Faults:

No faults.

General Comments:

Fun to drive, 55 mpg and £6.5k for a minter that's only just had its first MOT. If you're not one of those sad badge snob people, it's about as good as cars get.

Not a traffic light dragster, but the instant wallop on tap puts a hundred yards between you and any following traffic before other drivers have chance to downshift and follow. In gear punch is in the league of a standard Cosworth or Subaru, but being a diesel it obviously won't rev and therefore ultimately accelerate as quickly. Floor it at 2,000 RPM though, and most day to day traffic goes backwards very quickly.

Makes most cars you drive afterwards feel frustratingly flat and gutless!

Handling is acceptable - typical VAG overlight steering and overservoed brakes, but what do you want for the money? It's not a Porsche. The VW PD engine is also sounding very agricultural by common rail standards, but its punch is something else.

Build quality is more than up to VW standards with perfect panel alignment, deep, lustrous paint and a lovely taut feel to all the controls and switchgear. It has to be said that the dash plastics look a little cheaper, but it's a solid little car overall that feels 10x better built than a Clio or 206. Comfy too, with good seats and a natural driving position, and excellent motorway ability thanks to the tall 6th and copious torque.

Dislikes are really minor gripes. I don't like the non-linear speedo calibration which sees the increments below 90 mph given bigger spacing than those over 90 mph. This means smaller needle movements for bigger speed increases around the ban territory. The car will sail past 100 mph so effortlessly in top that you have to be a little careful. I've found myself at nearly 110 instead of what I thought was high 90's a few times.

And I'm not sure about the cheesy green brake calipers.

I'm now thinking about getting it remapped. 185 bhp for £450 is very tempting, and would turn this into a genuinely quick car by any standards.

Buy one. They're fabulous!

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

I read numerous reviews before purchasing my Skoda Fabia vRS; some people claimed it wasn’t quick enough or didn’t handle good enough etc. etc. I bought the car because I am driving about 2,000 miles a month and needed a diesel car. I looked at a Seat Ibiza, but I didn’t care for it in the 5 door, which is really what I needed.

I have only had the car just over 2 weeks, but in that time it has amazed me; the fuel economy hasn’t dropped below 48mpg, the car is comfortable, quiet and refined inside, and you can really see the VW influence in this vehicle. I can cruise up the motorway at 90mph and not have to raise my voice to have a conversation with my passengers.

Performance wise it has been outstanding. OK, it’s not the quickest car from the lights, but who really cares about that; I can have it in 6th gear on the motorway and accelerate relentlessly from 70 up to 120, and it still wants to go. Overtaking is storming; get it in 3rd gear at 30 and you don’t need to change up until you hit 70, which comes up incredibly quick.

I have owned various performance cars before like a Peugeot 205 GTi, BMW 330i and an Astra GTE 16v, and where the Skoda doesn’t feel as quick, it is; but the greatest thing about the Skoda is it is effortless to drive; you can drive it hard all day long, but when you just want to relax on the way home, it will sit back and behave itself quite nicely.

All in all, if you are thinking about getting a Skoda vRS but you are unsure, I would say to you buy one, it is a fantastic Q car, and who really cares about the badge snobbery, let some other muppet pay over the odds for a “VW” or “Audi” badge; the savings you make can take you away for a nice holiday or two, then let's see their faces.