CARS, like people, are getting fatter. It’s not exactly an automotive obesity epidemic, but each new generation grows a bit.

That’s why the latest VW Polo is larger than the original Golf and the Fiesta has a longer wheelbase than a Mark III Escort.

The Fabia is nearly all-new. Skoda reckons less than ten per cent of last year’s model has been carried over.

But get this - it’s smaller, lighter and altogether more sensible. You won't find any middle-aged spread in this perky little hatchback.

ON THE ROAD: Skoda has bestowed more personality on the new Fabia with bold character lines and the latest bonnet/grille combo first seen on the Rapid family hatch. The body's sharp creases wouldn’t disgrace an origami study, and the grille is more in proportion to the rest of the car, but it’s still a very conservative design.

Our test car arrived in blue with a white roof and white wheels. I admire Skoda’s chutzpah but I doubt it will sell many Fabias in this particular colour combo - those white wheels looked as incongruous on the Fab as Eric Pickles wearing a hoodie.

The Northern Echo:

NICE DRIVE: The Fabia feels quite sporty.

The rather guttural 1.4 TDI has been tweaked for outstanding fuel consumption (something the Fabia achieves with ease) but it grumbles about the cold and runs out of puff before the red line.

In SE L guise the Fabia is no Mini Cooper botherer (sadly the hot Fabia vRS has been killed off because it only accounted for a tiny percentage of sales) but it compensates for a relative lack of urge with decent cruising pace and plenty of torque. The start-stop sometimes tripped over its own feet, killing the engine as just as I dipped the clutch, but its contribution to the Fabia’s excellent fuel consumption shouldn’t be underestimated.

The ride sometimes felt a bit fidgety in town, and big dips caused by road subsidence on my way to work sometimes provoked an alarming groan from the front suspension, but it settled down on motorways and well-surfaced A-roads.

ON THE INSIDE: It may be smaller on the outside but, thanks to a longer wheelbase, it’s larger on the inside.

The Fabia’s cabin is roomy by class standards and its 337 litre boot is the biggest you’ll find in a supermini.

The fascia is typically Germanic - well planned and straightforward, but there’s a cheapskate air about some of the materials quality. The door handles reminded me of a plastic wheelbarrow while the grained plastic on the door cards is hard and scratchy. 

A colourful gloss plastic insert which runs the full width of the dashboard lifts the design above the ordinary, but there’s no sense of theatre - the Fabia is stubbornly practical.

The ergonomics are faultless, however, and the seats are very comfortable even over long distances. Together with the outstanding fuel consumption, the Fabia SE L is a surprisingly capable tourer.

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PLENTY OF ROOM: The Fabia interior is roomy for the supermini class and the seats are comfy

WHAT DO YOU GET: Key features on all SEL models include 16-inch alloys, a multi-function leather wrapped steering wheel with radio and telephone controls, a premium Arkamys surround sound system with six loudspeakers, acoustic rear parking sensors an alarm with interior monitoring and cruise control. It’s good to see a future-proof DAB digital radio tuner fitted. Unlike the Peugeot 208 I had the week before, the Fabia unit had no problems holding on to a signal even in built-up areas.

The Bolero radio head unit links to a smartphone via Bluetooth for audio streaming. Once your phone is paired it’s possible to read (and reply) to texts using the 6.5-inch 800x480 pixel touchscreen.

Skoda offers several free apps that can send vehicle data, such as speed, revs and even g-forces, to a phone. The system is fully compatible with MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces.

The 'keyless' go ignition seems like an afterthought.

It may be keyless but you still get a key and several times I tried to jab it in the ignition barrel, which is home to the starter button. Judging by the scratches on the steering column left by the key, I wasn’t the first to be confounded.

On the plus side even basic models get Bluetooth music streaming, air conditioning and parking sensors.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT?

The Fabia upholds the honourable Skoda tradition of selling a massive boot with a car attached. At 337 litres with the seats in place, you won’t find a bigger luggage compartment in the small hatchback class. Boot capacity with the seats folded extends to 1,150 litres (1,150 litres with no spare wheel).

The Fabia is bristling with thoughtful features. Lots of cars have a sunglass compartment, an armrest storage box and a parking ticket holder, but not many can boast a hinged storage box under the front seats, a waste paper basket or (best of the lot) an ice scraper secreted in the fuel cap.

RUNNING COSTS: The Fabia claws back of lot of ground if you’re looking for a car that’s cheap to run. The official 83mpg figure might be rather optimistic but it’s perfectly possible to achieve more than 60mpg and the 88g/km exhaust emissions figure means you won’t have to worry about road tax.

VERDICT: Despite the rather racy colour scheme of our Fabia, this little Skoda is sensible not in any sense a boy racer. In fact, it's more swotty than sporty.

The new one is easier than ever to park, but the interior is still one of the roomiest in the supermini class, and the big boot bests cars in the class above (Ford Focus I’m looking at you).

A Fabia is no longer the cheap option in the small hatchback class, but it doesn’t need to be. The Skoda is the mature choice.

Price: £16,240 (1.4 SEL)

SPEC: Engine: 1.4 TDI.

Max power: 90PS.

Max torque: 230Nm.

Top speed: 113mph.

0-62mph: 11.1 seconds.

Fuel consumption: 83.1mpg (official combined).

CO2: 88g/km VED: zero rated