There are some cars that were a dream for many of us when we were children. One of these cars was the Skoda Fabia, a premium hatchback that was a little ahead of its time. The Fabia was the only hatchback that Skoda ever sold in India, but it couldn’t fair too well in the market. Today, let’s talk about the Skoda Fabia!
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Design
The Fabia was undoubtedly Skoda. A simple yet elegant design without any aggressive cuts was the theme. The colours on this one were also quite simple, with no dual tones, and no sporty graphics. It looked very much like the German version of the Maruti Swift! It sat close to the ground on 14-inch alloys, which were also pretty simple in design. The interiors were very standard, it got everything a car that that time could have wanted. It was probably the only car at the time which came with a proper MID with tons of information!
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Engines on the Skoda Fabia
The Fabia came with 2 engines – a 1.2L petrol and a 1.2L diesel. Both these engines would make ~75HP. The engines on the Fabia were nothing to write home about, surprising, right? They were good enough, they could do high speeds too, but they weren’t as special as the current German engines. They were also not the most refined engines on the market. What stood out on the Fabia was the handling and the high-speed stability. It could easily hold speeds upwards of 150KM/hr without making you feel unsafe. This was surely one of the main reasons enthusiasts loved this hatchback.
Also Read – How The Kushaq Helped Skoda Grow In India!
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Why did it fail?
The Fabia was sold in India only for five short years (2008 – 2013). The main reason it failed was its pricing. It was way too expensive for the time and people didn’t have that much money to spend on a small car. Costing between Rs. 7 – 9 Lakhs, the Fabia was out of reach for many Indians. This was after Skoda was losing roughly 1.5 Lakhs on every unit! Moreover, cars like the Swift and the Hyundai i20 didn’t let buyers turn their heads to the Skoda showrooms at all. Losses, low sales and rigid competition drove the Skoda Fabia out of India in 2013.
Related – Most Overpriced Top-Spec Cars In India!
Well, no doubt that the Fabia was a truly excellent car with great safety, handling, and comfort. We won’t say that it was too ahead of its time as a machine, but it was ahead of its time in terms of pricing. But was it worth it? Let us know in the comments below!
