1990 Škoda Favorit 136LS Review - The Czechoslovakian Car That Made It Out Of Communism!

[@iceycomb]

Love the way you say Škoda and not Skoda like most people do. It's cool to see little Favorit in America! Greetings from Czech Republic :D

[@yowhatsup9909]

In a really nice shape too, it's hard to find them this pristine even in Czech republic.

[@lumajs]

Maybe the owners outside Czechoslovakia still needed to keep them in the garage for thirty years, or be laughed at. It is a good car but people didn't know that 😂.

[@KidNato]

Everyone is talking about the new 1000hp Vette but this is WAY more interesting

[@wrightcodyj]

Absolutely! Love this.

[@wr1ght939]

Definitely has bigger goober energy.

[@runoflife87]

Well, Zack, now you absolutely have to drive the main competitor - Lada Samara 1300 or 1500, probably Canadian-spec one. BTW I guess Skoda had some hopes to export the Favorit to Canuckistan.

[@timbit72]

Im impressed runo! I grew up in quebec in the 70s-90s & i remember the samara well, we had lots of renault 5s as well...and hey Zack, if you read this, one weird one we had and was popular in the montreal area was the dacia 1310...i actually drove an 84 dacia 1310 in the early 90's and it felt like it was powered by a coal plant lol, if ever you have an opportunity to review one ill be first in line!

[@runoflife87]

@@timbit72 the most interesting thing is: Canada also got Renault 4 and Renault 30 (not available in the US).

[@timbit72]

@@runoflife87 thats cool I didn't know that!

[@golfguy25]

​@@timbit72The US also got the Renault 5, but here it was called the Renault "Le Car"

[@golfguy25]

The front end looks quite similar to a Samara. On the topic of Ladas, it would be cool to find a Niva in the US or Canada sometimes. I think they imported them until the late-90s, but they are very hard to find. A compact proper 4x4 would be pretty neat

[@marioham7337]

I'm really surprised that you could find such a car in the US

[@markhealey9409]

Cool colour & survivor! These cars were quite popular in Britain...but rarely seen now. Modern Skodas are very popular here now. Good to hear you pronouncing Skoda properly! I do think Favorit is pronounced with a short 'A' though.

[@OptimusPrime_79]

This was d last Skoda,after its Volkswagen.

[@nickgee7291]

These were popular in greece! I remember always confusing these with the lada samara

[@markhealey9409]

@@nickgee7291 They sold Lada Samaras in Britain,too...the first modern Lada,aa well,but I think they were a bit larger than Favorits,if I remember correctly,haven't seen either cars on the road in ages.

[@McElroysMotors]

Hey, Zack. Nicholas here with a Trabant in Ohio. She needs a fuel switch but after that, she should be okay for your review. Hopefully, she likes you.

[@aca2983]

I was in Prague in fall of 1990 and these were everywhere. We need a non-nonsense basic car and this pushes all my buttons. Americans never got into 5-door hatchbacks (well, unless they masquerade as CUV/SUVs) but I like the bodystyle a lot because its so handy.

[@aca2983]

P.S. it would be amazing to ride in a vintage Tatra. For a brief moment, Czechoslovakia really punched way above its weight - technology, engineering, literature, art, everything.

[@My_Old_YT_Account]

They did, the Toyota Matrix sold well

[@Koulis_]

The styling was actually by Bertone and there are similarities with the Citroen BX which was also a Bertone styled car of the same era. These were popular in the UK and were respectable in terms of an Eastern Eoropean car at the time. Thanks for the video. 👍🏼

[@TheFlyingBusman]

I loved my old Favorit. Simple, sturdy, reliable. Engine is essentially the same as the 105/Rapid but in transverse layout. Super easy clutch swaps too. They were good enough to attract the attention of the VAG group who bought them out and then went on to replace the Favorit with the Felicia.

[@Papinak2]

Not only good enough to attract the attention, the engine and gearbox was good enough that VW used it in some of their cars (VW Lupo) and it looks like some concepts from Favorit were applied to their platforms.

[@rt_goblin_hours]

I love modern skodas and wish they could come here Same as the dacia, they have a crossover perfect for americ

[@Doctor_Robert]

So cool!! This is what I'm here for, a new automotive experience!! I knew what these were, but not what they were *really* like. Thank you, Zack!

