Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 2022: warm hatch won’t be in Australian range at Q3 release

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The Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo will continue in new-generation form, carrying across its predecessor’s badging inspired by the famous rally race.

Set to be available in Europe with either a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine or a 1.5-litre four-cylinder TSI engine, the Fabia Monte Carlo sports outputs of 81kW/200Nm and 110kW/250Nm respectively. 

The Skoda Fabia sold 813 units in 2021, slightly up from the 805 units sold in 2020. This was a reasonably small amount of cars when compared to competitors such as the MG 3 which sold a considerable 13,774 cars in 2021. The related Volkswagen Polo sold 5125 cars in the same 12-month period. . 

A spokesperson for Skoda Australia told Chasing Cars that the Fabia Monte Carlo wasn’t locked-in for Australia at this stage, confirming that an Australian-specific Launch Edition would instead be part of the lineup.

The spokesperson also confirmed a third quarter 2022 release date for the new Fabia range in Australia – meaning between July and September this year.

How can you identify a Fabia Monte Carlo?

The Fabia Monte Carlo stands out from ordinary varieties of Fabia through additional visual aggression. Blacked-out accents abound, from the grille to the rear diffuser, Skoda lettering and alloy wheels that range in size from 17- to 18-inches.

Inside, the Monte Carlo brings sports seats to the table, along with a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, carbon fibre-effect trim on the dashboard and black and red design details across the cabin. The handbrake lever and steering wheel are finished in leather, while LED ambient lighting helps give the cabin atmosphere. 

The Monte Carlo is the first Skoda Fabia revealed thus far to be fitted with the brand’s Virtual Cockpit – a 10.25-inch customisable digital driver display that can place satellite navigation mapping, trip information and music functions in the driver’s line of sight. 

Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo technology and connectivity

Two infotainment systems are available on the Monte Carlo. The first is the Bolero system with 8.0-inch display which comes as standard, while the top spec Amundsen system features a 9.2-inch display, satellite navigation and the Laura digital voice assistant. 

Up to five USB-C sockets can be equipped on the Monte Carlo. Two sockets are available standard for the front seats, with two available as options for the rear and one for a dashcam. 

How safe is the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo?

Up to nine airbags are available for the Fabia Monte Carlo, with knee airbag and rear side airbags optional. Seven are available as standard. 

Park assist and Travel assist are both standard on the Monte Carlo variant. Adaptive cruise control, lane assistance, hands-on detection and manoeuvre assist are all included. Traffic sign recognition and front assist with pedestrian and cyclist alert are available as options. 

Isofix points and top tether anchor points are standard. The Skoda Fabia scored a five star safety rating from European NCAP in 2021. 

Two turbo engines available

Two engines are available for the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo. The first is a 81kW/200Nm 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, available with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. 

The second drivetrain is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque. It is coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and is capable of accelerating to 100km/h in eight seconds. This unit also features cylinder deactivation, turning off two of the cylinders under light load situations. 

Pricing for the new Fabia Monte Carlo is yet to be announced and will likely be revealed closer to the car’s launch date.