Skoda Fabia 1.9 TDi CAR review

Looks like the new Roomster, but without the cut-and-shut treatment

That’s because the Fabia and Roomster are the only Skodas so far to wear the new corporate nose. The Czech firm wants to move away from the ultra-conservative styling of cars like the Octavia.

So it’s equally new underneath?

Not quite. Volkswagen used the first Fabia as a testing ground for the new platform it was developing for the next Polo, but this time the Fabia makes do with a tweaked version of the old car’s oily bits. That’s not necessarily a bad thing: the old car was vaunted for its grown-up feel, refinement and comfort, if never its ability to excite.