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Skodas - you have got to love them. They're based on Volkswagen platforms but are often bigger and better-equipped than the VW equivalents, which means you have every reason to feel smug about owning one.
With the Fabia supermini, you're even getting a newer car. Skoda traditionally takes the lead-in small-car platforms in the VW Group, so the latest Fabia is built on the underpinnings for the next-generation Polo.
The Fabia hatch was launched earlier this year. Now a wagon version, called the Combi, has been added to the ranks. We sampled it in TDI turbo diesel guise.
What's new? From the A-pillar forward, the Combi is identical to the Fabia hatch, which makes it identical to the company's Roomster mini-people mover.
The Combi rides on the same wheelbase as the hatch, but has an extra 247mm of rear overhang that goes into cargo carrying. Even with the rear seats upright, the Combi carries 180 litres more than the Fabia hatch.
Engine choices are sort of the same as the hatch... but sort of not.
There are still petrol and diesel options. The petrol engine is the same 1.6-litre as the hatch, but the diesel gets an upgrade from a 1.4-litre in the hatch to a 1.9-litre for the Combi.
The company line With up to 1460 litres carrying capacity, Skoda says the Combi is: "a potential world champion in load-lugging, even in comparison to competitors in the mid-size segment. All of this is offered with an easy-to-operate folding mechanism and great spatial ergonomics.
"The Fabia Combi continues the Skoda tradition of offering a high specification vehicle, with high levels of space and comfort for excellent value."
What we say You can't argue with the practicality and utility of the thing.
Seats-up you still get a 480-litre boot, with nice touches such as removable partitions (including a neat, bendy one), shopping bag hooks and provision for a dog/cargo net behind the rear seats.
Seats-down it's not just the capacity that's impressive - the wide cargo aperture and high roof mean the Combi can swallow some big items.
"Value" is relative. At $33,990 it's costly for a car in this segment - not to mention being $6000 more than the Fabia diesel hatch.
But it is fully loaded, with six airbags, stability control - unavailable on the TDI hatch - climate air conditioning, trip computer and a stereo with auxiliary input for your iPod.
On the road There is one aspect of the Fabia Combi TDI that's a bit old-hat - the 1.9-litre diesel engine is a familiar unit from Volkswagen's past that uses "pump duse" technology, as opposed to the common rail systems of the latest VW engines.
Like the smaller 1.4-litre mill in the Fabia hatchback, it's a bit gruff-sounding but undeniably eager once you get it spinning, and quite entertaining, actually.
The TDI is manual-only. If you want an automatic there's a 1.6-litre petrol-engined model available for $31,990. It makes the same 77kW as the diesel but produces a whopping 87Nm less torque.
The dynamics are generic VW - light steering, soft suspension and failsafe understeer if you drive into a corner too fast.
Comfort is the main priority, which seems to suit a small-utility car such as this very well indeed.
So what's stopping you? The Combi is thoroughly likeable - well built and very honest, but it looks a little bit odd. There's something about the 15-inch wheels (too small?), ride height (too tall?) or profile (too slabby?) that gives the Fabia a slightly awkward aspect.
And much as we like it, it's still expensive - nearly $34,000 is a lot for a small wagon, even one that's really quite big.
