Civic to VRS - would I be disappointed?

[AshVrs]

Think I would stick with the civic if I already had it. If you do alot of mileage I would imagine the civic is a nicer place to be however if you were after something a bit more raw and lively then the fabia might be more suitable. I love my vrs but I don't know why it's ****e inside lol

sent from my Galaxy Note 3

[Ad Lav]

If you need to save money then go for the Fabia - it's a group below the Civic in terms of size and spec you will get.

Engine wise, not driven a 2.2 but heard they are petty good.

If you can live with a slightly older design then the fabia will make a great replacement to the civic. It will feel just as fast due to weight and power delivery.

One thing you will lose out on will be handling but this can be made better fairly cheaply.

I've just come back to a mk1 vRS and love it to bits - full of character and I love the styling.

[-mike-]

If you need to save money then go for the Fabia - it's a group below the Civic in terms of size and spec you will get.

Engine wise, not driven a 2.2 but heard they are petty good.

If you can live with a slightly older design then the fabia will make a great replacement to the civic. It will feel just as fast due to weight and power delivery.

One thing you will lose out on will be handling but this can be made better fairly cheaply.

I've just come back to a mk1 vRS and love it to bits - full of character and I love the styling.

 

Thanks all of you

 

I prefer the look of the fabia, but my friend just said and perhaps he sums it up well

 

Looks good on the outside, basic on the inside and its 2feet too high!

 

Does that sound about right?

[Ad Lav]

Probably fair - inside on the SE is better due to leather and that awesome blue paint outside.

They need lowering to handle and look better!

[Jrjg]

Have a test drive in the SE too, I have bought one recently - I can't offer any sort of comparison to your current car, but from what little experience I have had of different cars I would say the Skoda Fabia is a very well built, solid and reliable little motor. The main factor that influenced my choice was speaking to a number of mechanics who I know well - there response when I said I was looking at Skoda's was surprisingly similar, it was generally along the lines of ... "Is it a 1.9 tdi? If so, buy it" I can't argue with several well experienced mechanics resoundingly giving me the same opinion and advice!


JRJG

[mattbvRS]

As others have said, a test drive is the way to go. Ideally get it for a few hours if you can to get a proper feel of the car. You may find you hate the vRS compared to, I personally find the handling to be a bit sloppy but the engine is good and pulls smoothly through the revs with no obvious power dips/drop offs.

 

I’ve not driven the new ish shape Civic but I’ve been a passenger in my friends often enough. The quality ride does admittedly feel better than the vRS out of the box but you can also feel the extra weight it has to lug round so acceleration wise even though the Fabia has slightly less power on paper it feels a bit more zippy when going some.

 

Then you have the running cost side of things, MPG wise I can’t see there being a huge difference in it. But tax, insurance and consumables like tyres should work out a fair bit cheaper for the Fabia. Plus service parts are generally cheap and plentiful.

 

[joe_vrs_tdi]

What difference does a SE make? Once you are sat there driving it there is no difference, the seats are the same just leather so no comfort benefit either.

Also not all 1.9tdi engines are the same so I wouldn't listen to a mechanic who just says if it's a 1.9tdi buy it.

[-mike-]

Have a test drive in the SE too, I have bought one recently - I can't offer any sort of comparison to your current car, but from what little experience I have had of different cars I would say the Skoda Fabia is a very well built, solid and reliable little motor. The main factor that influenced my choice was speaking to a number of mechanics who I know well - there response when I said I was looking at Skoda's was surprisingly similar, it was generally along the lines of ... "Is it a 1.9 tdi? If so, buy it" I can't argue with several well experienced mechanics resoundingly giving me the same opinion and advice!

JRJG

 

 

To be fair to the 1.9 TDi lump, in old school form (ie minus dpf etc) its a fantastic engine. My bora gave me 30000 trouble free miles before I elected to chop it in for something newer.

 

As others have said, a test drive is the way to go. Ideally get it for a few hours if you can to get a proper feel of the car. You may find you hate the vRS compared to, I personally find the handling to be a bit sloppy but the engine is good and pulls smoothly through the revs with no obvious power dips/drop offs.

 

I’ve not driven the new ish shape Civic but I’ve been a passenger in my friends often enough. The quality ride does admittedly feel better than the vRS out of the box but you can also feel the extra weight it has to lug round so acceleration wise even though the Fabia has slightly less power on paper it feels a bit more zippy when going some.

 

Then you have the running cost side of things, MPG wise I can’t see there being a huge difference in it. But tax, insurance and consumables like tyres should work out a fair bit cheaper for the Fabia. Plus service parts are generally cheap and plentiful.

 

 

 

Actually the road tax on the Civic is £15 cheaper a year, which is neither here nor there, insurance I bet is about the same too. Tyres - I don't know what size the fabia is, but my civic on its stock 205/55/16 aren't particularly expensive. I would like to change for some 17's though if I kept it to get a little more rubber on the road!

 

 

What difference does a SE make? Once you are sat there driving it there is no difference, the seats are the same just leather so no comfort benefit either.

Also not all 1.9tdi engines are the same so I wouldn't listen to a mechanic who just says if it's a 1.9tdi buy it.

 

Fair point, but cruise control is always nice for longer motorway journeys!

