New Skoda Fabia 130 2026 review: a likeable warm hatch, but it’s no vRS

Overall, there are just enough visual cues that something fizzy might be happening under the skin, which is just as it should be with any high-performance Skoda. 

Unfortunately, any theatre is pretty quickly undone by the four-cylinder engine. Although it has lots of performance, it’s also about as charismatic as boiled turnip. The consistent power delivery means that while it does perform extremely well from low rpm, there’s little to no reason to hold on to the revs in each gear. The engine’s refinement only accentuates this feeling – it’s effective, but not exactly exciting. 

Skoda says it has tweaked the dual-clutch ’box, but the changes haven’t really gone far enough, because the gearshifts are still surprisingly slow, even when using the steering-wheel paddles. The brakes are typically VW-Group sharp and difficult to modulate, but they’re powerful, with the effect exaggerated by the car’s relatively low 1,271kg kerbweight. 

Chassis feel, however, is where this new Fabia edition claws back some appeal. There’s a lovely flow to the way this little car covers rough roads, and while the body roll is kept in tight check, there seems to still be more than enough compliance in the suspension for it to remain comfortable. Combined with its torque-rich engine, it makes this supermini almost feel like a mini-GT, with plenty of easily accessible performance matched to a very capable chassis.

It’s not exciting in the same way as a Hyundai i20 N or Ford Fiesta ST, but then it doesn’t pretend to be. After all, this Fabia doesn’t wear the iconic vRS badge of its predecessors. 

The main thing that undermines this package, though, is its price. Knocking on the door of £30,000 for a Fabia – even one as well specified and quick as this – is a big ask. Obvious competition would be the more powerful Polo GTI, and it’s barely £1,500 more for more speed, charisma and capability. 

If you’re able to go electric, the competition is even hotter, because thanks to the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant, you’ll be able to run off in an Alpine A290 with 178bhp for pretty much the same price as the Fabia. 

By contrast, the Fabia 130 makes its statement in a relatively retro fashion. A small petrol car with plenty of performance equals big fun, but for this much money there’s just too much strong competition to ignore the Fabia’s shortcomings.

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