New-Gen Skoda Fabia to Take on Hyundai Elite i20, VW Polo

Skoda, the fully-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, has struggled in India ever since its inception here. One big reason behind this has been the incorrect positioning and pricing of its products. However, in the last two to three years, the company has reworked on its product strategy by phasing out a few products and repositioning some of them. One such product was the Octavia, a D-segment sedan, which was recently re-introduced as a more affordable car. Furthermore, Skoda also changed Octavia's nomenclature to 'Laura', but in vain. It then discontinued is its entry-level hatchback, the Fabia, which was perceived to be a more expensive option as compared to its rivals. It is now gearing up to refresh the Skoda Yeti, which is expected to see a lot more changes in its new avatar along with its pricing.

However, the main focus of this story is the new-generation Skoda Fabia, which the Czech Republic based autoamker revealed today. The official unveiling of the hatchback is scheduled for the Paris Motor Show in October, 2014. The India-bound Fabia is expected to be similar to the global model; and will be positioned against the Hyundai Elite i20 and Volkswagen Polo - an in-house rival.

Also Read: Skoda India Might Bring in an All New 7 Seater SUV

The new-generation Skoda Fabia is sportier and bigger in dimensions than the phased-out model and takes its design inspiration from the new Octavia. It features a 30mm lower roofline and is 90mm wider than the current global model. Even though the new car has bigger dimensions and a sportier stance as compared to the exiting model, it will be more efficient than before. The company claims the new Fabia is 17 per cent more fuel efficient than the old model, thanks to its lighter weight. Just so you know, the new Fabia has shed 65Kg.

While the new Fabia will have four petrol and three diesel engine options on offer in the global markets, its Indian version will most probably share its engine options with the Volkswagen Polo. The company will start the production of the new Fabia by the end of August at its Mlada Boleslav plant.

Expected Launch: Early 2015