Used Skoda Fabia (Mk4, 2021-date) buyer’s guide: great value, comfy and spacious
A full used buyer’s guide on the Skoda Fabia covering the Mk4 that’s been on sale since 2021
Verdict
We’re big fans of the Skoda Fabia because it’s good value, spacious, comfy and has all of the latest safety tech. The cabin is also user-friendly and running costs are low. Refinement could be better at speed and it’s not the most engaging car to drive, but when we ran a Fabia on our long-term test fleet, we were impressed with it overall. In fact, we like the Fabia so much that in our group tests the Fabia has beaten the Vauxhall Corsa, VW Polo, Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta and Honda Jazz. However, it hasn’t beaten the Renault Clio, so you might like to consider one of those too…
For many people, superminis are the perfect car. Small, light, economical and agile, they’re fun to drive, cheap to run and easy to park. They used to be quite spartan too, but in recent years they’ve become much more luxurious, with many of these small hatchbacks crammed with equipment that was once the preserve of large family cars.
That’s the case with the Skoda Fabia, which burst onto the scene 25 years ago. Since then we’ve progressed though four distinct generations, with the latest one (predictably) the most accomplished yet. It’s an ideal car for many people; could it be the ideal car for you?
History
The Fabia Mk4 arrived in September 2021, with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. There was a non-turbo (MPI) option with 64bhp or 79bhp, alongside a turbocharged (TSI) model with 94bhp or 109bhp.
Used - available now
2019 Skoda
Fabia
26,488 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £9,449
2021 Skoda
Fabia
16,929 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £11,600
2021 Skoda
Fabia
54,120 milesAutomaticPetrol1.0L
Cash £11,400
2015 Skoda
Fabia
80,300 milesAutomaticPetrol1.4L
Cash £5,255A Monte Carlo edition was added to the range in spring 2022; buyers could pick between 109bhp 1.0 TSI and 148bhp 1.5 TSI petrol engines. The former came with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission, while the latter came only in DSG form.
From April 2024 the 109bhp engine was boosted to 115bhp, then from September 2024 the line-up consisted of SE Edition, Design Edition, SE L Edition and Monte Carlo Edition, all with extra standard equipment over previous models.
On the road
Quite rightly, knowing its audience, Skoda has put the emphasis on ease of driving rather than outright fun, so the suspension is tuned more for comfort than pin-sharp handling. As a result, the Fabia deals well with poorly surfaced roads, although at higher speeds there’s a bit of road noise.
Both the manual and automatic gearboxes are pleasant to use, and the TSI engines are perky enough to cope with motorway drives, especially in 1.5-litre form.
Which one should I buy?
Unless you do exclusively local journeys, we’d choose a Fabia with a 1.0 TSI engine every time, because these have much more pep than the non-turbo alternatives.
We’d avoid the entry-level S, which is quite spartan, but comes with LED headlights, a 6.5-inch display, air-con, steel wheels and a DAB radio.
SE Comfort adds 15-inch alloys, height-adjustable front seats and rear parking sensors, while the SE L has 16-inch wheels, ambient lighting, navigation and a 9.2-inch display, plus voice control, dual-zone climate control, keyless go, cruise control and electric windows front and rear.
Alternatives to the Skoda Fabia
The supermini arena is packed with rivals, so you’re spoiled for choice. Our Supermini of the Year in 2024 was the Citroen C3; in 2023 it was the Dacia Sandero and in 2022 it was the Renault Clio.
If none of these do it for you, we’d suggest you try the Seat Ibiza or VW Polo, which are related to the Fabia. Or how about the Kia Rio and Hyundai i20? Plus, there’s the closely related Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208 to choose from.
The Mazda 2, Toyota Yaris, Suzuki Swift, Nissan Micra and Honda Jazz are five Japanese contenders worth a look, while the Ford Fiesta is a perennial favourite, as is the MINI.
What to look for
Hatch of the day
Whereas the first three generations of Fabia were offered in hatchback and estate forms, the Mk4 came only as a five-door hatch.
Going spare
No Fabia comes with a spare wheel as standard, but a space-saver item was included as part of the Comfort Package. Genuine wheels are available for £220.
Common faults
Reliability is good, but a few Fabias have suffered from windscreen condensation and Apple CarPlay glitches. A software update usually fixes the second one.
All the gear
The 1.0 MPI editions came with a five-speed manual gearbox. The 1.0 TSI 95 has a six-speed transmission with a DSG available as an option, while the 1.0 TSI 110 has a seven-speed DSG auto as standard.
Interior
Even top-spec Fabias aren’t particularly luxurious, but the materials are spot on and the Fabia’s dashboard is modern and well laid out, while the fit and finish are excellent. As such, the Fabia’s cabin is a great place to spend time, not least of all because there’s plenty of space and the seats are comfortable, although the Fabia S misses out on adjustable lumbar support.
The Fabia Mk4 is 111mm longer than its predecessor and the result is plenty of head and legroom for those in the back. This doesn’t come at the expense of boot capacity, because the Fabia has the biggest load bay in its class at 380 litres, or a useful 1,190 litres with the back seats dropped down.
Infotainment
Entry-level Fabias have a 6.5-inch display (8.25-inch in facelifted cars), but posher models have a 9.2-inch touchscreen. Both systems are user-friendly, with intuitive menus, appealing graphics and no real lag.
Running costs
All Fabias need to be serviced every 12 months or 10,000 miles, with services alternating between an oil change (£235) and an oil change and inspection (£285). The brake fluid and pollen filter need to be replaced every two years, at £97 and £76 respectively, and spark plugs cost £162 every four years.
All petrol engines have a cambelt that needs to be replaced every 140,000 miles, at £1,044.
Insurance should be cheap, with basic Fabias sitting in group 2; 79bhp cars are in group 4, but those with a 1.0 TSI engine are in at least group 11.
Skoda claims 50-55mpg is possible from any Fabia; achieving this isn’t hard with the right driving.
Check the price of a Skoda Fabia with our free car valuation tool...
Recalls
Skoda has issued three recalls on the Fabia since the fourth-generation car arrived in late 2021, but only one has affected the Mk4 model; the other two were both aimed at the Mk3.
However, the one centred on the Mk4 was the biggest recall, with 3,844 cars involved. It was issued in August 2023 and concerned Fabias produced between September 2021 and June 2022. These left the factory with a passenger airbag that could rupture in an impact. The solution was to replace it with a redesigned item.
To see if any Skoda is subject to any outstanding recalls, log on to www.skoda-auto.com/services/recall-campaigns.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
The Fabia Mk4 has never appeared in Driver Power. In the 2024 new car survey, the only Skodas to feature were the Kamiq (40th out of 50), the Karoq (19th) and the Kodiaq (16th). Skoda came 23rd out of 32 in our 2024 brands survey – quite a drop from fifth in 2019 and 2020.
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Used Skoda Fabias for sale
2019 Skoda
Fabia
26,488 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £9,4492021 Skoda
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Cash £11,6002021 Skoda
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Cash £11,4002015 Skoda
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Cash £5,255
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