New 2015 Skoda Fabia Receives Five-Star Rating from Euro NCAP

You might think that a five-star rating is trivial and that every car should have one. But cheap cars usually get a low rating. For instance, the old Dacia Sandero received a three-star rating in 2008, when tests weren't even that severe. Even advanced cars like the BMW i3 have been downgraded for various reasons.

Here's what you need to know about the 2015 Fabia. First of all, it seems to have a solid passenger cell that can take a beating. The 5-door model scored a decent 81% for adult occupant protection. The exact same number was achieved for child protection, as dummy readings showed 18-month old infants will be perfectly safe.

It also boasts high levels of passive safety, including six standard airbags. However, Euro NCAP would not have given it the maximum rating were it not equipped with automatic emergency braking systems as well.

Also available as an option on the new Fabia, the Driver Activity Assistant (fatigue detection) brings tech made famous by Mercedes luxury automobiles. Other safety systems include Speedlimiter, Hill-Hold Control and an electronic tyre pressure monitor.

“One of the aims of the new ŠKODA Fabia development was to bring top-level safety performance to the small car segment,” says ŠKODA Board Member for Technical Development, Dr Frank Welsch. “The maximum five star rating is confirmation by independent experts that we have achieved this goal and it shows that the new ŠKODA Fabia is one of the safest small cars in the market,”