Fabia and Fabia-er: Skoda’s Joyster mini-MPV concept, given its world premiere today (September 28) in Paris, aims to build on the company's good on-the-road reputation and present a more youthful image.“Cor, it’s bright,” said John McIlroy, editor of Autocar.co.uk. “Very yellow. But that doesn’t stop it from looking cool. The swathe of glass from the quite-fat C-pillars – the A- and B-pillars are blacked-out to be almost invisible and the roofline above the windscreen is almost semi-circular – is very striking. The roof gives the impression of being cantilevered. “There’s a hint of BMW 1-series about its rear end, and its hatch is a two-piece like the Range Rover’s.”
The front-wheel-drive Joyster, like the original Fabia, is expected to get use of VW’s new platform before the next generation of Polo.
“It doesn’t take a great leap of imagination to see this concept going into production,” said McIlory. “The Roomster concept [the Joyster’s bigger MPV brother] looked a bit wackier; the Joyster looks to be more of a finished article. There are some interior design touches that will probably have to go – the triangular seatbelt holsters built into the seats, the purple mood lighting in the front footwells – and the dash is fake, but it doesn’t take long to insert some dials. I reckon this car, a stylish baby hatchback, is 18 months/two years away.
“If Skoda makes an even more aggressive vRS version of it – give it about 215bhp – I’m sure it would sell well.”
Read our interview with one of the Joyster's designers here.
More stories from the Paris showBaby Rolls on the wayLancia's British returnAlfa's super-sexy supercarThe new AvengerThe Corolla's successorSkoda Joyster Q&AThe next TwingoChevy's diesel WTCC carFord crosses overRenault's small 4x4Volvo C30 in detailFastest hybrid in the worldAudi unveils the R8
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