Skoda Fabia 1.4 TDI (Old)

Another area the Fabia puts in an exemplary performance is ride and handling. The suspension has been raised for India, and sometimes this results in a less-than-perfect package. Not in this case.
The tall springs, wide rubber and perfect damping results in the most pliant ride ever witnessed on a hatchback. Very few shocks filter in from the road and all but the largest bumps are dealt with noiselessly. Then, the submarine tight sealing of the Fabia also isolates superbly you from outside noises and vibrations, much more than any car of its size has a right to. Ride comfort is also helped due to the high levels of stiffness on this all-new VW-based chassis.

Up the speed and all that absorbent compliance miraculously does little to mess up the fine sense of balance this car possesses. The car still rides flat at high speeds, only pitching a tad over long horizontal bumps. And straightline stability is rock-solid too, the Skoda providing masses of confidence to the driver. It’s the sort of car you can be comfortable doing over 140 kilometres an hour in, just one hand on the wheel. And then the steering is very direct and delivers generous feel. The key is that although this is an electrically-powered steering, it receives assistance from a hydraulic pump when necessary. This ‘hybrid’ steering system as a result gives you the efficiency of an electric system and the feel normally associated with a hydraulic unit.

Add the super steering, the generous grip from the 185 tyres, the high levels of composure and stability, the strong brakes and fantastic gearbox and you have a car that is a treat to drive on a winding road.

The strong brakes give you fantastic confidence on the way into the corner, getting the car into the right gear is a treat with the slick ’box and though you need to wind on a lot of lock to get the Fabia to turn in, the composure of the chassis is so high that more often than not you find the Fabia with plenty of grip in reserve. No, it does not possess the power to be genuinely quick, but the Fabia is still loads of fun.