Skoda’s Fabia Combi R5 concept Hulks out with rally-car styling

By Stephen Edelstein May 8, 2015

Skoda Fabia Combi R5 concept — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’ve never heard of Skoda, it’s essentially a Czech version of Buick, building mildly upscale but nondescript cars as part of the mighty Volkswagen Group empire. Lately, though, Skoda has tried to change its humdrum image.

Every year, VW gives a big “thank you” to its fans by unveiling a series of concepts from its different brands at the Worthersee festival. So far this year, Skoda has already teased a cute Fabia FUNstar pickup truck, but it’s following that up with something a little more aggressive.

The Skoda Fabia Combi R5 concept is what the Czech brand imagines it would be like to combine a rally car and a station wagon.

Although the name isn’t as recognizable as Audi, Ford, or Subaru, Skoda has a long history in rallying. Its latest Fabia R5 rally car debuted last month in the Czech Rally Championship, winning its first race.

Skoda decided to capitalize on the win by turning the Fabia R5 into a wagon. So it took a stock Fabia Combi and pumped it up with 18-inch alloy wheels, a more aggressive front fascia, mud guards, a huge rear spoiler, and a rear bumper enlarged to accommodate a central exhaust tip.

Then there’s that green, black, and white livery, which could prove advantageous in an actual rally by giving the competition seizures.

Power for the concept comes courtesy of a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is connected to a five-speed sequential transmission and all-wheel drive.

While Skoda does make hot versions of the road-going Fabia, a production version of the Fabia Combi R5 is a long shot. And even if it did get built, like the rest of the Skoda brand, it wouldn’t be offered in the U.S.

Almost 40 years after the AMC Gremlin went out of production, Americans seem to have finally gotten over their disdain of hatchbacks. But as usual, Europe is way ahead of us when it comes to small, sporty cars.

The Ford Focus ST is available as a wagon in Europe, and there’s a VW Golf GTD Variant on the way as well. Along with this Skoda concept, they show the potential of these vehicles as an evolution of the hot hatchback.

But with wagon sales subsumed by crossovers in the U.S., that may be a trend we’ll miss out on.

Skoda Fabia Combi R5 concept — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Should you buy a used EV? Maybe, but it’s complicated

Electric cars are slowly but surely getting cheaper. Over the past year or so, Ford and Tesla have been discounting their most popular electric cars while other brands, like Rivian, are laying the groundwork for all-new cheaper models.

But you'd still be hard-pressed to call electric cars cheap, and buying a completely new car in the first place is a hurdle in and of itself for many potential buyers. According to Statista, used car sales represented around 74% of all car sales in 2022, and while this figure is likely to change as electric cars get cheaper, the fact remains that most car buyers would prefer to save cash and buy used rather than buy something new.
Buying a new car ain't what it used to be
Buying a car with an electric powertrain doesn't necessarily need to be all that different from buying an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. But there's a little more to it than that.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs. Ford Mustang Mach-E: Will the R2 be a better buy?

Side of the Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it could end up being the go-to EV for drivers who want a decently affordable electric car with a rugged look and feel. But when it finally launches to the public, it won't be the only option in its price range -- the Ford Mustang Mach-E could be one of its main competitors.

The Mustang Mach-E may not be quite as rugged-feeling as the Rivian R2, but it does have a lot going for it -- like an increasingly low price, sleek design, and comfortable interior. Is one of these EVs better than the other? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The first thing to note about the two cars is their design, as they’re pretty different. The Rivian R2 is built to be a little more rugged and outdoorsy, while the Mach-E instead has a sleeker and sportier look to it. Both cars look stylish and modern.

Cars

2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan gets new face, bigger battery

2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan front-quarter view.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan arrived during the 2022 model year as the flagship of Mercedes' EV fleet. But now that it's been on sale for a few years, it's time for this flagship to get a refit so that it can stay competitive with other six-figure electric sedans like the BMW i7, Lucid Air, and Tesla Model S. The updated EQS sedan is scheduled to reach dealerships later this year as a 2025 model.

One of the most controversial features of the EQS has been its unorthodox streamlined shape, which makes the EQS one of the most aerodynamic sedans around, but also means it doesn't look much like a traditional Mercedes. For 2025, the EQS takes a step closer to that traditional look with a new grille featuring chrome bars like on the Mercedes S-Class. It also sports the brand's trademark hood ornament.