IT'S four years since the Skoda Fabia sped into the UK supermini league adding yet another well-built, generously kitted out contender to this hotly contested sector.
While the Fabia proved roomy and refined with excellent ergonomics to boot, all models tended to lack that sporting edge beloved of the hot hatch brigade.
Although the chassis set-up did display a fine compromise between ride and handling requirements, the engine room didn't quite manage to bring out the best in the car's compliant suspension set-up.
In the autumn of last year all this changed with the Fabia getting the necessary urge to fulfil its obvious sporting potential and, having provided vRS badging in its Octavia family hatchback, Skoda, which operates under the umbrella of the Volkswagen Group, bestowed this sporty accolade on its award-winning supermini.
The Fabia vRS bears the pedigree of its rallying stablemate, the Fabia World Rally Car and, very quickly, began to raise more than a few eyebrows among the hot hatch supermini in-crowd.
For Skoda's engineers have totally succeeded in harnessing both sportiness and economy within the shell of this refined and mature supermini.
Under the bonnet there's a high performance diesel engine - the VW Group's 1.9-litre TDI PD unit already experienced in the VW Golf GTi - which pushes out maximum power of 130bhp at 4,000rpm, giving the Fabia vRS a 0-62mph dash time of 9.6 seconds, en route to a top speed, where legally allowable, of 127mph.
A refined performer, it is also extremely adept at mid-range pulling power, with a hefty level of punch between 50 and 75mph. The engine works well with a smooth-changing six-pack transferring some serious power to the front driving wheels to provide quicker and safer progress through the overtaking lanes.
To complement the power train, the Fabia chassis set-up has been modified with the body lowered by about an inch and springs and dampers adjusted to provide a firm, but certainly not uncomfortable ride.
Mounted on 16-inch alloys, the Fabia vRS shows off its sporting heritage to good effect. It handles with agility and displays a good degree of torsional control when stringing together a series of B-road bends, without compromising either driver or passenger enjoyment.
And, as another plus, all this is done in the best possible taste so far as fuel economy is concerned. Dependent on your driving style, the Fabia vRS promises a combined driving fuel consumption of 50 plus mpg, while the CO2 emissions level of 138g/km puts it into the user friendly 18 per cent Benefit in Kind bracket.
Inside, the Fabia has always been more practical than flamboyant, but the designers have let their hair down a little here. The vRS enjoys supremely comfortable and supportive sports seats in grey and black with the seat fabric sporting the vRS badging.
The dashboard is quite eye-catching, too, housing well laid-out sports instrumentation.
Perhaps a little more discreet in its looks than some hot hatch contemporaries, this Fabia relies on a sporty front view with vRS badging on the bonnet grille plus Skoda's trademark green brake callipers and a rear spoiler to complement its performance and spread the word of its potency.
The Fabia vRS toy box includes air con and pollen filter, four-speaker stereo system with CD, height and reach adjustable steering wheel, electric front windows, stainless steel exhaust pipe and the rest in a car which goes on the road for under £12K.
Most certainly, the Skoda Fabia vRS has a great deal to offer the fun-loving but cost conscious driver. It weighs in at quite a wallet-friendly price for this particular sector and is well qualified to help continue the well-earned success story of the ambitious Czech Republic carmaker.
FAST FACTS
Skoda Fabia vRS
Price: £11,990
Mechanical: 130bhp, 1,896cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 6-spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 127mph
0-62mph: 9.6 secs
Combined mpg: 55.4
Insurance group: 9
CO2 emissions: 138g/km
BiK rating: 18%
Warranty: 3yrs/ unlimited mileage; 10yrs anti-rust; 3yrs paint