[joe_vrs_tdi]

Can get cruise on non SE models or just get it retro fitted if you want it on a fab with out.

[-mike-]

Can get cruise on non SE models or just get it retro fitted if you want it on a fab with out.

 

Something that you can't get in non vrs se form is that blue though? I love the blue

[joe_vrs_tdi]

Yer the blue is the nicest colour for them but I was just on about from a drivers point of view there being no difference.

[-mike-]

Yer the blue is the nicest colour for them but I was just on about from a drivers point of view there being no difference.

 

 

Wasn't picking mate I appreciate all your help

 

My choice is basically something with a 1.9 tdi lump (2l is meant to be relatively crap compared to the 1.9 for reliability) or I'll go back to petrol and get an Octavia. I was set on an Octavia 1.8 tsi but read horror stories of them so now am looking at the vrs in petrol form!

[stevobeavo]

I'd stick with the Civic. Much nicer car than the fabia.

 

The Fabia looks, feels and drives like a old car, mainly because it is. If your buying it for something fast then you will be disappointed, its barely nippy compared with todays cars.

 

 

 

Stephen (Fabia vRS owner)

[kennedy]

Bloody brilliant car is the MK1 fabia vrs , get one. A car that feels like it's meant to be driven. Don't give two hoots about the interior. I'm keeping mine for as long as it lasts.

[vindaloo]

Hey all,

 

Thinking of travelling to see a VRS tomorrow, but am keen to hear owners opinions on my possible swap.

 

I currently have a 2.2 I-ctdi civic, which I realise is a much more refined engine than the vag PD lump, but I prefer the power delivery of the pd over the civic and also I believe the PD lump to be more reliable. I'm just concerned about the quality of ride/handling/ interior wear over the civic?

 

I realise the civic isn't premium plastic by any chance and infact for what they cost I believe them to be relatively poor.

 

Can anyone advise?

 

Thanks

 

Handling isn't up to scratch as standard. Improve it by stiffening and/or lowering but that affects ride quality.

Brakes wilt if looked at sportily.

 

Interior is surprisingly good wearing but any amount of dirt it quickly starts to look grubby.

[andypandypoos]

Bloody brilliant car is the MK1 fabia vrs , get one. A car that feels like it's meant to be driven. Don't give two hoots about the interior. I'm keeping mine for as long as it lasts.

 

driven to the shops maybe

 

I think being newer and a size class up, the Civic will be a nicer place to be and a more comfortable drive. the torque delivery on the Fabia is more likely what makes it feel zippy compared to the Civic rather than any extra weight the Civic might be carrying

[Adam_]

I don't think anybody could be disappointed with a fabia vrs.

[lfc958]

All I can add is - What areas would you be disappointed by 

 

Running costs

or

Comparable power / ride.

 

It really does depend on the real reason you are wanting to get rid of the Civic.

 

Having had a remapped Mk1 Vrs, & a FL Octy vRS ( diesel)  I preferred the Fabia ( except for the completely stupid & impractical seat colour )

It suited exactly what i wanted  - Small, quick, I got an average of 52 mpg from a tank of fuel, not overloaded with toys to distract you, decent insurance cost for what it was. & no DPF to choke performace.

[joe_vrs_tdi]

I know one guy on here who is disappointed with a fabia vrs.....awaits his arrival.

[lfc958]

You dont say what he is specifically dissapointed with.

[BossFox]

I know one guy on here who is disappointed with a fabia vrs.....awaits his arrival.

 

I'm not, I keep buying the damn things.

 

They have the X factor for me.

Not the best car out there or particularly modern/quick/refined.  But they are fun and have character because of all that.

[smee]

Can't really compare the two as I've never driven the civic, but I can say that I've done 160000 (yes one hundred and sixty thousand) miles in the last 3 years and I've had to replace one turbo, one oil feed pipe and one brake switch. Other than servicing, it has been remarkably reliable. And it still feels quick.

[Adam_]

I know one guy on here who is disappointed with a fabia vrs.....awaits his arrival.

 

 

You dont say what he is specifically dissapointed with.

 

It's because it doesn't have a Rover badge on it

[Fr0d]

As a previous Celtic Tuned 2.2 i-ctdi owner, I can tell you from experience any VAG PD lump sounds, feels and drives like a bag of spanners in comparison. They really are a generation apart. As mentioned, the Honda has a healthy appetite for cluches, though.

 

As for ownership - I can only compare the above Civic to my CR170. The mapped Civic is noticably faster than  a stock Octy vRS - but then again it would be...

[Jrjg]

What difference does a SE make? Once you are sat there driving it there is no difference, the seats are the same just leather so no comfort benefit either.

Also not all 1.9tdi engines are the same so I wouldn't listen to a mechanic who just says if it's a 1.9tdi buy it.

I wasn't making a point about there being a difference in vRS standard and the SE - meant more to be suggesting that he test drives as many of the Fabia's as possible and therefore has more of an experience in the car. As you say, the only difference is the leather, CC and the colour.

 

I'm sure not all 1.9tdi engines are the same, but the vast majority of the mk1 vRS 1.9tdi engines are aren't they? That's what I was referring to about the mechanics comments. If the same engine powered Fabias, Ibizas, Polos, Golf's and Audi's amongst others - I'm not surprised my mechanical friends were recommending buying a car with the same engine in it.

JRJG