Ranked #64 car in the UK · Hatchback · 10,610 units sold last year

Skoda Fabia

The Skoda Fabia is a roomy, sensible supermini on VW Group mechanicals - the practical, good-value choice in the class, with more space than most rivals and grown-up refinement. Engines are 1.0 MPI and TSI petrols. Cross-shop the closely-related VW Polo and SEAT Ibiza (the Fabia is often the value pick), plus the Fiesta and Clio.

How these figures are sourced the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.

Skoda Fabia
Photo: Alexander-93 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Body
Hatchback
Years
2018–2026
Fuel
Petrol
Economy
49 mpg

combined

Insurance
Group 13

The short version

78/100

Forecourt score

Value 94 · Reliability 56 · Insurance 92 · catalogue percentiles

The Skoda Fabia holds its value well and is cheaper to run than most. Its MOT-based reliability is good — an MOT score of 78/100, ahead of 31% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 94% of models.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20) — the from-new ownership picture. Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Petrol · 999cc

Power

80 ps

Drivetrain

FWD

Cam drive

Dry belt

Quoted MPG

49 mpg

The volume Fabia (Mk4, 2021-). 1.0 MPi (EA211) non-turbo, 80 PS, manual. Belt-driven; scheduled service item.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

2023
20182026
22,656 mi
0Expected: 22,656180k
good
PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

How we got this number — click for the breakdown, or to challenge it.

£11,100

Range £9,350£13,050

medium confidence

When new (2023)circa £19,000Age-based value£13,398Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region+£9Market calibration-£1,507Forecourt price£11,900Private sale£10,350Part-exchange£9,100
Buythis 3-year-old

Past the steep drop — most of the depreciation is behind it.

At 22,656 miles it’s about the ~25,049 typical for a 3-year-old.

Seen one for sale?

£

A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration Skoda Fabia loses value over time.

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 22,656 miles you entered above — worth about £11,100 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 7,552 miles a year.

5-year total

£12,814

Per year

£2,563

All-in per mile

£0.34

Fuel per mile

13.5p

If a company carAround £208/mo Benefit-in-Kind tax at the 40% rate (£104/mo at 20%) — 29% band

Depreciation£2,091
Fuel / energy£5,083
Servicing£1,765
Road tax£1,000
Insurance£2,875

If you're a company-car driver

At 29% BIK, a 40% taxpayer would pay about £208/month in company-car tax (£104/month at 20%) — on top of the running costs above. Full BIK table below for context.

Best age to buy — around 2 years

A 2-year-old example loses roughly £1,450 a year — 60% less than the £3,650 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 94%
Reliabilitybetter than 56%
Fuel economybetter than 90%
Cheap to insurebetter than 92%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

1.0 MPI / 1.0 TSI (volume)

Best-value supermini in the VW Group. SE Comfort the volume spec. Skoda's pragmatic approach (real buttons, big boot, low pricing) wins where VW Polo loses. Last Skoda ICE supermini — successor will be EV.

New price
circa £21,000
Annual fuel / energy
£1,450
3-yr depreciation
43%

Watch for

  • ·1.0 TSI 'kangarooing' on early units (campaign-fixed)
  • ·MIB3 infotainment occasional freezes
  • ·1.0 MPI feels strained on motorway — TSI worth the upgrade

1.5 TSI Monte Carlo

The Fabia that could have been a vRS but isn't. Quick enough, looks sportier than it is, daily-driver friendly. Mk3 Fabia vRS no successor — Monte Carlo is the closest. Better-value than VW Polo GTI.

