Czech automotive giant Skoda, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, has brought out the new Scout variant of its Fabia premium hatchback in India. The newest edition of the model comes with petrol and diesel engines priced at Rs. 6.79 lacs and Rs. 8.10 lacs, respectively (Ex-Showroom Delhi). This iteration of the Skoda Fabia will now be the top end variant of the model in the country. A new variant of Fabia with the diesel engine of Volkswagen Vento had earlier been exhibited by the car maker at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo in New Delhi.
Skoda Fabia was one of the earliest premium hatchbacks in the market and is quite similar to the class-leading Maruti Suzuki Swift in terms of look and dimensions. However, its sales never picked up despite a decent configuration and a respectable brand name. Nevertheless, Skoda remained undeterred and came out with this new model, which seemingly does not have many advantages over other variants of Fabia present in the Indian market till now. The modifications are all cosmetic and centred on the body kit only, rather than any change in the specifications or configuration.
In terms of looks, the Fabia Scout is more rugged than its other siblings, even though the ground clearance has remained unchanged and is still quite low. The major new features of the vehicle include projector headlamps, front bumper with spoiler, rear bumper with diffuser, keyless entry, tinted glass, protective cladding on the body and front and rear door sill trims. Leather seats, new and stylish doors, integrated audio system, a sporty stainless steel pedal set and power windows are some of the new additions to the interior package of the Fabia. New safety features of the car include Antilock Braking System (ABS) and dual airbags to keep the passenger secure under adverse driving conditions.
The 1.2 L 3 cylinder MPI petrol engine of the car is capable of delivering maximum power of 75 bhp. Likewise, the diesel unit is also has capacity of 1.2 L with 3 cylinder and is supplemented with turbocharging and Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDi) technologies to deliver excellent performance. Both variants will be powered by the 5 speed transmission system for smooth gear shifts. The engines are said to be economical but underpowered, which can prove to be a negative point for the vehicle. In the Indian automotive market, Skoda Fabia Scout will compete against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift, Volkswagen Polo and Hyundai Jazz.
