Skoda Fabia interior, tech and practicality

Fittingly for Skoda’s sensible nature, the Fabia has an interior design that focuses on everyday usability rather than showroom pizzazz. So, while a Peugeot 208 has a more adventurous design, we’d rather live with the simplicity of the Fabia’s cabin.

The touchscreen isn’t used for every single feature – there are still proper air conditioning controls – and, when you do use the screen, you can rest your wrist on the ledge in front of the screen to steady yourself. Everything is where you’d expect and the steering wheel buttons are easy to fathom – and we like that the lane-keeping assistance can be toggled on or off with one button press.

Skoda has been clever with some of the textures in the Fabia – the steering wheel features tactile scroll wheels, and the dashboard is either covered in textured trim or fabric. It stops the interior feeling drab, which it easily could given how much of the interior is covered in hard black plastic. That’s to be expected at this price point, and the durable plastics will wipe down easily and should stand up to years of use and abuse. And although the materials are practical rather than premium, the build quality is strong.

New Fabias are better equipped than ever before, and even the entry-level SE Edition/ SE Comfort trims won’t leave you wanting for many extras. Alloy wheels, bright LED headlights, keyless start, cruise control and air conditioning all come as standard, along with a touchscreen with phone connectivity – more on that below.

Next up is Design Edition (formerly Colour Edition), with its contrasting black roof and wheels. Then it’s the high-spec SE L trim, marked out by the chrome windowline trim. SE L also boasts a rear-view camera, privacy glass and ambient lighting.

Top-spec Monte Carlo is Skoda’s take on the sporty trim level recipe – like Ford’s ST-Line or BMW’s M Sport trims. It brings bumper add-ons, black trim, red interior accents, 17-inch bi-colour alloy wheels, black headlining and aluminium pedals.

The Fabia is available with two different infotainment setups: an 8.25-inch screen on entry-level SE versions and a 9.2-inch screen on higher trim levels. Both have a colour touchscreen and a good amount of features, including DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

While the SE’s screen looks a little small, it’s surrounded by proper shortcut buttons and a volume knob. It’s a little annoying that the bigger screen gets touch panels instead of buttons, which aren’t as easy to use.

It’s probably because the SE’s screen is an older infotainment system, while the bigger screen is Skoda’s newest effort. The newer screen is probably a little quicker and a little glossier, but both do the basics well.

If you’re a keen music enthusiast, make sure to check if the Fabia’s audio system meets your expectations. There’s no option to upgrade to a higher-end setup.

You might not expect a supermini to offer enough rear-seat space for a tall adult, but the Fabia is more ‘super’ and less ‘mini’. Two tall adults can just about sit behind one another, and there’s plenty of space for average-height adults. It’s far more spacious than the Renault Clio, Nissan Micra and Suzuki Swift.

The door bins are a good size and you get a couple of USBs and map pockets, so it’s even quite well equipped in the back for a small, cheap car.

What’s more, three sets of Isofix points come as standard – two on the rear seats and an extra set on the front passenger seat. With all the space that the Fabia offers and wide-opening doors, it’s actually a really good option for young families. It shows you don’t need a big SUV to be a parent.

Just as impressive is the boot space, which is very nearly class-leading. At 380 litres, it exactly matches the Volkswagen Golf and SEAT Leon, which are bigger and costlier cars. You get a couple of useful hooks and pockets, plus split-folding rear seats to improve the Fabia’s versatility.

There’s quite a chunky load lip to get heavy items over, but we reckon the Fabia’s normal car ride height will make it easier to load than a small SUV.