New price
circa £26,000
Annual fuel / energy
£1,650
3-yr depreciation
44%

Watch for

  • ·Same 1.5 TSI issues as elsewhere in VW Group (campaign-fixed)
  • ·DSG hesitation when cold
  • ·Monte Carlo's 17-inch wheels firmer ride than 16-inch SE L

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 03/08/2026) · Petrol 159.9p/L, Diesel 179.2p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 13 of 50 (low — cheaper end of the scale) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

3 years
0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+
Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£575/ year

Roughly £48 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.
Age bandLower riskTypicalHigher risk
Age 17-25£1,311£1,639£2,130
Age 26-32£684£805£982
Age 33-39Selected£506£575£679
Age 40-49£430£477£554
Age 50+£383£426£502

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

7,552 mi/yr
2,000UK avg for this model: 7,55230,000

Routine service

£185

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£210

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£200

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£1,120

49 mpg, £1.60/L

Insurance

£575

Age 33-39, group 13

Clean-air zones

ULEZ compliant
  • All petrol variants meet Euro 4 standards and are ULEZ compliant.

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£2,290 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£80

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£240

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£520

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£900

per year · high risk

Tyres

195/65 R15 · 205/55 R16 · 215/45 R17

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.

Budget

£300

set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre

Mid-range

£440

set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre

Premium

£620

set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

OptionNew costAdded used valueReturn

Tow bar (factory-fit)

Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.

£650£45069%

Parking sensors & reversing camera

Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.

£500£30060%

Heated seats / cold-weather pack

£450£20044%

Metallic or premium paint

Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.

£600£20033%

Panoramic / opening roof

£1,100£35032%

Larger alloy wheels

£700£20029%

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 22,656 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

SuspensionUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£450medium severityParts high

Recorded in 13.3% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,961,305 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

BrakesUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 11.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,961,305 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Tyres & wheelsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £80-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 7.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,961,305 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Lighting & signallingUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £15-£120medium severityParts high

Recorded in 10.7% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,961,305 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Driver's viewUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £60-£300low severityParts high

Recorded in 4.2% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,961,305 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

EmissionsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£800medium severityParts high

Recorded in 3.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 4,961,305 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

Safety rating

Euro NCAP's independent crash-test rating for the Skoda Fabia, from its 2021 assessment.

5/5
TEST YEAR2021
Current rating · valid to 2027

The passenger compartment of the Fabia remained stable in the frontal offset test.

Independent crash-test data from Euro NCAP. Star ratings reflect the test protocol of the year shown — newer protocols are stricter, so a 5-star from 2024 represents a higher bar than a 5-star from 2014. Euro NCAP ratings run for six years from publication; a lapsed rating means the protocol has moved on, not that the car performs any worse than it did on test.

MOT outlook

How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 5,026,151 real DVSA test records.

MOT pass rate by age

A 3-year-old Fabia passes its MOT 87% of the time; by 25 years that has slipped to 68.2%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.

Longevity

96%of 8-year-old examples are still taxed and on the road — a useful read on how well the model lasts.

From 17,681 vehicles registered in 2018.

Survival by registration year

93%95%98%100%20182022

Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.

What’s on the road

The fuel-type split of every Fabia with MOT history in the DVSA record. From 418,006 vehicles tested at least once - not the number on the road today, which is lower.

  • Petrol 76.9%
  • Diesel 22.1%

What fails at the first MOT

The defect categories a Fabia registered 2020–2023 fails on at its first MOT, from 31,627 first tests. Every car here is the same age and the same generation, so these are the faults that show up first - not the wear a high-mileage older example collects.

  • Tyres & wheels3.5%
  • Driver's view2.1%
  • Brakes1.2%
  • Lighting & signalling0.5%
  • Seat belts & restraints0.5%
  • Suspension0.4%

Share of first MOT tests recording at least one defect in that category. DVSA test-item categories, not parts: “Driver’s view” covers mirrors, wipers and glass.

Typical mileage by age

The average odometer reading for a Fabia at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.

  • 3 yr25,049
  • 4 yr32,695
  • 5 yr40,478
  • 6 yr47,932
  • 7 yr55,227
  • 8 yr62,364
  • 9 yr69,065
  • 10 yr75,544
  • 11 yr81,470
  • 12 yr86,890
  • 13 yr91,536
  • 14 yr95,270

Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records. Ages below three are not shown: the first MOT is due at three years, so the few cars tested earlier are a self-selected minority rather than a representative sample. Ages with at least 10 tests shown.

