2022 Skoda Fabia detailed: Toyota Yaris- and Kia Rio-rivalling hatch and wagon confirmed!

The current Skoda Fabia hatchback is set to be replaced by an all-new model later this year, and CarsGuide can confirm there will be a new-generation wagon version, too.

Teaser illustrations of the fourth-generation 2022 Skoda Fabia have been posted by the Czech arm of Volkswagen Group, including an interior illustration that suggests the new model will be considerably more high tech and colourful inside than before, with a large touchscreen dominating the centre console area. The hatch and wagon models - both seen in these illustrations - are set to form a new look for the entry-point to the brand's range.

The Skoda Fabia wagon has always been an oddbod offering in the light-car segment, with no other brand locally offering a wagon version of their hatchback mainstays. The Fabia hatch competes against the Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris and MG 3, but none of those models come with a wagon derivative.

Read More About Skoda Fabia

2021 Skoda Fabia pricing and specs detailed: Toyota Yaris and Mazda 2 rival scores Run-Out Edition to see off current-gen light hatchback Skoda Fabia 2019 review: Monte Carlo hatch Fabia news and reviews

Skoda Australia director, Michael Irmer, told CarsGuide that the new-generation wagon is an important part of the brand’s future line-up.

“The Fabia wagon is confirmed. It will be delayed but it will come,” he said, indicating that the hatch will arrive in late 2021, but the wagon could be a while after that.

Mr Irmer said the split of sales for the current generation Fabia line-up is 40 per cent wagon, 60 per cent hatch - a surprising skew in what he describes as a “commercially hard segment”.

“The light-car segment is difficult. With added equipment and safety technology the prices are bumping up, and really, there is no money to be made under that $20,000 price,” he said.

Teaser illustrations shows a large touchscreen.

“But it’s an entry to the brand, and it’s an important part of the range. We don’t need to push Fabia, we are not going to push the car with a low price.”

Mr Irmer made the distinction that car prices have been unsustainably low in the Australian market for a lot of brands, and now customers are seeing a correction that is in line with inflation and other market pressures. 

Could that mean the end of the $17,000 drive-away Fabia hatch? Possibly. But here’s the reasoning behind it.

The new Fabia could arrive late 2021.

“Psychology-wise it would be great to buy a house for $500,000. But that was the past. Everything appreciates,” Mr Irmer said.

“Automotive has been sheltered for a while. It has got to an unsustainable level. We have to make it commercially viable as well but it has to offer value for money too.”

The current range list pricing (MSRP) for the Fabia is $18,390 for the base model manual 70TSI hatch, through to $26,090 for the Monte Carlo wagon automatic model. The company also has the Run-out Edition, a final version of the current hatch and wagon with a long equipment list.