Custom options for new Fabia / Skoda

Skoda is targeting younger buyers with a range of personalisation and tech features on its new Fabia.

The new Fabia will be the first skoda to be offered with a range of personalisation options as the Czech manufacturer seeks to broaden the car’s appeal to younger customers.

skoda has given Autocar an insight into the design philosophy of its third-generation supermini, seen here in a set of exclusive studio images and described by the firm as a “young, fresh and modern” vehicle.

When the new car goes on sale next year with a starting price estimated at just over £10,000 buyers will be able to select the colour of their wheel rims, door mirror surrounds and roof, as well as interior elements such as the dashboard and steering wheel trim. “Customisation is the next quite important feature for us as we continue the evolution of our cars,” said Dalibor pantucek, exterior designer at skoda.

Improved technology will also form a centrepiece of the new skoda’s appeal to younger customers. It is the first car in skoda’s range to feature mirrorlink, a system that allows smartphone apps to be displayed on the infotainment screen. Another new function is smartgate, where vehicle-specific information such as fuel consumption, average speed and g-force readings can to transferred and recorded on a smartphone.

However, the Fabia’s bold new look hasn’t come at the cost of practicality. An ice scraper in the fuel filler cap, storage nets on the inside edges of the front seats, a smartphone cradle in the centre console and a rubbish bin in the side door are some of the more practical features.

the new Fabia is lower and broader than the outgoing car, giving it a more muscular presence on the road. It remains under four metres long but has shorter overhangs.