[@toddgiambruno]

Great video Zack! Upper portion of this is reminiscent of a 1980 Fiat Strada

[@loremaster6828]

I love hatchbacks, this reminds me of my 05 hyundai accent coupe. I dig the avocado green as well, very quirky

[@marioham7337]

There is a lot of Skoda's here in Russia, but i never saw this favorite model. It looks like our lada 2114

[@runoflife87]

Бэушные завозились же🤦🏻‍♂️

[@danieljames2015]

These were popular in Britain, a good, honest and reliable small Family Car. Why can't we have such cheap Cars today?

[@runoflife87]

Well, now there are Dacia cars.

[@danieljames2015]

@@runoflife87 Getting more expensive all the time. Lots of people just want a simple, reliable A to B Car.

[@bwofficial1776]

Emissions regulations and crash safety regulations are why you can't have cheap crappy cars.

[@Aygo84]

​@@bwofficial1776Most emissions/safety regulations don't really have an ecological/safety intention, but mostly ways of preventing foreign car manufacturers (namely chinese) to penetrate domestic market, also a way of justifying skyrocketing prices, hence better profit margins.

[@Pyjamarama11]

Dacia Duster

[@TassieLorenzo]

For an economy car, it's a very upscale spec! Most base model Fords or Vauxhalls (Opels) didn't have a tachometer for example. Having the seat sides in the same velour as the seat tops instead of cheaper vinyl was unusual too, even in US-market Honda Civics (which also didn't come standard with tachometers in the base model). Having headrests on the rear seats was unusual until much later too!

[@rjb1970]

My dad had one of these from new in 1991 in the UK, in this exact colour. In the UK, the LS trim level was the top spec and came with a radio cassette, sunroof, and rear spoiler!

[@jorgehorta980]

I really like your reviews. You find some really interesting cars. There’s a lot of VW on that car and you forgot to say that the car was designed by Bertone.

[@johnbower7452]

Greetings from England, I had one of these when they came out; it was a lovely little car. Back then was no slouch either for a 1.3 engine. I fell on hard times and had to let her go; was gutted.

[@scott8919]

I can say with 100% certainty that I never expected you to drive this car. In fact I've never even heard of it till just now.

[@Mrmatteo08]

There's not a built in radio (as most of the European subcompacts in the same era), but buyers can insert after market car stereo in the compartment down below the dashboard. Let's say that was a due step in the "customization" of the car

[@demogaming8895]

This is what 98% of cars looked like in early 90's Europe. Although exterior stylings were widely different, equipment wise they were all the same. Manual everything, no AC, no cruise control, no heated seats, nothing. These things were pretty much already standard in US cars, but Europe liked to keep things simple for some reason. Even German luxury brands were offering their base model cars with no AC and stick shift. Even in the early 2000s manual mirrors and manual rear windows were standard in most cars, and some manufacturers still offer cars with no AC to this day

[@SulikTrucker95]

Holy granola, i love this car and Skoda Felicia too

[@t.b.6600]

This kind of unique review with historical context is why I love your channel! Enjoy the new car reviews too.

[@davidkacerek8294]

Never did I think I would see a car from my country on this channel. And as always, a great review!

[@SomethingAboutCars]

Massive props for pronouncing Škoda properly!

[@Araararauna7]

you ve gotta get your hands on one of the rear-engine cars! they are so funky

[@evlo8059]

BTW in around 2010 škoda had FACTORY installed locks, even for DSG called defend lock or something similar. Just a modern version of the lock in your video. When you have car equipped with it every time you turn off the car display in dash says "respect deadlock" :D

[@JakubSemoda]

Nazdar Zack, seeing that old LPG Hlohovec sticker on "Fáčko" with Illinois licence plate was pretty cool, but I didn´t know, You have been in Slovakia, so greetings from Banská Štiavnica, and hope, you´l come to visit this city some day 😀 Hopefully, you could review more Czechoslovakian cars, like Škoda Fabia Junior, or older Škoda, like 105, 120 (I think, they were called Skoda 742). J

[@SvenQ45]

Ah, someone who pronounces the name right. Good one Zack. Many years ago (90s earlier 2000s) we drove to the Czech Republic many times and you could see many of them! Probably still today.

