is. The engine is so good that it has been used in the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and even premium vehicles such as the Audi A6. This is mainly due to the fact that it will pull straight from the bottom end, in most gears, and despite the low power output, is surprisingly nippy. The quick change that is offered by the six speed transmission definitely helps to hit higher speeds, a lot quicker.
The good thing about the Fabia vRS is that it provides an excellent driving experience. That being said, it will still produce extremely good fuel economy. Official figures show that the vRS will produce well in excess of 45mpg on average, but cool, calm and collected motorway driving will see the vRS achieve as high as 60mpg.
The Fabia vRS offers a range of features that enable a smooth driving experience. The mixture of ABS, MSR and ASR all help the vRS grip the roads and get that torque to the ground.
Of course, the usual mod cons apply, including air conditioning, electric (only the front windows), remote controlled central locking and alarm system as well as driver and passenger airbags.
What’s the verdict?
The Skoda Fabia vRS offers an excellent mixture of features. This provides a great ride quality combined with some exceptional technologically advanced engineering, such as the 1.9TDI engine. When you place the vRS against comparative models from other manufacturers, the Skoda definitely stands out as being one of the best vehicles available under £12,000.
