| A Week at the Wheel | Cambs, England | Skoda Fabia 3 1.4 TDI Estate |

Inside & Out:

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it's safe to say that the majority of the beholders we encountered during our week with the new Skoda Fabia Estate were less than complimentary about its looks. Personally I quite like the family look of the Fabia and Roomster models and the estate integrates the larger rear end well. The estate car is only 7mm longer than the hatchback and yet boasts 235-litres extra boot capacity.

Inside, things get better with the Fabia's class leading blend of space, practicality and equipment being further accentuated by the benefits of the estate car body. The load space is hugely generous for what is supposedly a supermini and the cabin space is also increased giving a lighter, more airy feel to the interior. The rear passenger compartment gets an additional 42mm headroom courtesy of the rework.

Engine & Transmission:

We've tried this 1.4-litre TDI engine a few times now and where we can see the benefits of an efficient and compact unit, the relative lack of manners does remain an issue. Performance wise it's adequate and is a capable companion around town or on the motorway, so long as one adapts one's driving style to take into account its foibles. In extra urban cut and thrust it lacks the necessary attributes to give the Fabia the urge to overtake or make good progress, but taken on its merits it's a decent compromise.

Ride & Handling:

The Fabia's ride and handling are amongst the best in the class and the estate car enjoys the same blend of compliance and agility. Handling is softer, with more body roll than the best handlers in the class, but it's composed and neutral and, in the right circumstances, offers some fun. Overall the chassis remains a benchmark for the class.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

The Fabia 3's equipment list is long and extensive. Of the gadgets fitted to our car only the electric sunroof and the tinted windows were cost options, meaning that full climate control and electric everything are standard. It should be noted that the satnav fitted to our test car isn't available as a UK option, but based on experience, we wouldn't say that it's a significant loss. Factoring in the £13,595 price tag for this car makes it clear to see that the word value can be added to the long list of attributes.

We never managed to get close to the claimed economy figures during our week, which was admittedly biased towards short trips rather than motorway miles, with an average in the mid 40s mpg. Past experience of this engine suggests that a figure in the low 50s should be achievable by most owners. Low emissions mean low tax loading - an increasingly important consideration.

Overall:

Skoda's Fabia remains one of our favourite superminis and the estate version adds further to its repertoire of talents. The increased load space is a real benefit and it's hard to think of any negatives of choosing the estate car over the hatch. There are few rivals at the same money and fewer still that combine the Fabia's talents and value; it's another great Skoda.