[@christopher4162]

Not many but one or two a day still ;) they’re starting to go up in price slowly

[@TheAlcatraz65]

Actually, propane fuel is still very popular in Poland. You can find it on pretty much every gas station here and it's less than half price of the regular gas. There are also many workshops that install it to this day, especially in port injected naturally aspirated engines and american cars with V8 and V6. The process takes only a few hours and costs around 1000-2000 $ depending on the engine but the mechanics have to have autorization for it. I currently own a 2019 Mazda 3 hatch with 2.0 Skyactiv automatic and also a manual 2007 Mazda 6 with 2.0 MZR engine that's fuelled with LPG. The cost of driving 100 km is around 6,40 $ whereas on regular gas it was 13 $.

[@bwofficial1776]

That's a surprisingly stylish ComBloc car. The green is beautifully vintage. Whoever imported this either loves their homeland or has a weird sense of humor. The reverse lock is a smart idea and I've never seen one like that before. The taillight pins are a wonderful example of Soviet engineering.

[@dave11686]

So crazy to see one in the US! I’ve only seen one on an old episode of Top Gear(the 80s-90s version)

[@ludif541]

What an absolutely refreshing video. And yeah, Škoda Favorit was a great people's car, practical and relatively cheap.

[@1524mike]

Homer: What country is this from? Salesman: it no longer exists. Put it in H!!!!

[@richardepstein3494]

Fit and finish look remarkable! Love that body style; wish they were for sale here in the States.

[@attilabazso6693]

Cool video and nice car. Greetings from Slovakia :)

[@BobAbc0815]

Having four Doors was borderline Luxury in the Comunist Block.

[@MikeMudesi]

When I was 16 years old, I was learning how to drive. This was the first car I drove :)

[@FTRVDenny]

That is really clean. I don't understand the rear fog lights. I had a mercedes imported and it had the rear fog light switch but all it did was brighten the tail lights. I guess it was easier to see in the fog.

[@markhealey9409]

Some fog & taillights are combined in the same bulb,double filaments,& some have a separate single filament red fog light bulb. Rear fog lights have been mandated in Europe since 1980. A very good idea,especially on our crowded roads and high speeds,when there's thick fog or heavy rain & spray from other vehicles on motorways/freeways. Stupid that North American spec never mandated them. European built cars in North America typically have rear red fog lights...You can buy after market ones to add under the bumper in The US. One Oldsmobile model.actually had factory fitted integral rear fog lights....i think late 90s Aurora,maybe?

[@markhealey9409]

Minis,Jaguars,Land Rovers,Range Rovers have rear fog lights in North America,and most German & Swedish built cars have them in The US & Canada.,Some Audis,VWs,BMWs also do,but usually not the North Ametican made ones,that are made for the North American market.

[@FTRVDenny]

@@markhealey9409 Mine was imported from Germany to Canada and sent to Pittsburgh where it was converted to left hand drive and the speedo was changed th MPH but all of the other gauges seemed to be in metric

[@FTRVDenny]

@@markhealey9409 I remember the Auroras having oddly bright tail lights

[@markhealey9409]

@@FTRVDenny it would have been because some Americans drive around with their rear fog lights on,even when it isn't foggy...which is illegal in Britain,& probably other European countries,as they are distracting,unless needed in bad weather. Maybe they do it to be 'cool' or different,as only a small %age of cars have them there. I grew up in Centre County,PA,but have lived in England for most of the past 38 years,except one year back in PA in 1990-1991. My Mother was English,we emigrated to PA when I was 5 years old,I moved back to England alone at 19 years old. I have been back to PA a lot for visits in the past 38 years,although not as often since Mum passed away in 2009...but my two younger brothers still live there,& many friends. I'm a Pennsylvanian Brit! 🤣🤣

[@SnapRasta]

I love your channel because you are from around where i am. I live about 5 minutes from Oak Brook lol

[@Hobotraveler82]

This car is so cool. Love it. Thanks for the review. 😊❤

[@seanmcgivney7631]

That is a good-looking car!

[@doug6191]

I appreciate the defroster elements in the rear glass. The luxury brands don't spend like that.

[@roscohaines8508]

That was designed to keep the drivers hands warm, because they were always needing a push. So the old joke goes about old Skodas.

[@doug6191]

@@roscohaines8508 hilarious. 😒

[@metalodon]

Forman is a Favorit Wagon.

[@nickgee7291]

Looks like a lada samara

[@davidviktora]

@@nickgee7291 Samara was also styled by Studio Bertone.

[@matejzatko787]

You spend lot of time in Slovakia??😧😧My sister had Škoda Favorit after facelift, when she was 18 years old. Btw, respect for the photo of Martinské Hole from Slovak National Muzeum in Martin🫡

[@16jan1986]

Miss my grandfathers such a good plain car

[@michaelharrison1172]

I'd love to see the truck version

[@EnthusiastCarHangar]

Crazy I never thought I would see one in the US. I liked the Skoda Foreman better.

