Western News: April 27, 2023

8
Thursday April 27 2023
Touch of French Riviera in Skoda Fabia
MONTE CARLO is one of the
most fascinating places I’ve had
the good fortune to visit.
In terms of major motorsport
events, it is also home to the
iconic formula one grand prix
and has long been host to a
round of the World Rally Championship.
Skoda has had regular contenders
with the latter. It entered
the competition in 1999 and has
had a lot of success in both it and
WRC-2, mostly with its Fabia.
Capitalising on that success,
the company has launched a
couple of Monte Carlo models
– Kamiq and five-door Fabiahatchback.
The Monte Carlo is
the only Fabia variant available
now and it has had a major
lifecycle change, arriving here at
tempting price of $39,990, and
squeezes into the low emission
www.drivesouth.co.nz
Incorporating
best motorbuys
CAR CITY
EST 1973
zone rewarding a buyer with a
$2181 NZ Government Clean
Car Programme rebate. Bear in
mind, though, if you want the
bright red paintwork, as in the
evaluation car’s case, it will set
you back an extra $1000.
Under the bonnet is an interesting
four-cylinder engine
of 1.5-litre. It’s a strong engine
thanks to some fairly healthy
outputs – 110kW and 250Nm,
both generated by turbocharged
forced induction. The result is
a smooth, progressive flow of
energy, and that is the essence
of the modern engine; power arrives
smoothly and is linear.
Drive is sent to the front
wheels through a seven-speed
direct shift (dual clutch) gearbox.
It is the Volkswagen group’s
preferred design for automatic
transmission and it works effectively
with quick, clean shifts
and ratios that complement the
power outputs. There are also
four drive modes that can be
implemented, depending on the
type of journey ahead.
The Fabia carries all of the
virtues that make Skoda such
an interesting manufacturer in
terms of functionality, right from
the clever door-located umbrella
holder to the rubbish bin-type
container inside the driver’s door
pocket. There’s also a parking
ticket holder on the windscreen,
pen holder in the centre console
and cellphone holders on the
back of the front seats - plus
wireless cellphone charging.
It also gets a bit of sporty
treatment, seat stripes, carboncoloured
trim details, red accent
flashes and aluminium pedals.
I particularly liked the red door
grab handle.
The Fabia in this form is a very
interesting car; sure, it misses
out on a few items that I thought
would be mandatory, it doesn’t
get heated seats, but in an unusual
move it gets a heated steering
wheel. There’s also manual handbrake
lever; however, I relate to
that as I like things simple and I
like the idea of additional control
everywhere I can find it.
There’s no doubt Skoda is going
places in New Zealand, the
company has had some massive
corporate orders – police and
Corporate Cabs – and that success
has raised the profile of the
brand markedly. What’s more,
the quality of product is high
grade and interesting. Clever features
are part of the company’s
ideology; I can’t see the Fabia
Monte Carlo being anything
other than a resounding success.
• Price – Skoda Fabia
Monte Carlo, $39,990
• Dimensions – Length,
4125mm; width, 1954mm;
height, 1461mm
• Configuration – Fourcylinder,
front-wheeldrive,
1498cc, 110kW,
250Nm, seven-speed
direct shift automatic
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 8sec
• Fuel usage – 5.3l/100km
196 FERRY RD!
Opposite
Uprising
Rock
Climbing
FROM NO
DEPOSIT
2008 SUBARU EXIGA
2 litre auto, multibags, reverse camera, drives great
NOW $7,990
7 seaTer
FROM NO
FROM NO
FROM NO
FROM NO
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DEPOSIT NOW $62,990 DEPOSIT NOW $12,990 DEPOSIT NOW $13,990 DEPOSIT NOW $8,990 DEPOSIT NOW $14,990 DEPOSIT NOW $7,990
SOLD
JUsT 152,000kms
2006 Toyota Landcruiser VX
LTD 4x4 4200 intercooled turbo
diesel, all the VX landcruiser extras, great
tow vehicle, service history. 8 Seater.
123,000kms
2006 SUzUKI jIMNY
1300cc, 5 speed, 2WD/4WD, cam
chain. Tow behind your camper.
1 owner
7 years
2012 Suzuki Escudo 4WD
2300cc, auto, A/C, CD, multi airbags,
reverse camera, heated seats, diff lock
6 speeD 8 seaTer
2013 CITREON DS4
1600cc diesel, 6 speed, multi airbags,
ABS, heated seats
2013 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo
2 litre auto, multibags, reverse camera,
leather, tiptronic, push button start,
Bluetooth, superb, cool colour.
2006 NISSAN PRESAGE
2.5 litre auto,twin sliding doors, reversing
camera, low 87,000km’s, drives superb.
FROM NO
FROM NO
FROM NO
FROM NO
FROM NO
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DEPOSIT NOW $15,990 DEPOSIT NOW $12,990 DEPOSIT NOW $9,990 DEPOSIT NOW $7,990 DEPOSIT NOW $12,990 DEPOSIT NOW $8,990
nz new
2017 Ford Mondeo
Ambiente 2000cc intercooled turbo,
AC, CD, multi bags, 6 speed auto, cruise,
reverse camera, 2 keys, paddle shift.
Very sharp
2011 Holden Commodore
SV6 SIDI Series II 3.6 auto, multi
bags, cruise traction control, CD.
4wD
2014 Holden Captiva LT
2231cc, diesel, 6 speed auto, A/C, ABS,
multiple airbags, immobiliser, traction
control, brake assist.
8 seaTer
2004 Toyota Voxy
2000cc auto, ABS, multi-bags,
143,000kms, great people mover, electric
twin sliding doors.
Low 63,000km's
DIeseL TUrBo
2005 Mercedes SLK 280 2014 Ford Mondeo TD
3L auto, electric roof, ABS, CD, low km's 2 Litre Diesel, Turbo, CD, A/C,
leather, reversing camera.
Multibags, cruise control, only
114,000km’s, so cheap to run!!.
OPEN 6 DAYS • NO ON ROAD COSTS • Ph (03) 379 4254