Skoda Fabia Estate 1.9 TDi (2007) CAR review

We know you can barely contain your excitement at the prospect of a new Fabia Estate, so we'll get right down to business. The latest Fabia supermini is a fine and fun little thing, and the old Fabia estate has a dedicated following. In it’s own quiet way this new version is actually kind of important. Especially as the small estate segment is currently blossoming. Peugeot’s 207SW may be ugly, but it’s clever, and Renault's Clio Sport Tourer will be with us soon. Value conscious buyers could even be tempted by the Kia Ceed SW from the class above.

So, the Fabia estate no longer has the market to itself. Can the new one still carry the day?

For the sake of (small) dog owners everywhere we’re about to find out. Let’s start with the looks. The Fabia hatch lends itself to the elongated estate car treatment really rather well. We wouldn’t go so far as to say it was beautiful, but the blackened pillars maintain the hatchback’s ‘floating roof’ side graphic, and overall it has an eye-pleasingly cohesive appearance. Trim levels – simply 1, 2, and 3 – are all borrowed from the standard Fabia, as are the engine options.

The Estate doesn’t get the entry-level 60bhp 1.2-litre petrol but there is a 70bhp 1.2, alongside 1.4 and 1.6 petrols, two variations of 1.4 diesel, and a range-topping 1.9 oil burner. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard, with a six-cog auto available on the 1.6.