Skoda has lifted the covers off the new top-of-the-range Fabia, featuring sportier styling and extra power
- Model-specific black styling accents
- Eight-inch touchscreen as standard
- More powerful 148bhp 1.5-litre engine available
The new Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo has been unveiled. This new model sits at the top of the Fabia range, rivalling sporty-looking hatchbacks like the Ford Fiesta ST-Line and Hyundai i20 N-Line.
Mirroring other models in the Skoda range, Monte Carlo trim introduces a host of sporty styling upgrades over the standard car as well as a high level of standard equipment. While prices have still not yet been confirmed, we can expect the Fabia Monte Carlo to start from around £21,000 when it goes on sale in the summer.
The arrival of the new Fabia Monte Carlo completes the lineup for Skoda’s small supermini, which went on sale late last year. Buyers hoping for an even sportier vRS version are likely to be disappointed as, at this stage, no such model is planned.
Now in its fourth generation, the new Fabia has been given a complete overhaul with a new design, an array of the latest technology and improved practicality. It sits on the VW Group’s ‘MQB A0’ platform, which already underpins the latest iterations of the VW Polo and SEAT Ibiza.
2022 Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo
In true Skoda fashion, the sporty tweaks to the Fabia’s design on the Monte Carlo are relatively subtle. The Fabia Monte Carlo features gloss black accents for the grille, mirror caps and front LED fog lights. Skoda has also given the Monte Carlo full-LED headlights and tinted privacy glass as standard. The addition of a deeper front bumper and sideskirts is designed to give it a more aggressive stance.
The new Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo sits on a set of model-specific 17-inch alloy wheels. Buyers looking to enhance the look of their car further can opt for larger 18-inch wheels as well as the optional black contrast roof and adaptive-LED headlights.
The Fabia gets the full Monte Carlo treatment inside too, with sports seats, a new flat-bottomed steering wheel with ‘Monte Carlo’ badging, and leather trim on the handbrake and gear lever. Elsewhere, the new car features red contrasting stitching throughout, and matching red and carbon fibre-effect trim pieces for the dashboard and doors.
As you can expect from the range-topping model, the Fabia Monte Carlo comes with plenty of standard equipment. Monte Carlo cars get a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, plus an eight-inch infotainment system as standard; the wider 9.2-inch screen with gesture control is available for an additional cost.
Skoda offers the Monte Carlo with a choice of two engines. The entry-level engine is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit with 109bhp. This is available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DSG automatic as an option.
Drivers looking for even more power can opt for the larger 1.5-litre four-cylinder TSI Evo petrol engine with 148bhp. Only available in Monte Carlo trim, this engine comes as standard with the DSG automatic transmission, meaning the Fabia can accelerate from 0-62mph in just eight seconds – placing it firmly in warm-hatch territory alongside the 153bhp Ecoboost Ford Fiesta. Skoda says it’ll do 50.4mpg thanks in part to cylinder-deactivation technology.
Trim levels and pricing
Before the Monte Carlo goes on sale, buyers can order their new Fabia in a choice of four trim levels: S, SE Comfort, Colour Edition and SE L.
The S model is the entry-level version and starts from £15,305. It still comes with a long list of standard equipment including a 6.5-inch infotainment screen and manual air conditioning. It also gets an extensive amount of safety features such as LED headlights, front assist, lane keep assist and e-Call, which automatically contacts emergency services after a major accident.
SE Comfort starts at £17,195. Exterior additions include front fog lamps, 15-inch alloy wheels and rear parking sensors. Inside, upgrades include height adjustable front seats with lumbar support, a two-spoke leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel along with matching trim on the gear lever gaiter and handbrake.
The Colour Edition trim starts from £17,895, adding silver 16-inch alloys and rear privacy glass. Buyers can also spec a contrasting paint colour for the roof and door mirror caps from either graphite grey or magic black. It also adds a Skoda-branded umbrella that’s stored in a cubby located in the driver's door. Technology upgrades include an eight-inch infotainment screen and a 10-inch digital dial cluster.
The Fabia SE L was the flagship model at launch, and features several enhancements to signify its position at the top of the range. Standard equipment includes a 9.2-inch infotainment screen, dual-zone air conditioning, ambient interior lighting, LED interior lights, a front armrest and all-round electric windows. On the outside, Skoda has added chrome trim to the window surrounds along with a set of 16-inch alloys finished in silver and black. Prices for this model start from £19,380.
