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Skoda Fabia
This is a straightforward redesign that keeps the essence of the old Fabia design, in the same way that the new Octavia did with its predecessor a couple of years ago. The previous Fabia from 1999 was the first VW Group model to use the new A04 Polo platform, so there's no need for a chassis update this time and the basic concept here is to offer more safety, space, comfort and value without enlarging the overall footprint, which keeps to a tidy 3.9meters in length. If you feel the design looks familiar, it's because there's a lot of commonality with the Roomster: the basic front end, windscreen and instrument panel is the same between the two cars. Interestingly, the upswept DLO line that characterises the Roomster is also still evident, but here in a more subtle form, and transposed to the rear door rather than the front. The rear lights maintain the C-shaped light graphic that has become a Skoda design cue at night, while the front face continues the 'friendly-but-not-cute' look that has become another Skoda trademark.
The design team, led by Jens Manske, have taken the opportunity of the characteristic wrap-around screen look to offer an optional white roof this time. This allows more possibilities for personalisation (particularly for younger buyers) in the same way that BMW has managed with the Mini. It seems to work well, and there are numerous graphics that can be applied to extend the look. Overall, there's a straightforward honesty to this car that will ensure it continues the success that the previous Fabia enjoyed.
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Design Review: Skoda Roomster 
This is the international debut of the second generation Smart ForTwo, an evolutionary development of one of the most unique production cars in the world.
The new design is based closely on the original ForTwo's structure with a larger Mitsubishi engine replacing the bespoke Daimler Chrysler unit and modifications to improve crash performance, necessary for both European and American markets, resulting in slightly longer overhangs. These changes, the resultant increase in length by 20cm, and the more formal design identity inside and out, make the car appear slightly more conventional.
The exterior features a less 'cutesy' face, more linear form language and a general cleaning up of the original's slightly fussy detailing - for example the rear light count has gone from a pair of three lights to a pair of two.
The interior differs most from its predecessor in not having an IP that is a wave form in plan that follows the off-set seating to be further forward on the driver side than the passenger side. The new rectilinear form was previewed in the Smart Crosstown concept from Frankfurt 2005 and is reminiscent also of the original Fiat Panda full width open shelf theme.
The other most significant change inside is the loss of the original's innovative seats backs that had mesh suspended over a hard shell and could be folded forwards on the passenger side for long loads.
The need to reduce production cost of the new car by simplifying the design relative to the original is clear given the exceptional losses that Smart have posted. This has mostly been achieved without compromising the value the car offers, and done so in conjunction with genuinely refreshing the design. Short term this makes sense for Smart, but to ensure that the brand maintains the youngest profile of buyers in the industry (85% are under 40) and its trend setting funky image, it will need to do more soon.
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Smart Crosstown concept - Frankfurt 2005
Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser
Given how sharp PSA have been at spotting new trends and getting in fast - for example Coupe Cabrios, the Berlingo Multivan, superb diesels or innovative use of glass - it's surprising how slow they've been to offer a decent SUV, one of the fastest growing sectors in the last 5 years. This pair of SUVs are something of a stopgap answer, as they are based on the new Mitsubishi Outlander and built in Japan, with grafted-on front ends and the excellent Citroen 2.2HDi engine added. The difference between the two versions is confined to just the front bumper and headlamps. The fenders and even the hood pressing are common: if you were wondering why the Peugeot 'Lion of Belfort' sits so high up on the top surface of the hood on the 4007, it's because it needs to cover the indented chevron cut out from the Citroen C-Crosser hood. The Citroen front end is definitely the better of the two: the Peugeot 4007 face reminds one of Hannibal Lecter, with its vertical grille bars and huge mouth.
The interior offers a good package, with a roomy cabin and lots of storage space. As on the Outlander, there is a tiny third-row seat tucked into the trunk floor that cleverly folds out, so it has some claim to bridge the gap with compact MPVs such as the C4 Grand Picasso, Zafira or VW Touran. In 5-seater mode, it offers a massive trunk, accessed by a split tailgate with a drop-down lower section, like a BMW X5. But it's no trendsetter in terms of interior materials: it's very much default-level plastics and silver-painted fake aluminium inserts throughout.
Within France, PSA will probably do well with these models, since there's no domestic French SUV alternatives and there's a vast dealer network hungry to sell them. But in other markets it's hard to see what these models offer that isn't done better by existing players.
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Mitsubishi Outlander
Citroen C-Crosser concept - Frankfurt 2001
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