Ongoing supply chain-related production issues look to have contributed to the new-generation Skoda Fabia hatch having its Australian launch pushed back by about six months.
The redesigned, larger, safer and more upmarket Fabia had been set for a quarter one of 2022 launch, but a Volkswagen Group Australia spokesperson today confirmed that Q4 of 2022 was the current time of arrival.
The vehicle had its world premiere in May of 2021, meaning it’ll be about 18 months into its life cycle before we see stock arriving on boats here from Europe.
Meanwhile, the new and sportier-looking Fabia Monte Carlo range-topper, teased overnight via renderings published to Skoda’s media site, is not a guaranteed member of the Australian range at this stage.
A highly specified Launch Edition grade is a good chance to instead be the model halo at launch, although this doesn’t preclude the Monte Carlo from touching down at a later time.
Indeed, government approval documents viewed by CarExpert make mention of a Monte Carlo variant.
The fourth-generation Fabia shares its MQB A0 platform with the Volkswagen Polo. It’s 111mm longer than the outgoing car (4108mm) and 94mm longer in the wheelbase.
The expected volume engines of choice will be a 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI petrol making 81kW and 200Nm mated to a seven-speed DSG auto, with a 110kW and 250Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder maybe as a sportier offering, with near hot-hatch performance (8.0 sec 0-100km/h).
The outgoing Fabia Run-Out Edition retails from $23,990 drive-away for the manual, but you can reasonably expect the new model to be costlier – albeit it’ll still undercut the larger Scala which kicks off at $30,990 drive-away.