[@fortheloveofnoise]

No automatic avaliable? As god intended...now I want one.

[@foxy126pl6]

LPG coversions are still quite popular in eastern europe! At least for cars that are port injection. No LPG for direct injection cars

[@alexanderstefanov6474]

There are lots of systems now for DI, they use a little petrol and they're quite expensive but still worth it for a big engine, LPG is almost 3x cheaper in some EU countries

[@theadvocate4698]

Skoda was sold in canada in the 1980's but i never saw one...

[@TheBarth79]

Driver License exam on that car in december 1997.I see this is from the beginning of the production.So be carefully and dont drive fast on bumpy roads or avoid them.Why?Body of this car is a little flimsy and front windshield can broke easy.The strut under the hood is missing.Struds was added in production in later years.If you dont belive me, please to look for some pictures from under the hood.I live in Poland,and these cars are long gone.I dont remember when i saw last one (maby exept car entusiast meets).,and certainly one without the spacer. 10;44.on this yellow sticker you can see Skoda Fabia first gen..That was made 1999-2008.So sticker must be added later.Btw, try to use /find horn button .Can be hard 😁.

[@WolfTheDog]

That thing is in great shape.

[@michi-eke]

this is an amazing car

[@notsheerosmemes]

That's my top 3 favourite cars :D

[@goodwiil]

favorit cars 😜

[@Doctor_Robert]

11:11 I will patently faint if you review a Tatra! ^_^

[@GeeEm1313]

Also, this came out two years after the GAZ 21-10, yet it comes with more amenities.

[@johnbower7452]

Cruise control was only in the most expensive cars back in the early 90's. this was pretty well kitted out for its time; and at the time it came with a radio/cassette, which even Mercs for all the price didn't come with as standard, you had to pay extra. Oh, and climate control? Back then we were like; "What's that?" Again, you might get it on very pricey cars, but not most ordinary models.

[@Papinak2]

You could actually get AC in Favorit. Some companies did a retrofit kit, but it was much more common later, in Felicias.

[@ceriabestsb3023]

While Skoda is always associated with communist it's actually created before communism ever started in Czechoslovakia. In all honesty even if its quality is not on par with other western or Japanese cars, compared to other communist cars its quality is actually much better ..and hey the Czech Tatra is quite remarkable in its own right.. coincidentally both are Czech made.. which is saying something..

[@davinp]

The Dodge Hornet is not an American car, but an a Alfa Romeo

[@ralphabreu5022]

No dodge is an American car FIAT and Stellantis puts out

[@davinp]

@@ralphabreu5022 yes, Dodge was an American brand owned by Chrysler. Fiat-Chrysler is now part of Stellantis. They made the Hornet using an Alfa Romeo

[@ralphabreu5022]

@@davinp Chrysler Corporation was yes an American built car company and Chrysler built stuff for the federal government. Until 1979, Lee Iacocca became chairman of Chrysler He took a bankrupt company from the red and took a government loan and payed it back 7 years early the K Car it what bought America to a 6 passenger 4 cylinder front wheel drive passenger car They were a successful failure they were horrible car's, but without the K Car chassis there would be no minivan today In those days Chrysler partnered up with Mitsubishi to make engines for their smaller cars, because Americans couldn't build a 4 cylinder without problems. Also Chrysler always made bad partnerships The last one was Mercedes And present day FIAT and Stellantis So when you see people driving a Jeep you greet them and them you own a FIAT.

[@gatblau1]

That’s a cute looking car!

[@genzigzag]

If you make your way over to Europe you'll see how far the Skoda has progressed. They make better cars than VW their parent company.

[@DaleJarrett88-wm5kp]

Coming soon to Skoda Fabia In usa

[@dave11686]

2:10 Oak Brook on 22nd!

[@giuliopedrali4794]

It's honest utilitarian car, designed in Italy by Bertone

[@antesosic1600]

Škoda is the best modern VW brand for sure

[@rickjames6867]

Its rad. It looks like a Hyundai Excel and a Saab smashed together.

[@creativeusername7951]

"Shkoda" is fun to say. Shkoda.

[@TassieLorenzo]

Like Sean Connery!

