Is the new Škoda Fabia more expensive than the competition?

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The fourth generation of the Škoda Fabia is a Czech automotive novelty this year. And although the first pieces will appear at dealers in a few months, those interested can order a small hatchback today. That is why Škoda did not delay and made the car's configurator available shortly after the premiere. We can thus compare the Fabia with the competition - we, therefore, chose supercharged engines with an output of around 70 kW.

Complete pricelist of the new Fabia

We have already written a lot about the fourth generation, Škoda Fabia. You can find its complete performance here, a comparison with its predecessor can be read under this link. All that remains is to state that the intergenerationally small hatchback has grown quite a lot, the volume of the trunk even attacks the models by a higher segment. The interior has also changed a lot, where elements known as Scala or Octavia are used. Due to the use of the MQB A0 platform, the car was able to get a number of modern assistance systems, including a partially autonomous drive on the highway, which the predecessor did not have.

The new three-cylinder Evo series has moved under the hood, although their performance has remained similar to its predecessor, and the four-cylinder 110 kW is also returning. The configurator currently has a 59 kW naturally aspirated liter engine with a manual transmission or a 70 or 81 kW supercharged liter engine. In addition to the manual engine, the more powerful engine is also connected to the two-clutch automatic transmission. There are then two pieces of equipment - Ambition, and Style. The basic Fabia costs 329,900 crowns, a complete price list of the variants available so far can be found in the table.

In the following slides, we bring a comparison of Fabia with some competitors. We deliberately chose cars with a supercharged three-cylinder engine with an output of around 70 kW and a manual transmission. We also tried to always choose the lowest possible equipment that is associated with the engine. The only exception is Dacia Sandero, where the middle Essential level lacks a number of elements that the competition offers. In her case, we reached for the highest Comfort equipment.

Competitor number 1: Dacia Sandero 1.0 TCe

Dacia Sandero will be a relatively large competitor of the new Škoda Fabia not only on the Czech market. It should be noted at the outset that both cars are targeting a slightly different part of the market, and looking at the price lists of both models, you could almost say that where Sandero ends, Fabia begins. The most expensive version of the Dacia without surcharges, but with a CVT machine, costs only 10,000 crowns more than the basic Fabia.

As can be seen from the table above, at least according to preliminary data published by the carmaker, the Fabia is more dynamic, on the other hand, the Dacia offers a six-speed transmission. And it's also bigger than a Škoda - fewer liters in the boot compensates for an extra 40 mm in the area of ​​the wheelbase, which is not enough. The price of the supercharged three-cylinder with the Dacia also starts lower than with the Fabia, however, the equipment of the Romanian model is also significantly poorer.

Therefore, as already mentioned, we took the highest level of Comfort with a price from 304,900 crowns into the equipment comparison. Even that is still much lower than what the Mladá Boleslav hatchback offers, but it is necessary to mention, for example, the limited options of surcharges (on the other hand, the standard equipment is richer). And so, even though Dacia has acquired a number of modern elements in the new generation, it still cannot match Fabia.

Lower price and richer basic equipment, that's Dacia Sandero. A limited number of surcharges have already been discussed, on the other hand, when they appear, their prices are quite favorable. For example, you will get front and rear parking sensors and a camera for six thousand, while in Fabia only the sensors cost 17,200 crowns. However, whoever wants a helper for driving in the lane or, for example, rear side airbags, will march in this pair only at Fabia.

Competitor number 2: Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost

While the Sandero, like the Fabia, is still a novelty, the seventh generation Ford Fiesta is already in its fourth season. With the three-cylinder EcoBoost engine with an output of 74 kW, the Fabia is rarely balanced in price - thanks to the current promotion, it will cost at least CZK 344,900.

While the Fiesta is just as dynamic as the Fabia, it is not enough for the Czech competitor. In particular, the 71 mm shorter wheelbase will be quite familiar in the interior. As well as almost 70 liters smaller suitcase in the basic arrangement.

