Most cars in this class struggled with a full load of holiday luggage, but not the Fabia. With the seats in place we managed to squeeze in everything except the large grip back. There’s 480 litres even before you start folding seats, which increases the space to 1460 litres. If the towing mirrors had been easier to fit and the spare wheel more accessible, the practicality score would have been higher. The measly 50kg noseweight limit was frustrating.
On the test track, the Fabia was solid rather than spectacular. The van took a long time to settle and pull straight after steering inputs from the driver, although it actually tackled the lane-change test quite well, with a peak G-force reading of 0.75.
It’s a shame, though, that the engine is so loud. It’s the same 1.9-litre as is fitted to the Golf, but the noise is even more noticeable in the Fabia. The upside is the promise of 57.6mpg on the combined cycle. The drab interior design is another disappointment, especially when the cabin of the Peugeot 207 SW, the Fabia Estate’s obvious rival, is so much more inviting.
