Skoda confirms rally inspired hot hatch for NZ

At a time where the industry continues to move away from the hatchback genre, Skoda is bucking the trend with a hotted-up version of its Fabia. And, the brand’s local arm has confirmed the model for New Zealand showrooms.

Skoda New Zealand has confirmed that it has acquired the Fabia 130 — the quickest Fabia produced to date by the Czech firm, and a model that marks the brand’s 130th anniversary.

Whilst the standard Fabia Monte Carlo comes equipped with a 1.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder producing 85kW/200Nm, the 130 gets a 1.5-litre turbo four-pot making 130kW of power and 250Nm of torque. 

Its top speed of 228kph asserts it as the quickest Fabia ever made, and that list includes the brand’s numerous World Rally Championship and R5-regulation competitors, which all have an electronically limited top speed of 200kph.

On top of boasting more power, the Fabia 130 comes with “a lowered chassis, sharper handling, and design elements referencing Skoda's rich and successful motorsport heritage.” 

Locally, the Fabia 130 is priced from $54,000 — an almost $10,000 premium over the $45,500 Fabia Monte Carlo. 

The Fabia 130 comes at an interesting for performance hatchbacks. The similarly sized Suzuki Swift Sport and Hyundai i20 N are both in the process of being phased out, and the Ford Fiesta ST has been off the menu for a few years at this point. 

The one nameplate standing as a potential rival for the more powerful Fabia is the Toyota GR Yaris, although it comes with two extra driven wheels and the more considerable asking price of $61,990. 

“With the Fabia 130, we are celebrating our 130-year legacy and our rich motorsport heritage,” said Martin Jahn, Member of Skoda’s board of management for sales and marketing.

“As a key part of our product portfolio, the Fabia has been immensely successful with over five million units produced since 1999. 

“This limited edition and fastest series-produced Fabia highlights our commitment to performance through increased power and various visual upgrades, adding a new level of excitement to our model series.”