Skoda Fabia 130 review: the warm hatch that makes more sense than you’d think

Skoda's fastest Fabia isn't as hot as we'd quite like, but it's still immensely likable | Skoda

It may not be the full-fat vRS some were hoping for, but the new Skoda Fabia 130 is a smart, likeable and surprisingly enjoyable warm hatch with real everyday appeal

Take a look around this new top-of-the-range Skoda Fabia without having it explained to you and you might draw some incorrect conclusions.

It looks quite sporty, and you'll quickly notice a "130" decal on the wings. If we were back in the 1990s, that number might have denoted bhp - and you'd have been mildly excited. But nowadays hot hatches are considered unviable if they have less than about 250bhp.

On that note, the new flagship Fabia has 174bhp (the 130 actually refers to its power in kilowatts) and, I know what you're thinking, it's not very much - especially once it's fed through a seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox.

But you have to remember, hot hatches don't really exist these days, at least not in the fun and affordable end of the market. So should we do our best to embrace this one?

The styling isn't overly sporty, but that won't upset many people | Skoda

Firstly, it's on the market now at a flagship price of £30,000. Yes, that's a lot for a hatchback, but look around at what rivals are costing and it's actually pretty good value for money.

The exterior looks suitably sporty, with big wheels, some red bits, and the odd aggressive bit of black plastic here and there, and likewise the interior has had a sprinkling of hot-hatch bling, but apart from that, it's all about as grown-up as you'd expect a Fabia to be.

It doesn't have any silly drift modes, the exhaust doesn't fart and pop at you, there's no rev-matching, and the suspension is remarkably well composed and comfortable.

It's not particularly quick, either. A 0-62mph time of 7.2 seconds is far from vivid, and mid-range grunt gets a bit lost through the gears, too. A top speed of 141mph is fairly impressive, but who really cares about top speeds?

There's also little to lift the interior, but it's a functional delight regardless | Skoda

You might be wondering what the point is, then. You could almost certainly wonder why Skoda hasn't gone the whole hog and turned it into a more silly vRS.

I've thought the same, if I'm honest. But then it dawned on me that the Fabia line-up is now around five years old, and I've realised this is probably as much a limited edition as a stand-out, future classic, hot hatch we can all get excited about in a world of dull crossovers.

And, when you start to manage your expectations a bit, you're left weighing up a very likeable car indeed.

Sure, it's a bit cramped in the back, and it all lacks a bit of cutting-edge design flair, but there are some typically clever Skoda practicality touches, a decent boot, that superb damping, and all the standard equipment you can think of.

The 130 denotes its kilowatts, not its BHP | Skoda

And then there's the oh-so refreshing presence of plenty of physical buttons. This being a slightly older design template, the dashboard is brilliantly easy to master, with only a limited amount of fumbling away at an infotainment screen to adjust things that don't belong in there. The Fabia's interior tech is a joy to use.

It's also worth pointing out that, even in a modern context, 174bhp isn't exactly slow. You're always left feeling like it should have more to give, but it can be quite entertaining on the right road, and its dynamic prowess might not match up to a Fiesta ST, but it's not a wobbly blancmange. And, unlike the Fiesta, this car's still on sale. That's something to be celebrated in itself.

When all's said and done, the Fabia is still a great little car. And the new 130 might not be about to go down in history as one of the legendary special editions, but it perks the model up with useful power, attractive design, and a really good standard kit list. What's not to like?

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