Take A Sneak Peak At The Fourth-Gen Skoda Fabia’s Design

• Sketches showcase a sharp design, with prominent character lines, massive wheels, and no door handles nor mirrors.

• Other notable bits include new LED headlights with L-shaped DRLs, and wider crystalline effect LED tail lights.

• Has grown considerably thanks to it utilizing the MQB-A0 platform for the first time.

• Will be offered with various features like Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster, a central infotainment system, and a range of ‘Simply Clever’ add-ons.

• It is powered by 1.0-litre MPI, 1.0-litre TSI and 1.5-litre TSI petrol engines in different states of tune and different transmission options. 

• Could arrive in India by 2023 alongside the new VW Polo.

More details about the fourth-gen Skoda Fabia continue to come up as we head closer to its reveal in May 2021. This time, the carmaker has released design sketches of the hatch, giving us a glimpse of the sharper styling and a redone front fascia. 

The sketches show precision styling on the Fabia, thanks to the prominent character lines and massive wheels. The door handles and mirrors are missing this time. But you’d want to take all of this with a pinch of salt, as most of the changes mentioned above will not likely make it to the production-spec car. 

Images of the camouflaged production model released previously hinted at a slightly mellow design language but still more distinct and well-defined than its predecessor.  

You also see the new LED headlights extending to the butterfly radiator grille and integrated L-shaped DRLs. At the back are the new LED taillamps with crystalline elements, which is classic Skoda.

The Fabia has grown in dimensions now that it uses for the first time Volkswagen Group’s smallest modular platform, the MQB-A0. Its length and width have gone up by 111mm and 48mm, respectively. The wheelbase has also extended by 94mm over that of its predecessor, which should result in increased rear-seat legroom. 

Skoda claims the hatch to be more aero efficient, with a drag coefficient of 0.28. The adjustable cooling shutters in the front bumper’s air intake will help its aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.

Some likely features include a central touchscreen infotainment system (complemented by the Virtual Cockpit digital driver’s display). Skoda has also provided the fourth-gen Fabia with its ‘Simply Clever’ features like a removable cup holder, a removable sun visor for the panoramic roof, and a folding backrest. Safety kit includes nine airbags, parking assist, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, and ISOFIX anchors securing child safety. 

Under the hood, the new Fabia will be powered by three petrol engines: 1.0-litre MPI, 1.0-litre TSI, and 1.5-litre TSI. The 1.0-litre engines will come in different states of tune. The India-spec Fabia will likely get the 1.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine that’s manufactured here.  

Here are the detailed engine specs: 

In India, we could get the next-gen Skoda Fabia and the new Volkswagen Polo around 2023, considering we already have the localised version of the MQB-A0 platform, the MQB-A0-IN. If it does launch here, the Fabia will take on the Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, Honda Jazz, and Maruti Suzuki Baleno.