[@AnimalMother98]

Love a good Skoda

[@Tom-sg4iv]

Stick shift was standard "at the time"? It still is 😂

[@karoltakisobie6638]

This is the kind of car I want. Skoda made some really solid cars even in communists times.

[@2010hyundaielantra]

how did that thing get over here?

[@ralphabreu5022]

It swam the English channel LoL

[@GeeEm1313]

It's like a Dodge Omni, but cool.

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Nice 😊

[@unclejoe6811]

I always liked Soviet Block cars.

[@niveketihw1897]

2:36 "pretty standard"

[@caseyjones1999]

Fso polonez next

[@christophersmith1155]

reminds me of the FIAT. I wonder if their is any relation ?

[@Papinak2]

It was designed by Bertone studio, which also designed Ritmo

[@laskos02]

What association did you have with Slovakia?

[@ShootingCars]

My hometown had a sister city in Slovakia and there was an exchange program where we would go there for two weeks and they would come here for two weeks. I was 18 when I went and loved it!

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@ShootingCars Wow!

[@Peter1Europe]

How this got State side ?

[@damilolaakanni]

It was imported. It's more than 25 years since they made this car, so it can be imported.

[@gafrers]

Skoda FTW

[@Mladjasmilic]

Try to find Škoda 135 Rapid

[@DaleJarrett88-wm5kp]

Uploaded nive

[@richardkmoch2208]

Small correction - Although unveiled in 1987, the cars did not get into civilian market until mid-late '88. For the first year of the unveiling, they were sold exclusively as company cars, so that Skoda could work out a few remaining kinks, before going public with it also, you did not have to buy a 1981 skoda to get the 60s experience, because the Skoda 120 was made all the way up until 1990(!) So, infact, in 1990, you could go and buy a brand new early 60s vehicle. Worse yet, you could buy a 2014 2nd generation Skoda Fabia running the 1.4 MPI engine, which is only an evolution of the one unveiled in the 1000MB (1964), and then used in the 100, 120, Favorit, Felicia, Fabia I, Octavia I and II, and so on (so basically a brand new car with a 50 year old engine being force fed injection)

[@Papinak2]

You certainly couldn't buy a 2014 Fabia with old Skoda engine. That went out of production in 2003, after 1.2MPI/HTP production ramped up. The later 1.4 engines were 16V EA111, developed from 1.6 engine found in Felicia - which was also initially developed in 70's as a 1.0 engine for Golf.

[@jas4925]

Did it have a lot of fiat components being a 1990?

[@d-riuz7402]

No FIAT components were used

[@G0LFman_1989yr]

Škoda favorit in America 😳😳😳😳 yee... you dont see this everyday.....

[@davidp2888]

1.3 liter engine. 0-60 in 7-10 business days.

[@lancetheb.m.c]

Good one😂

[@apanda]

I wouldn’t be surprised if it topped at 60.

[@TassieLorenzo]

It has between 54-68hp, which is nearly double of the two-cylinder 600cc version of the 1990 Citroen Visa (the variant with the 2CV engine)! Quite the powerhouse. It should do 0-60mph in around 15-20 seconds. 🙂

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@apanda You only need about 25hp to cruise at 60 mph. Not to say the car can do 60mph up a steep hill though.

[@OptimusPrime_79]

You r so wrong,all of you who underestimate old cars.in times of trouble,that r about to come,i mean distopian agony this car will always bring you to point b from whereever you r.Electronic free,computer free,electric free.All manual n it can be fixed with only a screwdriver n hammer.

[@mrbelvedere1632]

Bwahahaha!!! *hank hill sound*

[@BakedRBeans]

Looks like a VW Rabbit, from the same era. I didn't know the VW/Skoda connection went back that far- that explains it.

[@passerati_ab]

Not exactly, this is a "100%" Skoda, well designed for this era, so it looks how it looks :-). The Felicia (1994-2001) was a result of this connection

[@Aygo84]

​@@passerati_abEven the Felicia is nothing more than a Favorit (same platform, same chassis, same greenhouse, same door panels though softened in the design) much improved by VW

[@Papinak2]

They were assessing a 1.0 Golf engine for Favorit. Result - the 60's Skoda engine was considered better, it just needed some minor improvements.

[@XantoS771]

disegno di bertone

[@gregg9672]

Looked like a Lada

[@mirisch64]

WHERE. ARE. THE. TIMESTAMPS?!!!

[@1524mike]

Homer: What country is this from? Salesman: it no longer exists. Put it in H!!!!