In terms of price, it has already been said that the Fiesta EcoBoost in the Trend standard equipment costs almost the same as the cheapest Fabia TSI. Looking at the price list of optional equipment, it is also true that, for example, when it comes to assistance systems, the Fiesta can be almost like Fabia (it has a number of assistants from the second Style line) from the second equipment, but only from the second equipment level. In this basic example, emergency braking is not available for an additional charge.

Fabia and Fiesta are basically comparable cars not only in price but also in equipment. However, it is also true that for some elements that a competitor has, he has to pay extra for Škoda, for others for Ford.

Competitor number 3: Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDI

Last year's changes in the small car segment also brought a new generation of Hyundai i20. Compared to its predecessor, it has grown in all directions, given not only a modern design and modified engines, but also a completely different interior. However, it is no longer a model with such a dumped price, to which the customer was a bit used to the older Hyundai cars. The small hatchback is still attractively priced, especially in the basic version for less than 280,000 crowns. However, the 74kW turbo engine will cost at least the special 329,990 crowns.

The price is less than 20 thousand crowns cheaper, dynamically and economically almost identical, and quite similar in size. The Hyundai i20 is also very close to the Fabia in many ways.

However, this is not entirely true of the equipment. The cheapest is that the supercharged three-cylinder with 74 kW can be purchased in the Comfort equipment for 329,990 crowns. A closer look in the price list, however, suggests that such a car lacks, for example, a radio, which is a package with other elements that costs 20,000 crowns. Suddenly, the i20 is on the same level as the Škoda. Another disadvantage of the Korean model may be that if the applicant desires an element that is not in the equipment, it usually does not solve only the surcharge for that element, but it is necessary to choose even higher equipment. Hyundai traditionally no longer offers many surcharges except for elements such as metallic or alloy wheels. In the Comfort equipment, it is necessary to let some elements completely taste you.

In this case, the Fabia is based on a price comparison better. Yes, the missing radio with steering wheel control (additionally covered with leather) will solve the equipment package for a total of 20 thousand crowns, but even so, the i20 will lack fog lights or a touch screen, which can only be purchased or purchased in higher equipment lines. On the other hand, Hyundai also has several elements for which it has to pay extra for Fabia, but even so, the Mladá Boleslav representative is a little more advantageous on paper.

Competitor number 4: Kia Rio 1.0 T-GDI

Despite the recent modernization, which brought a modified interior or power units, the current Kia Rio is also one of the mainstays of the small car segment. Given that Hyundai forms a group with Kia, it is probably not surprising that the i20 and Rio use the same technology, including a 74kW three-cylinder. However, the Czech representation of the brand relies on a different policy than its sister Hyundai - the three-cylinder thus costs at least 369,980 crowns, but in action and with richer equipment.

In the case of Rio, the same applies to the Fabia as to the Hyundai i20. Dynamically comparable cars, Kia as well as Hyundai and others have the advantage of using a six-speed transmission, which is similarly large (but Fabia dominates the trunk). However, if Hyundai was 20,000 cheaper, Kia is 20,000 more expensive.

However, the price difference is compensated by richer equipment, for example, including rear parking sensors, for which the Fabia has to pay extra. It is all the more surprising that the touch screen of the radio in Rio, together with other equipment, costs an additional 20,000 crowns. By the way, surcharges are dealt with through packages, not separate items. However, their number in the Exclusive equipment far exceeds the offer of surcharges at Hyundai.

As mentioned, Rio tries to compensate the price difference with some extra elements, such as automatic air conditioning, alloy wheels or a leather multifunction steering wheel, for which Fabia customers have to pay extra (or it is necessary to choose higher Style equipment for 379,900 crowns). On the other hand, Škoda already has a touch screen or LED headlights as standard, for which, on the contrary, it must pay extra for those interested in a Kiu.

Competitor number 5: Opel Corsa 1.2 Turbo

Another of the newer competitors of the fourth Fabia is the Opel Corsa, built on the same technical basis as, for example, the Peugeot 208. This means, among other things, the possibility of using a purely electric drive, but also a 74kW supercharged twelve, which other PSA cars have under the hood. By the way, thanks to the special offer, the Corsa costs CZK 349,990.

