"Significantly larger" new 2021 Skoda Fabia set for May reveal

Skoda has confirmed the new fourth-generation Fabia will be "significantly larger" and "more expressive" than the outgoing car.

Set for a reveal next month, the new-generation supermini will be the first Fabia based on the Volkswagen Group's MQB-A0 platform that's also used for the current Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo. 

New design sketches, along with spy shots taken recently, show that it will undergo a major overhaul to bring it in line with Skoda's latest design language, including a new, larger front grille. Sharp LED lights will feature at both ends, while a larger rear spoiler, sleeker wing mirrors and active air inlets at the front will optimise aerodynamic efficiency. 

Skoda says the switch to the new platform means that the Fabia will grow "in all dimensions", highlighting that it is 111mm longer and 48mm wider than the current car, while the boot will be 50 litres larger than the 330 litres offered currently. It has also promised greater interior space for passengers.

The new Fabia will use the latest generation of the Volkswagen Group's petrol engines, with most models using versions of the turbocharged three-cylinder TSI unit. In a bid to keep the Fabia affordable, Autocar understands it's unlikely that any of the initial engines will feature electrification.

Skoda has confirmed that the engines will be offered with either a manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.