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They are dead easy to drive in some ways but you have to put some effort in if you want to get the best out of them, well you do if you have any mechanical sympathy or consider yourself to be a good driver. My first "auto" was a 2008 Passat estate 2.0 Tdi and having plenty of torque it was fine being left in Drive for most of the time and the only time I used Manual was towing my trailer in hilly areas. This was followed by an Audi A6 Avant with CVT. Great car with lovely smooth transmission but I was never happy with the disconnect of engine speed to road speed and due to lack of use (another story) I changed it at one year old for a manual TT. Next auto was the first XC40 which is the point of this post. It had an 8 speed torque converter which was fine on the relatively flat roads around where I live but further afield on hilly winding roads it was a bit slow changing down and was in danger of lugging and usually revving lower than if I'd been driving a manual so I'd often use the paddles or Manual mode. I can better judge the road ahead than the car, well it can't (!), though I believe that some cars like BMW use GPS data to select gears? Current XC40 has a 7 speed DSG/DCT box and is better because of the help of the electric shove from the starter/generater but I use Manual mode quite a lot to limit the engine stopping due to the stop/start, which can't be turned off and sometimes when climbing hills and overtaking. I never use kickdown as I think it is too abrupt. On another note we had a Kodiaq for 4 weeks when away in NZ recently. Fine most of the time but when climbing steep hills it would hang onto gears for far too long. I just had to knock it into Manual and take over the gears. Autos can be good and easy to drive but they aren't clever enough.

Blimey, I thought driving autos was supposed to be easy! I doubt that drivers of most autos (and I won't be sexist) would ever put their car into neutral in traffic but would just stop in Drive and let Autohold do it's thing or just hold it on the footbrake. I use Manual mode for various reasons quite a lot but my wife refuses point blank to use it.

@Ootohere - good point about if at end of queue, I press the footbrake in that situation as following vehicles approach, particularly on a fast road. @DerekU - that's similar to the XC40 mild-hybrid system. It does have benefits as the battery helps on pulling away and acceleration which is very noticeable over my previous one which wasn't slow with getting on for 200 bhp. As a package the MH is very good, as well as the performance the economy is very good for a quite big SUV. It will do 40 mpg easily and on a run approaches 50 mpg, it's a 2.0 turbo petrol. The additional cost of MH in a bigger, more expensive car isn't such an issue as in a small car. What concerns me is the complexity and reliability as there are even problems with new cars. No way am I keeping one without a warranty, but the only way to have a full manufacturers warranty is to keep buying new and most folks can't afford to do that. As I've said before, government legislation and hence manufacturers ever more stringent regulation thinking is only around the initial buyer with no thought for subsequent owners without the financial means to repair such complicated cars with the result that they are scrapped prematurely which makes no sense in the bigger picture. It will be a real shame if the likes of Fabia and Polo do disappear as they are forcing folks into bigger cars. They are not exactly small cars anyway now as they have grown to the size of earlier Golfs. I'm approaching the end of my car buying now at 70 but it will be a real quandary if and when I do come to change. Not ready for electric and the types of ICE will probably reduce and be even more complicated.

I assume that it is so that a vehicle behind is aware that your car has the brakes on whether footbrake or Autohold and therefore not to anticipate you moving off as could be the case if you applied the handbrake. Over time I guess that manual handbrakes will disappear. Once when I had the Yeti (manual) I was stopped at lights and the lorry driver behind tooted at me. I realised my high level brake light was blinding him so applied the handbrake instead. You won't have that option as more and more cars are fitted with Autohold.

Interesting thread, particularly as I do sometimes use both feet and heel and toe in the XC40 which is a DSG or DCT as Volvo call it. Reason being that I sometimes want to restart the engine when stop/start has activated at traffic lights etc. (it can no longer be turned off) or restart the engine when coasting to provide engine braking. I can understand it is not good to do this with a DSG when the engine is already running as there will be conflict between the brake and clutches. I understand that some VWG cars have a coasting function, does the engine stop with these or tickover? The Volvo is a mild-hybrid which I guess will be introduced to VWG cars at some stage? It does make for very complicated drivetrains though which I'm not a great fan of and one reason for going for a Fabia now before they adopt it.

