2004 Skoda Fabia vRS from UK and Ireland - Comments

I've been in my mate's Civic Type R. You don't have to drop 3 gears; it's more like 1. The thing is the revs fly up so quickly and it gets into the VTEC zone straight away, and then it remains there if redlined. From a standstill you only need to rev it to 5.5 thousand in first gear, and from then on you're constantly in the VTEC zone, I think lazy people prefer cars with high torque, and proper drivers like high revs and power at the top.

'You don't have to drop 3 gears; it's more like 1.'

In a vRS you don't need to drop any. Even at 50mph in 6th gear it picks up speed pretty quickly. Maybe that does make us diesel drivers lazy, but at least the fuel needle doesn't visibly move whilst doing it.

Obviously vRS drivers aren't like me. I just love burning off boy racers in Saxo VTS' and 182 drivers in traffic light drag racers. Also I love it when they are behind me on a B road or even a single carriageway, and when they pull out to overtake me, I simply drop it a gear get in v-tec mode and fly off then slow back down, and when they pull out to overtake me again just repeat the process. Call me childish, but I'm showing off my cars power. You couldn't do this in a vRS; any half decent petrol boy racer car could overtake you because they are faster when revved compared to a diesel in its nice constant pull, and that's the crucial thing.

My Civic Type R returns 25-30 mpg no matter how hard I trash it. That's pretty good for a 2.0 200bhp car; it's more fun dropping a gear and nailing it.

I used to have a Saxo VTS tuned to 160bhp with a full system exhaust, Dastek uni-chip and a performance air filter. It hit 60 in 6.4 seconds, but only had 112lb-ft of torque (CRAP). Torque does not affect 0-60, bhp all the way.

I'm looking for a fast car that's cheap to run; the best I can see is a Lotus Elise around 5 seconds to 60 and still do 40mpg! My Saxo did about 30, but at present it's a bit out of my price range! So I'll carry on chugging around in my 106 diesel for the moment! LOL!

'Also I love it when they are behind me on a B road or even a single carriageway, and when they pull out to overtake me, I simply drop it a gear get in v-tec mode and fly off then slow back down, and when they pull out to overtake me again just repeat the process. Call me childish'

Accelerating when people try to overtake is not amusing; it's highly dangerous and results in many fatalities... nearly me, I was a victim of this type of stunt, they stayed level with me and wouldn't let me drop in behind or overtake. The car coming the other way meant I had nowhere to go other than off the side of the road... 2 weeks in intensive care, not nice!!!

'My Civic Type R returns 25-30 mpg no matter how hard I trash it.'

You obviously have never 'trashed' it then. Low teens is not impossible.

I used to own a Civic type R, in fact I drove one for 2 years doing 16k mile on average each year.

The Skoda vRS is equally as quick in 'REAL LIFE' situations; yes on a track or empty road the Civic would be a flying machine, but the Skoda vRS remapped to 185bhp could easily out drag a Civic Type R; check the figures, lighter car, nearly equal BHP and torque around the 300 region, when the Civic has around 140 torque!!.

This is coming from a devout petrolhead who used to own Civic Type R; then recently downsized to a Skoda Fabia vRS from a PPP Subaru WRX. ;)

Trust me, diesel does seem to be catching up with petrol, especially when remapped.. LOL.

I've had my Vrs for about 2 months and must say that its not a bad car and for a diesel it's quick, before the Vrs I had a Leon cupra and that was very quick. at the end of the day some guys hear are comparing a civic type R and celica's to a Vrs, Why?? we all know these cars ARE faster 0-60mph, but it's like comparing chalk to cheese... surly we should be compairing the Vrs to other diesels??!! Sorry, but I just had to get that off my chest :)

By the way does anyone REALLY know the official 0-60 time of the Vrs?? It does feel quicker than 9.6secs...

'By the way does anyone REALLY know the official 0-60 time of the Vrs?? It does feel quicker than 9.6secs...'

8.2secs is about the best that you can do, but it is down to trial and error as to how to go about doing it. As I'm sure your well aware, its difficult to use all the power in first & second because it struggles for traction.

The real 0-62mph in "standard" form is 9.6sec. 0-100mph is 29.6sec for the fabia vrs.

These were slow times back in 1985!! Diesel catching up with the likes of WRX or type R? I don't think so, the WRX will get to 100 in half the VRS's time and the type R is similar. Diesel turbos are only as good as a warm non turbo petrol, when both diesel and petrol both have turbos, the petrol destroys the diesel.

I get sick of the debate how fast is the Fabia vRS, I have bought a vRS and the reasons why are quite simple, I want a quick car that will do 50+ mpg. I spend most of the day stuck in traffic; since swapping to my vRS I save over £90 a month just in fuel over my old car (Corsa SXi).

For the most part people who buy the vRS aren't looking for a stupid, high revy car that does nothing to the gallon; they are like me looking for a quick car that is reliable and gives good fuel economy.

I would much rather get to 60mph 2 seconds slower and put money back in my own pocket to do other things with, and in the real world the vRS is very quick and will leave lots of "more powerful" cars behind.

I think it is great that all these people don't want a vRS because it is too slow; keeps my insurance premiums down and my residuals for the car high.

So if you require to always be revving the balls off your motor in the hopes that you can beat someone at the lights, whilst paying over the odds to keep the car filled up with fuel and crippled with the insurance premiums, then the vRS isn’t for you, however if you understand what Skoda has tried to achieve with this car, then it will be the obvious choice.

'The real 0-62mph in "standard" form is 9.6sec. 0-100mph is 29.6sec for the fabia vrs.'

Completely wrong, even my grandmother to get it to 60 faster than that. 8.2 seconds would be the official time if Skoda weren't so restrained & keen to keep insurance group down. As for 0-100, I believe 24 seconds is the norm, but few magazines state it.

Until you've test driven one, don't comment please. I was rather sceptical as to its performance, but after 2 minutes of a test drive, I fully understood all the hype that owners create.

Very well said. The vRS is a much better every day car than the revvy and peaky petrol sports hatches-and not having to change down one or two gears to hit the high rev power band every time gives you much better and quicker real world performance.

0-60 is irrelevant, it is the in-gear torque that makes a car good.

The vRS is an exceptionally good car, and you can revel in the fact that, actually, you do know better! It has become a cult car for a reason.