1991 Skoda Favorit LS Estate review from UK and Ireland

Not a lot really gone wrong with the car, very reliable and always starts first time in any weather.

Mileometer stopped working at 48000 miles, seems to be a common problem, not bothered to fix.

Seats worn in places due to previous owners dog!

Rear interior door handle broke.

Snapped wires in tailgate, that caused the reversing lights, rear fog lights and rear wiper to stop working. Fixed by simply rejoining the wires.

Rust on rear arch and inner wing, seems not to be treated correctly at the factory, the opposite sides are rust free. It seems the early Favorits are not as well protected against rust as the later variants.

Very underrated car, I had my doubts at first at the prospect of owning a Skoda, but my preconceptions were misplaced. After previously owning an Austin Metro, the Skoda is in a different league, apart from cornering ability.

The 1.3 Carb engine is sufficient, with better performance than expected. Can often surprise people, who see a Skoda and immediately feel the need to pull out infront. The engine has a good use of power between 2500-4000rpm and 3rd gear is well placed for overtaking. However, the later fuel injected models have approximately 10bhp more, sure to make a noticeable difference. The clutch is extremely light, and the gearbox fairly precise, making town driving easy.

As regards as comfort the Skoda scores relatively well. The seats are large and comfortable with rear head restraints, but have little side support for holding you around bends. The interior uses some very cheap plastics, but this is expected due to the type of car. Again, the later models are better in this respect. Engine noise can become obtrusive on the motorway. However, there is a good deal of space in both the front and back seats, and the bootspace is excellent. The heater is also efficient, and decent ventilation means windows do not mist up often.

Handling is interesting. With no anti-roll bars the Favorit rolls around corners at speed. However, there is an extremely high level of grip considering the narrow 165/13 tyres - certainly a lot more than my previous car.

The LS model is also very well equipped for it's class. With alloy wheels, front fog lights, rechargeable torch, boot spoiler, and rear wash wipe as standard.

Overall, I'd sum the car up as being extremely good value for money. The Favorit is nippy, economical, reliable and cheap to buy - what more do you need?