Yeah, got that, it's part of the Convenience Package, we find it really useful in the Volvo, though that has the 360 degree cameras as well. I've had experience of DSGs already (including my XC40 with Volvo's equivalent) and my wife test drove a Fabia and the DSG performed well so I'm expecting good things on that front. Makes me smile when I keep reading Simply Clever. My Passats from the 2000s had the receptacle for an umbrella in the end of the door so that's nothing new and the other things are hardly rocket science!

Yes, as I found out, but rear disc brakes only show when you complete a build with the 1.5 engine not when you're looking at the Standard Equipment when you are browsing the specification - Explore the Models/ View Standard Equipment.

Specification decided on in the end was: Skoda Fabia SE L 1.5 TSI DSG Race Blue Metallic Safety Package Light & View Plus Package Convenience Package Winter Premium Package Simply Clever Plus Package Spare Wheel Tow bar preparation 5 year extended warranty Service Plan - 2 Years Delivery expected in September.

Just checked and I can see it on my tablet but I probably ignored the Standard Equipment once built as I didn't expect it to change! It could be argued it's standard equipment for the 1.5 TSI but in that case it should be shown as I stated above before you start a build. Certainly easier on the PC for things like this.

Got there in the end! I don't think I was seeing My Equipment when completing the build on my tablet, will check shortly. All I was seeing was the standard equipment right at the start before building my own and that changes once you have built it with the 1.5 TSI - so that's not really standard equipment is it! What a poor web-site, why didn't they mention in the standard equipment before you configure your own that if you choose the 1.5 TSI the rear brakes become disc, such basic stuff to get right - they could have put it in brackets after Rear Drums. Anyway, got the answer. Thanks for your replies guys.

Something weird here. I've checked again and it's still saying disc brakes front and drum brakes rear! Wonder if it's because I'm viewing on my tablet rather than a PC? Will try that when I get home. Sounds from what you are saying it's rear discs though which is good.

Tintowellfan - followed the link but couldn't see the text you posted. I'd checked the spec for the other cars with the 1.5 and couldn't see rear disc brakes anywhere. Wouldn't make sense just to have them on the Monte Carlo?

Derek - thanks for that. I had that option on my first one but not the current one as Volvo have gone backwards with driver choices. As Ootahere says there is a way to disable it but it's not as easy as not applying a traditional handbrake and the car would need leaving in Neutral and chocking. You can stop the engine in Park without the Parking Brake but as soon as you take your seatbelt off and open the door or even leave it for a few minutes the Parking Brake automatically applies. Volvos manuals get increasing vague on some things as well. I couldn't even find what the various lever positions are when looking for Neutral description. My TT is 10 years old now but will keep it for a few years to enjoy the relative simplicity! The Volvo is lovely but the tech is getting so frustrating nowadays especially some of the questionable safety features.

Volvo have changed the steel used in their discs and they rust more readily now and sometimes I have to move the car forwards and backwards to get them to release and when they do it's with a loud crack which doesn't sit well with my mechanical sympathy. This can be just after one damp night. I was away for 4 weeks earlier in the year (when it raining!) and was worried about what I would find when I got back, especially as I read on a Polestar forum, which use the same brakes, that some owners had experienced pieces of brake pad being ripped off! Fortunately they released without much drama much to my relief! As said, the trouble with a lot of modern cars is that the brakes often aren't worked that hard, mine being a mild-hybrid, to dry them off or remove surface rust. Also you can't leave the " handbrake" off as it is automatically applied when you stop the engine. As regards the Fabia I did find a document online from Skoda that did state that brakes for all engines are disc front and drum rear but I'm not sure if that is for the UK? I've also asked the salesman to check with the service manager what is fitted to the latest ones. Ultimately it won't really matter but I would prefer discs but it's looking like Hobsons choice.

Nice find and as you say too good to pass on. Weren't the Yetis the same with the digital readout? Seem to remember some guys using the Australian diagnostic setting to get round it. Which was strange as my Yeti and my TT were/are both 2014 and the TT showed in mph fine. Coming back to me, I think it was because the Yeti only showed mph on the speedo.

I did an oil flush on an old car many years ago but have never had one done on a modern car. As long as the oil is replaced at the recommended intervals there is absolutely no need. When the TT was in for a service once I was offered one of those engine cleans. Given that it was low mileage, it was always serviced by them and ran fine I said I hope you are joking! They really try it on sometimes.

