Friday 17th November 2023

Skoda Fabia vRS TDI | Spotted

A low-mileage hot hatch hero with a difference...

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Cars like the Enyaq have shown that the future of the Skoda vRS is battery-powered; cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Abarth 500e have shown that the future of the hot hatch is battery-powered, too. There will be some combustion options for a while, perhaps a cool hybrid or two, but the future is set. For some types of car, the switch to EV feels like a great move; for others - hot hatches in particular - the removal of so much sound and sensation is a concern. But it isn’t the first time the segment has dabbled with an alternative to petrol…

Back in the early 2000s, the notion of a diesel hot hatch seemed as far-fetched as an EV one would have until very recently, but that didn’t stop Skoda. Buoyed by an enthusiastic response to the Octavia vRS, it followed that up with its first Fabia vRS, offered only with a 1.9 TDI and a six-speed manual. To some, the notion of a five-door Skoda diesel as a pocket rocket just didn’t compute, but that didn’t stop the vRS establishing quite the reputation for itself. 

Sure, it wasn’t as nimble or as delicate as something like a Mini Cooper or Fiesta Zetec S, but in its favour, the Fabia had huge real-world performance for not much money, smart good looks and incredibly low running costs. Diesel didn’t take over hot hatches, but it did prove a (sort of) viable alternative. Helped that the venerable old 1.9 PD could be so easily tuned, too. 

When the diesel was replaced by a supercharged and turbocharged 1.4 petrol with a seven-speed DSG, identical to the Polo GTI and Ibiza Cupra, some of the distinct identity was lost. When those cars were beset by reliability concerns, affection only increased for the old diesel workhorses. Now, with a vRS Fabia never likely to happen again, the originals are bordering on cult classic status. 

No, really. Of course, there are some old sheds out there with huge miles because these things are so useful, but also some cherished Fabias as well. The blue Limited Edition cars from the very end of the production run are really prized now. This car isn’t one of those, though it is incredibly low mileage (just 22,000), and a previous owner has even gone to the effort and expense of a Milltek exhaust. No stranger than artificial EV noises, you might say…

Seven services doesn’t seem like loads for 17 years, though the Fabia does benefit from a very recent cambelt, water pump and MOT. As might be expected given the mileage, it looks like a lovely little example, red paint having lost none of its lustre and and that vulnerable cloth upholstery free from any suspicious stains. Credit where it’s due to Skoda - these first vRS models, if conservative, still look smart for 20-plus years old.

The asking price is £8,995, a solid chunk of the original RRP. But they’re getting rarer, these Fabias, as long lives of hard work (and maybe a dubious modification or two) take their toll. It’s hard to imagine many more being around in this sort of condition, either - likeable or not, the vRS were cheap Skodas at the end of the day, and precious few will have been mollycoddled. For fans, it’s quite the opportunity. And for those who reckon it’s too much for a Fabia, just look at the prices attached to the hot hatch curios of the 20th century. Maybe it’s not your cup of tea - but you wouldn’t bet against it being someone else’s...

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SPECIFICATION | SKODA FABIA VRS (2003-2007)

Engine: 1,896cc, four-cyl diesel
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 130@4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 229@1,900rpm
0-62mph: 9.5 secs
Top speed: 128mph
MPG: 52.3
CO2: 140g/km
Year registered: 2006
Recorded mileage: 22,000
Price new: £12,380 (2005)
Yours for: £8,995

See the original advert here

[Quhet]

Pretty punchy price. Unfortunately I can't really see the appeal of these now given that you'll get rogered for the ULEZ fee with one

[160 Sport]

Looking at the seats and shiny steering wheel I would say it's seen more than the quoted miles?

[Dombilano]

All the wheels need a referb, the headlights are going yellow, the offside rear bumper has a large panel gap, the bumpers are both different shades o'red and why put a milltek on a diesel, they smoke enough as standard. The only reason it's still going is because the PD engines are bulletproof. £9k? Nah, it's worth £2k.

