Vauxhall Corsa vs Skoda Fabia
Figures updated
The Vauxhall Corsa and Skoda Fabia are two of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Corsa F (2019–) and the Mk4 (2021–) Fabia on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,122,504 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Vauxhall Corsa for lower fuel costs, or the Skoda Fabia for the bigger boot and the better MOT record.
- New prices start within £480 of each other.
- The Skoda Fabia has the biggest boot: 380 litres, 71 more than the Vauxhall Corsa.
- Euro NCAP safety: Vauxhall Corsa 4 stars (2019), Skoda Fabia 5 stars (2021). Ratings from different years aren't directly comparable, as the tests get tougher.
- The Skoda Fabia has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Vauxhall Corsa fails its MOT about 21% more often.
- The Vauxhall Corsa is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £52 a year less than the Skoda Fabia at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the steering on a Vauxhall Corsa: it fails on them 2.4 times as often as the average car.
- Watch the body and structure on a Skoda Fabia: it fails on them 1.3 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Vauxhall CorsaCorsa F (2019–), 5-door hatchback | Skoda FabiaMk4 (2021–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £20,590 to £34,445July 2026 price list | £21,070 to £30,010April 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 309 litres / 1,118 | 380 litres / 1,190 (best) |
| Length | 4,060mm | 4,108mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,765mm | 1,780mm |
| Height | 1,433mm | 1,459mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 75–136 PS | 80–177 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 8.2–11.2 sec | 7.4–15.7 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2019) | ★★★★★ (2021) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Electric, Petrol | Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 47.9–65.9 mpg | 52.3–56.8 mpg |
| CO2 | 96–132 g/km | 112–122 g/km |
| Electric range | 206–258 miles | – |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £1,016 (57.6 mpg) (best) | £1,068 (54.8 mpg) |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | £548 (4 mi/kWh) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £548 (electric) | £1,068 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 80Well below average | 97Below average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 35.3% | 29.6% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 15.4% | 13.6% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 19.7% | 16.6% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 41.5% | 27.8% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (5.2% of tests) | Pins and bushes (3.7% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (2.4×), Exhaust and emissions (1.7×) | Body and structure (1.3×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 896,932 | 225,572 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,800 | 6,900 |
| On sale | 2019 on | 2021 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Vauxhall Corsa or the Skoda Fabia more reliable?
The Skoda Fabia. Like for like on age and mileage, the Vauxhall Corsa fails its MOT about 21% more often (reliability scores 97 and 80, where 100 is average). 29.6% of Skoda Fabias and 35.3% of Vauxhall Corsas failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Skoda Fabia?
The Skoda Fabia is 48mm longer (4,108mm against 4,060mm). The Skoda Fabia has the bigger boot: 380 litres against 309.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Skoda Fabia?
New prices start at much the same level: £20,590 for the Vauxhall Corsa and £21,070 for the Skoda Fabia.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Skoda Fabia?
Comparing petrol versions, the Vauxhall Corsa costs about £52 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,016 against £1,068), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Skoda Fabia?
Euro NCAP gave the Vauxhall Corsa 4 stars (2019) and the Skoda Fabia 5 stars (2021). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Vauxhall Corsa or the Skoda Fabia?
Pick the Vauxhall Corsa for lower fuel costs, or the Skoda Fabia for the bigger boot and the better MOT record. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.