Thanks Derek, that certainly was of interest. Dacia's view on safety rating was enlightening and a commonsense approach I agree with though of course their hand will be forced in the future and they will have to toe the line. Had to smile when they said that most manufacturers see safety as standard as even Volvo who built their reputation on safety have different safety features dependant on trim level e.g. BLIS (blind spot monitoring) and ACC (automatic cruise control). And sustainability! That's one of my common comments. Cars are so complicated nowadays with increasing numbers of issues (many software based) that I can't see them lasting anywhere near as long as older cars as subsequent owners won't be able to afford to have them repaired and software updates and fixes may not be available (very probable) leading to cars being scrapped prematurely. Trouble is that usually governments and hence manufacturers only think about the first customer and not when a car is a few years old. I can even see a problem with sufficient second-hand cars being available because of this and who'd want to buy a 10 year old car from this era anyway, far too risky. One of the reasons for buying a new Fabia before they get more complicated with going mild-hybrid though I accept it does have complicated software that can have it's issues.

Ootahere - I agree with everything you say about the performance of the brakes, especially as the manufacturer has to ensure that they are upto the job and it's the front brakes that are doing most of the work. I'm old enough to have had cars with drum brakes all round and just find it a bit strange that some cars still have them on the rear. The difference in cost as said isn't great (even less for the manufacturer) and the increased cost wouldn't be noticed by the customer. And why would the manufacturer want another variable on the production line? I just don't understand their fitment really and something else for techs to deal with! Drum brakes can work really well but they need setting up properly. I passed my test in my mother's Moggy 1000 Countryman and was worried about the emergency stop as the brakes weren't brilliant!

Thanks guys, I've come back to your replies after spending quite sometime on the configurater and downloading the brochure and still not finding the answer. The configurater says disc brakes on the front and drums on the rear but nowhere does it say that the 1.5 has rear disc brakes. But given that in the previous brochure it does state that the 1.5 has rear discs I think it safe to assume that is still the case given the performance of the car with that engine. I can't even remember the last car we had that had rear drum brakes! Though our son's Mazda 2 does.

I've been through the configurater a number of times when deciding on the spec but didn't see any option to upgrade to rear discs so hoping that with the extra performance of the 1.5 that they are fitted as standard.

As per the title. I'm seen mention of rear drum brakes on some derivatives but no mention of what is actually on the 1.5.

I've got the visual flashing speed limit symbol on this and my previous XC40 and I'm fine with that as it is useful. I think I only get an audible warning if I set the speed limiter, but I don't know for sure as I don't use it. Bazz, yes we do go off at a tangent, though personally I think as long as it provides useful info. I don't have a problem with it. Some folks do though and get arsy about it, they do tend to be short threads after that though! Keep us updated. You are right about extras with VWG cars. What starts off as a reasonably priced car can soon get expensive. I priced up a Karoq when I was changing the Yeti, didn't go too mad but it wasn't far off the Volvo when I'd finished! At least with VWG you do get a good choice. With Volvo you get various models and very few extras are available which can be annoying. Luckily I got near enough what I wanted this time and for a pretty good price even with Volvos change to the agency model otherwise I would have been looking elsewhere again. Chris

It can be but most manufacturers are going down the limited warning route rather than actively slowing the car down........but one day??!!! Anyway, as the UK has opted out you should be able to turn it off.

The speed limiter is in my Volvo, but I'm assuming is similar in other makes. Speed limit signs etc. are picked up from a front facing camera and are displayed in the drivers display and as I understand it are used by the speed limiter, hence my concerns. I have read that data is also drawn from that used by the sat nav but as my car sometimes doesn't display a speed limit due to a lack of signs I'm not convinced about that. You are right that speed limiter legislation is being introduced but the UK has opted out. Good decision as being bleeped at every time you stray above the limit will be annoying especially when it is picking up the wrong speed limit. Signage in this country isn't good enough for systems like this. And don't get me started on the flawed Collision Avoidance systems which activate for no good reason! Cruise control is as you say is a different animal but doesn't use the speed limit signs to govern speed, that works on the speed you have set. As far as gear suggestions are concerned, I agree with what others say and ignore them. They are based on economy and suggest changing up at ridiculously low speeds sometimes at which the engine would be lugging/labouring. And yes I think the 1.0 TSI is better mated to the DSG box. My wife test drove one this morning and I was impressed with its performance.

Certainly is! Personally I steer well clear of panoramic sunroofs and was one reason I left VWG cars as they forced one on you if you wanted a particular engine/spec. Too many stories of water ingress etc. Don't know if that's a problem with the one fitted to the Fabia though?