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There is a newer version of this car Read the latest Skoda Fabia Estate (15-21) review here

Skoda Fabia Estate review

2008 - 2014 (change model)
Parkers overall rating: 4 out of 54.0

At a glance

Price new £9,995 - £16,740
Used prices £662 - £5,265
Road tax cost £0 - £335
Insurance group 4 - 16
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Fuel economy Not tested to latest standards
Range 366 - 822 miles
View full specs for a specific version

Available fuel types

Petrol

Diesel

Pros & cons

PROS
  • Very good value for money
  • Huge boot for a small car
  • Easy to drive and park
  • Low emissions version available
CONS
  • Not big enough for larger families
  • Noisy diesel engines

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019 Updated: 6 June 2019

Overview

The Skoda Fabia Estate is a great choice for young families. It’s roomy, good to drive and cheap to run. The estate model offers additional practical benefits to the hatchback – namely a bigger, versatile boot – and it meets the needs of families with smaller children with a well thought-out design.

The bigger load space results in a longer body, so it isn’t as ideally suited to city life as the hatchback. However, buyers in need of a roomy family car with a reasonable price tag should give this estate serious consideration.

A Greenline model is available which, thanks to low emissions, is cheap to tax and returns impressive economy. There’s also a Scout version which has a more rugged look along with chunky bumpers and side protection.

Loads of space

One of the key selling points of the Skoda Fabia Estate is, as you’d expect from a wagon, its boot. However, the Fabia bests most of its competitors with the amount of luggage room it provides to make it one of the most practical small estates available.

The large tailgate open high to reveal a large opening and low loading sill, so lifting in heavy suitcases is easier. The well shaped boot makes storing lots of cargo easy, while the rear seats are split 60/40 and tip forward, though they don’t fold completely flat.

Other neat touches include a flexible plastic strap that clips into the sidewalls of the boot to keep delicate items from being flung around while driving.

Excellent economy

Every Skoda Fabia Estate offers good fuel economy, whether you choose one of the petrol engines or the frugal turbodiesels. However, there’s one model that stands out for its exceptionally low fuel consumption, not just in the Fabia range but for any car on sale. It’s the Fabia Estate Greenline II, which originally offered 69mpg and 109g/km carbon dioxide emissions but comes with even more impressive 83.1mpg average economy and emissions of just 89g/km. Even with its efficient three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbodiesel engine, the Fabia Estate Greenline II is still a decent load lugger. Read on for the full Skoda Fabia Estate review.