[MightyBadger]

8k

[mjo1]

Bought one new in Black Magic pearl in 2005 and ran it for 6 years and 102k miles. Had seats and door cards in leather fitted by Seat Surgeons in York. Really enjoyed the mid-range pull and 52mpg average over the 6 years. Faultless apart from internal condensation, presumably water ingress and poor drainage from doors.

[horsemeatscandal]

£9k, hilarious. Almost guaranteed to be owned at some point by an overweight vaper.

[NGK210]

Seven services in 17 years; imminent nationwide legislation to levy a hefty ‘toll’ every time it enters a city; suspicious usage-related wear incompatible with quoted mileage – all for £9k.
The dealers’ advertorial service delivers again.

[mooseracer]

"in its favour, the Fabia had huge real-world performance"

30-70 in 7.something seconds. Brisk, but not huge imho.


I hated these with a passion when they were released as they seemed to me the anthithesis of a hot hatch (stodgy handling and the wrong engine).

[LucyP]

The car isn't worth the asking price, but it's not out of step with others being advertised, assuming that the mileage is genuine. £5k buys you one with a 6 figure mileage. £2k buys you a scruffy one, with a 6 figure mileage and an advert that says work needs doing to it.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Insane asking price. I almost bought one of these in about 2007 with similar miles for a similar price from a Skoda main dealer in Halifax (had 2 in stock - a yellow one and a silver one with an "official" Revo map on it which we test drove and absolutely loved).

Great, slightly oddball cars though. Nice to see one thats not been chavved up and makes weird whoosing noises as its driven around.

[Lotobear]

My son had the (later) twin charge petrol verison of this with the DSG box and it was bloody quick, at least in a straight line.

[wombleh]

Wife's one of these just got written off, had £2.5k from insurance from it, which I thought was fairly generous of them TBH.

I like them, bit smokey but nice ride, fairly nippy, economical. Brakes were not great but could be swapped easily enough for pokier ones.

[Equus]

Lotobear said:

My son had the (later) twin charge petrol verison of this with the DSG box and it was bloody quick, at least in a straight line.

I had one of those for a bit, as a company car.

I also tried to persuade my girlfriend at the time to buy one of the earlier diesel vRS's when they were new. She declined because of the image of the Skoda badge, but settled on the equivalent SEAT Ibiza FR (same TDI engine, and admittedly prettier... I think it was about a grand more expensive than the Skoda when new, though, from memory).

The first gen diesel and the later twincharge petrol were very different propositions. I'd say that both were brisk rather than genuinely quick, but the petrol excelled at accelerating through the gears, bouncing off the rev limiter with the instantaneous and seamless changes on the DSG box; the diesel excelled at in-gear acceleration at motorway speeds... it was nice, and genuinely impressive on a car of that size and class, to be able to press the accelerator at 70mph and have enough oomph to overtake, without changing down a gear.

[What The Deuces]

Utter stbox worth about a quarter of that.

[dan98]

Never quite understood the appeal of these when the Audi A3 8L Sport had exactly the same running gear in a far better package, and for about the same price on the used market, relative to age.

Great engine, but also first in line to be clobbered by emissions restrictions (been banned for years from entering German cities) - making that price a bit silly for an old Skoda IMO.

[Trebor1970]

You see these about occasionally with rolling coal maps and dump valves, the back end completely covered in soot.

[WPA]

Bonkers asking price @ £9k

[JackJarvis]

9 grand is a hilarious asking price for a rattly old diesel Skoda with limited practicality, average performance, dull handling and you can't even drive it into many cities.

[Darnoc95]

Had one as a hire car a few years back at the same time my daughter had the equivalent age Polo. Although the build quality was as good the material's used throughout the interior were poverty spec at best. Scratchy plastics everywhere. They looked similar but chalk & cheese close up. Good engine though but never worth this sort of money more like £5K on a good day.

[Hub]

I had one for five years and loved it - my first car with a bit of performance (although handled badly as it was very nose heavy).

That said I do think they are very of their time though, what made them good at the time is not very relevant now - particularly with emissions regs and improvements in petrol engines and other fuel types.

It is rare to see such a low mileage one, most are knackered and on about 150-200k miles - I looked up the MOT history of my old one and it is still scraping through each year still going on just under 200k