The Corsa is slightly more dynamic than the Fabia, but it also has a few tenths of a liter higher average fuel consumption. At the same time, it also has a significantly smaller suitcase, although the external dimensions of the Škoda are quite similar.

And the same is the basic price just below the limit of 350 thousand crowns. Opel will get it in the action version Cool Edition. Corsa, as well as Fabia, has surcharges, solved both by discounted packages and by the possibility to buy only individual items separately. It is true that, as with the Czech model or other competitors, it is necessary to choose a higher level of equipment for some assistance systems.

Compared to the Fabia, Opel offers richer basic equipment, although it also requires additional payment for LED lights or LED fog lamps. However, the differences are not so great, compared to supercharged units around 70 kW with the lowest possible equipment, but the Corsa is a bit ahead.

Competitor number 6: Peugeot 208

On the same basis as the Corsa, the Peugeot 208 also drives but relies on more extravagant shapes inside and out, dominated by raised alarm clocks with a smaller steering wheel, collectively referred to as the i-Cockpit. 208 thus runs away more significantly in terms of price, because for an overcrowded 74kW three-cylinder, the applicant must pay at least 381 thousand crowns, the most in this overview.

As in the case of the sibling Opel, Peugeot's dynamics are slightly better than those of the Fabia, which, on the other hand, consumes a little less fuel. The size of both cars is relatively balanced, however, the Škoda 208 declassifies the volume of luggage space.

We mentioned that Peugeot is more expensive at the outset, but the French compensate by the relatively rich equipment, they do not offer a turbo engine to a lower degree than the Active Pack.

In addition to the equipment in the table, the Peugeot 208 also has rear parking sensors, for example, it is at a higher price, but better equipped than the Fabia. On the other hand, it is also necessary to note that the price of the French model will include the Fabia 1.0 TSI / 70 kW in the higher style for 379,900 crowns, which will erase virtually all equipment differences, as well as the price base of the Czech hatchback. Peugeot's optional equipment is also not so rich, so it is often necessary to aim for a higher level for some elements.

Competitor number 7: Renault Clio 1.0 TCe

Another of Fabia's French rivals is the Renault Clio. For a change, it shares the weaker of the supercharged units with Dacia Sandero, compared to which, logically, it is significantly more expensive (in action from 340 thousand crowns), but it also offers more elements, especially as far as safety assistants are concerned. Under the hood of the Clia is a three-cylinder with an output of 67 kW.

Like the Sandero, the Clio has significantly worse paper dynamics than the Fabia, on the other hand with similar fuel consumption. Above all, the Clio is also one of the few small cars that the Mladá Boleslav hatchback will surpass in the basic volume of the luggage compartment.

Clio has less than 10,000 crowns lower base price of the supercharged three-cylinder in the Zen equipment than the Fabia in the Ambition equipment. The equipment of both cars, as can be seen in the table, is quite similar.

Clio outperforms the new Fabia as standard. It has a multifunction steering wheel, fully LED lights, or cruise control, although it is necessary to pay extra for fog lights, on the contrary.

Conclusion

The new Škoda Fabia is not one of the cheapest cars in its segment (especially its basic price), which was probably never its ambition. On the other hand, with the compared three-cylinder three-cylinder engines, it is at a similar price level as its competitors, and its equipment is more than competitive. It is also possible to retrofit the Fabia with elements such as rear side airbags, which are not offered by the competition, or elements that not all competitors have among the optional equipment. Many things, such as the possibility of partially autonomous driving, are offered by higher Style equipment, but even for Ambition, the optional equipment is not completely poor, although compared to some rivals, selected equipment items are more expensive.

Soon, Fabia will also have competition from its own concern. Seat and Volkswagen have recently rejuvenated the Ibiza and Polo models, while under the hood there should be the same 70kW three-cylinder as the Fabia.