Built to celebrate Škoda’s 130th birthday, the Fabia 130 is a sporty hatchback – a souped-up version of the top-tier Monte Carlo trim, and the fastest Fabia yet. With a top speed of 141mph, it does 0-62mph in 7.4secs; and bhp is up from 148 to 175 thanks to a beefy 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, paired with the seven-speed automatic gearbox. Tweaks have been made to the suspension, throttle control, traction and steering, said The Telegraph.
According to Autocar, the 130 is a “warm hatch”, not “hot enough” to earn Škoda’s sporty vRS badge – but some proper hardware engineering has gone into it. It’s “satisfying to drive quickly”: an entertaining but comfortable ride. The chassis is “nicely judged”, the 18-inch alloy wheels have good grip, but the steering lacks feel, and it’s a shame there’s no option for a manual gearbox.
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