Design and styling
A major change for the new model is the additional 111mm in length over the outgoing model, taking its bumper-to-bumper figure to 4,108mm. Skoda has also stretched the Fabia’s wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) by 94mm.
Together with a raised roofline, this means the new Fabia has much more space for both passengers and luggage than the previous model. There’s an extra 50 litres of boot space, taking its load bay to an impressive 380 litres. This isn’t far off many family hatchbacks such as the SEAT Leon, Ford Focus and Audi A3 from the class above, and means the Fabia is now more practical than nearly all its main rivals, including the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris and Vauxhall Corsa. It doesn’t quite match the Clio, which is 11 litres larger, but the new Fabia trumps its French rival by offering a full 1,190 litres when the rear seats are folded down.
In terms of styling, the new Fabia follows in the footsteps of other recently updated Skoda models, including the new Kamiq. It now features styling details such as Skoda’s new, larger grille and LED ‘hawk-eye’ headlights, along with L-shaped LED daytime running lights. The front bumper is more angular than before and gains new front fog lights and active cooling vents in the lower bumper, which can close to improve efficiency.
The detailing continues along the side of the car, with a triangular motif that adjoins a neat crease at the bottom of the door panels. Designers claim this is a nod to the Czech flag. At the rear, the Fabia gets wider tail lights and a spoiler integrated into the top of the tailgate. Skoda’s new lettering completes the detailing across the centre of the bootlid.
The new Fabia is available in nine colours, including the new Phoenix Orange previewed in official images, and with the option of a contrasting roof on some versions.
Interior and technology
The Fabia’s dashboard features a fabric coating on mid-range models upwards, similar to those seen in the latest Octavia and the new Enyaq iV, along with a line of body-coloured trim, which provides some contrast to the grey plastic. It comes with a 3.5-inch information screen as standard but a 10-inch digital instrument panel is available as an option.
A two-spoke steering wheel also features, which we’ve already seen in the latest Octavia. Elsewhere, contrasting dash inserts are trimmed in what appears to be faux leather, with a set of rotary switches and buttons for the ventilation controls located beneath. Below this sits a new look gear stick and a central storage cubby.
A large touchscreen infotainment screen is the biggest change from the old car, which is complemented by a digital dial cluster. Skoda says it is retaining a 6.5-inch infotainment system with DAB radio for entry-level cars but the majority of Fabias come with an eight-inch Bolero touchscreen that features Bluetooth. A 9.2-inch display system is also available, offering online-supported navigation and a WiFi hotspot, and Smartphone mirroring with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is likely to be standard on all trim levels. This system runs Skoda’s MIB 3.0 software, which was first seen in the Kamiq SUV.
Depending on the trim level, the Fabia now comes with ambient lighting and dual-zone climate control. Extra safety technology includes lane assist and front assist, and you can choose to have top and bottom ISOFIX child seat mountings on the front passenger seat.
Skoda has become known for its ‘Simply Clever’ features, like an ice scraper hidden in the fuel filler cap and umbrellas in the front seats. The new Fabia benefits from many more of these innovations (up to 43, we’re told); 13 are new to the Fabia and five of those are Skoda firsts. You can opt for a USB-C socket mounted on the rear-view mirror – to plug a dashcam in – or specify a folding front passenger seat in order to carry long items. There are also phone holders in the seatbacks and a storage pocket underneath the boot cover.
Engines and pricing
The new Fabia is powered predominantly by three-cylinder petrol engines: a normally aspirated 1.0-litre MPI and a turbocharged 1.0-litre TSI.
Base models feature the 1.0-litre MPI unit with 64bhp or 79bhp, both linked to a five-speed manual gearbox. There is also a choice of turbocharged TSI motors, with either a 94bhp power output, matched to a five-speed manual gearbox, or a 109bhp engine, linked to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. At the top of the range, the 1.5 TSI Evo four-cylinder turbo petrol engine will only be available on cars specified in the new Monte Carlo trim. As previously mentioned, this engine is mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox, and is the quickest in the range managing 0-62mph in 8 seconds.
The absence of an electric or hybrid model means the most economical version will be the 94bhp 1.0-litre TSI, with an official economy figure of 55.4mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 113g/km.
Keyword: New 2022 Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo is a sporty supermini