Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo – 2022
By Ian Strachan.
The car I’ve just been driving is nippy and responsive. It’s a great drive, with a smooth, economical engine and a sporty, comfortable interior. It looks aggressive and solid, and has loads of carrying capacity.
And if you thought I was describing a BMW or an Audi you’d be wrong. It’s a Skoda. And Skoda’s baby at that – the Fabia Monte Carlo.
The Fabia has recently won awards as the best first car. But the Monte Carlo is no car for a learner. It’s a grown-up car with surprising performance, particularly in sport mode.
The Fabia Monte Carlo gets a sporty, sharper look than other models in the range, with black body trim and black, diamond-cut 17 inch alloys, and a great interior with wraparound sports seats.
The Monte Carlo was originally launched a few years ago to celebrate 100 years of the famous Monte Carlo Rally and 110 years of Skoda’s participation in motorsport. It may surprise many people that Skoda has an impressive track record in the rally.
The Fabia Monte Carlo has a peppy 1.5 litre engine under the bonnet. This is a 150 bhp injected unit which can do 0-60 in less than eight seconds and has impressive pull in across the range. Married to a seven speed automatic gearbox it can comfortably see off other cars which might claim a sportier pedigree.
In design terms the Fabia Monte Carlo has purposeful, unfussy and pleasing lines. But the interior scores well and is very pleasant indeed. It’s nicely put together, with no squeaks or rattles.
There’s plenty of room for driver and passengers, without sacrificing any of the Fabia’s generous loadspace which can be increased by folding the split, foldaway seats.
The 1.5 litre petrol engine is smooth, quiet and responsive, and feels powerful, particularly if you shift the gear lever to sport mode. As well as pleasing performance the engine will give you a respectable 47.9 mpg in mixed driving.
The Monte Carlo has good specification which includes those smart alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, LED headlights and daytime running lights, front fog lights, electric mirrors and windows, a good quality six-speaker DAB radio and sound system controlled via an eight-inch touchscreen, and a multi-function leather steering wheel. Also as standard you get alarm with immobiliser and interior monitoring, rear parking sensors, sports seats, sports suspension, driver alert system, hill hold control, and Skoda’s signature umbrella in the driver’s door. Disappointingly for such a well-specified car, you don’t get satellite navigation as standard.
The Fabia Monte Carlo 1.5 TSI 150 PS automatic is priced at £23,775, which is good value. There aren’t many small, sporty cars of this style and substance that can compete with that. The Fabia is well-built, dynamic, stable, safe, roomy and pleasant to drive.
