Skoda Fabia: I admit it, I fell in love

According to a much-mocked current interview, Matt Hancock “broke the principles as a result of I fell in love”. Not a defence in regulation, one feels, and one that may’t be borrowed by the prime minister, who has damaged many guidelines, conventions and legal guidelines over time due to the deep love for he feels for an important individual in his life – himself.

However, it’s an attention-grabbing concept that Hancock, at the moment showing as a male mannequin at a drinks reception close to you, has raised. I personally really feel considerably compromised in writing concerning the Skoda Fabia as a result of I too fell in love. I fell in love not a lot with the automobile, succesful as it’s, however due to its door deal with.

Fairly like Gina Coladangelo, the inside door deal with on the Skoda is stylishly formed, as if carved out of metal-effect plastic by the very gods of the car, and, as the previous well being secretary found in his personal worth workplace, is a pleasure to carry. The stylists and engineers at Skoda got here up with the progressive thought of the deal with pointing upwards quite than out of the door panel, so that you maintain it as you may an old school suitcase, although possibly not a lot a particular adviser. It’s the one automobile design I’ve seen with such a characteristic, although the brand new all-electric Skoda Enyaq has a extra muted model of the identical thought. It’s such a intelligent thought it’s unusual that nobody has considered it earlier than. Anyway, there it’s, it’s beautiful and it makes you content each time you get into the fabulous Fabia. Possibly not after the prime minister has regretfully accepted your resignation from excessive workplace, you discover out he thought you have been f****** hopeless all alongside, and also you ponder the ruins of your political profession, however actually like a carefree night along with your mistress.

The automobile the door deal with is hooked up to is fairly satisfying too. Due to the avalanche of SUVs nonetheless spilling onto our crowded roads, it’s a been a short while since I attempted a standard supermini, and had nearly forgotten what a sensible idea the three-door hatch is – pioneered a half century in the past by the Renault 5 and Fiat 127 (or 60 years when you depend the Austin A40 Farina). So was good to make the re-acquaintance. The final I attempted was the Peugeot 208, I feel, and that was a smoother, softer affair than this Fabia, however in fact lacked the precise inside door fittings. The Fabia on paper is a reasonably pedestrian affair, nevertheless it’s revvy and keen one-litre engine it feels a lot quicker and sportier than it truly is. You actually do wish to get going within the factor. The three-cylinder unit is a little bit thrummy, and really barely hesitant as a result of it depends on a turbo to spice up energy, the smaller capability delivering good gas financial system when pootling round, and it has stop-start too. There’s an entry-level Verizon that does with out the turbo and takes about 15 seconds to 60mph, which feels like much less of fun, however there are many patrons who’re in no hurry, so good for Skoda for giving them the choice. Steering is mild, roadholding wonderful and the seats nearly supportive sufficient.

Skoda is beginning to rival Volvo in its considerate little touches and quirky options. In addition to the pleasant door pulls there’s additionally an umbrella secreted contained in the door, and an ice scraper contained in the gas filler cap (although if the chilly has jammed that shut it’s a bit much less helpful), plus the same old little clip contained in the windscreen to your parking receipt and that form of factor.

The brand new Fabia hasn’t been outfitted with VW Group’s newest touchscreen/management system, which is simply as nicely as a result of the older model right here works much better, “with knobs on” you may say quite than a bewildering sequence of touchscreens and finger managed digital sliders. The Fabia system is good – refined however not fancy sufficient to confuse an outdated hack like me.

Styling is a considered mixture of sharp creases and softer strains, and the brand new Skoda grille is distinctive. As a Skoda fan I do remorse it has dropped the trademark hind lights although, [which looked like giant square brackets].

The one apparent flaw I skilled was that the seat belt warning mild got here on for no purpose (sure, I checked), and the boot appears a little bit imply, with a comparatively excessive lip. Nevertheless it’s typically the little imperfections that may make somebody love one thing, in addition to their extra fab options.