Volkswagen Polo 1.6 Petrol vs Skoda Fabia 1.6 Petrol : Comparison

The hatchback offering in India today, suddenly seems so diverse, so evolved and so far above mediocrity that terms such as style and status no longer seem disassociated with the segment. Two great hatches from two great car makers sharing the same big umbrella now see a noticeable presence in the country, and though some of their key areas need improvement, they have literally powered their way into India’s small car market.

The Volkswagen Polo 1.6 and the Skoda Fabia 1.6 MPI, are currently the most muscular hatchbacks in India. Powering the 1.6 L model of the Polo is the same 1598 cc petrol engine that is used by the Volkswagen Vento. This powerful engine on the Polo gives it an impressive 105 PS of power and 153 Nm of Torque. The Skoda Fabia like its Volkswagen cousin is also now available with an identical 1.6 l petrol version, needless to say it produces the same power and creates similar torque curves in its power band.

However, the mileage on the Polo and the Fabia hatches has always been their biggest ‘downfall’. While, our test Polo returned a petty 9 km/ltr in the city, and 13 km/ltr on the highway, the Skoda Fabia proved to be no mile muncher itself, giving almost the same mileage in city conditions, and identical figures on the highway.

Coming to performance, the 0-100 km/hr drag on the Polo 1.6 version (Read : Polo 1.6 Roadtest) comes in just 12.3 seconds, which is as good as any premium compact sedan in the market today. Performance and safety are well taken care of in this car thanks to ABS, airbags and great German engineering ,that is indicative on every line and curve on the car, making it an outright performer in its class. But like in its elder sedan sibling the comfort and connectivity options on the Polo makes a typical Indian family reconsider buying this car. Aux, USB, Steering mounted volume and Bluetooth controls were just never on the check list of its overall package, which leaves customers wondering if sheer performance and minimal driver convenience was really worth such a steep price.

But where the Polo disappoints, the Skoda Fabia (Read : Skoda Fabia 1.6MPI Launch) redeems itself giving its driver and four co-passengers a roomy and delightful interior seating experience. A good looking dash, fine materials clothing the insides and a 2 DIN Mp3 player with 6 speakers makes the Fabia a very comfortable little car. Safety features on the Fabia match up to the Polo with the addition of EBD that takes care of the car’s on road stability.

On the cost front, the 1.6 L Volkswagen Polo will cost you 6.38 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi), while the Skoda Fabia in its sparkling new avatar is just a shade under 6 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi).

Verdict:

While the Polo dishes out similar on road figures as the Fabia, the drive and feel of the former is a lot more responsive and keeps the driver engaged as soon as he hits the accelerator pedal. The Skoda Fabia on the other hand definitely ups the style quotient and gives you a sense of class and sophistication owing to its well crafted interiors, which isn’t exactly found in abundance in this rung of cars.