But it was a layout that would, eventually, be relegated to niche status, as manufacturers got to grips with setting up the front wheels so that they could deal with both steering and driving, and that meant more boot space.
Skoda stuck with the rear-engined layout longer than most but by the early 1980s, still government-owned, it wanted to replace its endearing rear-engined models with something much more modern, which meant front-engined, front-wheel drive, in a very conventional European hatchback style.
This Favorit – and, true to its name, it became one of central Europe’s favourite cars – was the result. It took a long time to develop, with styling by Bertone and some variants that never made it to production, but the car was produced from 1987 to 1994, and this late model is a lovely example. It wears its 100,000km (62,000 miles) really well and drives much like a modern car.
At only 3.8m long, it’s shorter than the Octavia Combi but feels more spacious inside, notably for the driver and front passenger. The steering and brakes are power assisted – the steering heavy only at very low speeds – and otherwise the controls are light and easy.
The five-speed gearbox is a particular joy.In contemporary testing, Autocar & Motor (as this magazine was then) said that the Favorit “always had the fundamentals of a great little car” with “the space and pace of the best [alternatives] but at two-thirds the normal price”.
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