Reliability

78/ 100

Good

First-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2020 onward (31,627 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.

MOT outlook · age 5 years

83%first-time pass rate

31st percentileBelow catalogue average

Based on 425,883 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data

Where this car sits in the catalogue

0%50%90%

Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models

Things owners say

  • 01Shares mechanicals with the VW Polo and SEAT Ibiza but usually costs less used - cross-shop all three.
  • 02The 1.0 TSI turbo is the pick; the non-turbo MPI is fine for town but slow-feeling on the motorway.
  • 03Big boot and cabin for the class; solid VW-group reliability - buy on history.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Skoda Fabia, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Around average

Theft risk is around the UK average. Like most modern cars it has keyless entry, so relay theft is the method to guard against.

Parts theft

Around average

Parts-theft risk is around average — catalytic-converter theft is the main thing to be aware of on any petrol or diesel car.

Worth doing

  • Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
  • Park in well-lit, busy areas, and consider a tracker for faster recovery.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a Skoda Fabia into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

CityAreaDaily chargeLikely outcome
LondonAll of Greater London (within the M25)£12.50
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
BirminghamInside the A4540 Middleway£8.00
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
BristolCity centre and part of the Portway£9.00
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
GlasgowCity centre
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
EdinburghCity centre
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
AberdeenCity centre
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
DundeeCity centre
Likely exempt
Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.

Zones that don't charge private cars

  • BathCity centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
  • BradfordOuter ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
  • SheffieldInside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
  • Newcastle & GatesheadCity centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
  • PortsmouthPart of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Company car tax

What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this Skoda Fabia as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 119 g/km, using £21,500 as the P11D value.

Tax yearBIK %Tax @ 20%Tax @ 40%Monthly @ 20%Monthly @ 40%
2025-2628%£1,204£2,408£100£201
2026-2729%£1,247£2,494£104£208
2027-2830%£1,290£2,580£108£215
2028-2930%£1,290£2,580£108£215
2029-3030%£1,290£2,580£108£215

P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported Skoda is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~130

Large network

Mass-market

Network size relative to the UK's largest (Skoda is 2.9% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.

Length

4,300 mm

Width

1,790 mm

Height

1,460 mm

Kerb weight

1,350 kg

Boot

380–1,250 L

Fuel tank

48 L

How many are still out there

How the UK Skoda Fabia fleet splits: taxed and on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, and gone from the register where that figure is available.

Total ever registered

273,026

Currently taxed & on road

248,701

91% of all registered

SORN (off road)

16,352

6% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

7,973

UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025

-0.6% vs 2024
232,378248,701

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 29 Jul 2026

Same underpinnings

Built on the VW MQB A0 platform

MQB variant for B-segment superminis. Shorter wheelbase, smaller crash structures. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.

Volkswagen Group MQB A0 (small) · Volkswagen Group

Common questions

Skoda Fabia, answered from the data

Is the Skoda Fabia reliable?
The Skoda Fabia scores 78/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 31% of the cars we track. That is computed from 5,026,151 real DVSA MOT test results.
How much does a used Skoda Fabia cost?
A 2023 Skoda Fabia with around 22,656 miles is worth roughly £11,100 today (typical range £10,050–£12,200). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the Skoda Fabia depreciate?
A new Skoda Fabia typically loses about 28% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the Skoda Fabia?
The Skoda Fabia sits in insurance group 13 of 50 — the cheaper end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used Skoda Fabia?
The most common age-related issues we track for the Skoda Fabia are: suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right); tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the Skoda Fabia cost to run?
Expect around 49 mpg combined on the 1.0 MPi 80 SE, £200 a year in road tax, about £185 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
Is the Skoda Fabia ULEZ compliant?
Most petrol Skoda Fabias from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.
How many Skoda Fabias are on UK roads?
About 248,701 Skoda Fabias are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.

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