Skoda made no formal announcement for the launch of the Fabia 1.2, the smallest-capacity and cheapest version of the Fabia. The car was quietly introduced into the market, with attractive ex-showroom prices ranging from Rs 5.11 lakh for the Active version, Rs 5.48 lakh for the classic and Rs 6.09 lakh for the Ambient. The car is powered by a three-cylinder petrol motor that puts out 70bhp, just about sufficient for the Fabia’s bulk. Start up is a noisy affair, with some amount of vibration present at idle too. The motor pulls acceptably and the three-cylinder engine’s note turns to a throaty thrum as you wind on the revs. And you do need to rev it to get at the power. Acceleration is not strong however, merely sufficient, and you have to work hard at overtaking on the highway. The motor also whines at some engine speeds. There is also less kit inside the car. The car we tested lacked seat height adjustment, the dash was not two-tone but there was a lovely audio system. There is also no 1.2 badge on the car.

The fantastic ride and handling of the car, the comfortable seats, the tough solid build and the strong brakes – all core Skoda values – remain intact.