Jim2015

The Octy had its software update today, which for some reason Skoda calls a campaign. The main issue was the inability to store favourites and this has been fixed. I had none of the issues other forum members have reported and am now even more pleased with the Octy than I was beforehand, as the tiny glitches did not spoil my enjoyment of the car. In fact I have rediscovered my enjoyment of motoring after the rather bland Karoq. If this is of any interest, the software reference is 1788 and the navigation database is 21.3. I'm sorry to hear that other owners have rejected their iV's as now Skoda seem to have rectified all the problems. In my case, although there were a few early issues, most were my fault as although the handbook is written in good English, the instructions are not very clear. It's a case of trial and error, so for example I've now been able to load all my favourite DAB radio stations. It's kind of intuitive, but I would not recommend the latest generation of Skodas to anyone who is not computer literate! Thanks to the Sales Manager at Derek Slack Motors, I've also discovered Zap Map and Pod Point today, which identify free charge points. 70% of Pod Point chargers are free and are located at supermarkets, visitor attractions and so on. Ideal for a day out as the iV has a 13.5 KWhr battery and an onboard 3.5KW charger. A few hours enjoying oneself and a free journey home! I saw an Enyaq too, but that's better for another thread - just to say I prefer the PHEV concept for now, but it's a lovely car.

Rather than repeat myself, I'll update the thread 'The good, the (not so) bad and definitely not ugly Octavia iV Estate'. So sorry to read about your problems Janmand and hope that you find a better vehicle.

Our software update is being done tomorrow, so I'll report back once I've tested it. The only issue I have is not being able to save favourites in the satnav and I'll see whether there are any sub-menus I've not yet been able to access. I'll also post the reference number of the fix.

The onboard computer predicted 410 miles on petrol alone, which equates to about 46mpg. The iV is perfect for people with our type of driving style - mainly short with some longer journeys. The only benefit for people using an iV for regular motorway journeys would be as a company car driver as the bik is much lower than for a conventional Octavia. Here's an excerpt from an article in What Car. With a 2021/2022 BIK rate of just 7% for the Octavia iV, the contributions for a 20% taxpayer are just £463 per year or just under £39 a month. Even with the petrol Octavia’s lower P11D purchase price, its higher BIK rate of 28% means £1408 per year or £117 a month for a 20% taxpayer. By picking the plug-in hybrid, you save £78 a month or £2808 over three years. I heard from a friend that a number of govenment-owned Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs were returned and most of the charging cables were still in their wrappings.

Although I accept the various point of view in this thread, I happily allow my dealer to have their details in tiny print on my numberplates as they are so excellent in every way. I've had five Skodas from Derek Slack Motors of Middlesbrough in ten years and the service from the repair and sales teams has been exemplary. As for having manufacturers' logos on the car, everyone should have a Skoda anyway, so every little helps. Unfortunately, the current Eurobland styling of most recent models means that it's only the badge that identifies them, except for the Yeti and the Octavia.

I filled the tank today and have covered 650 miles of mixed motoring in five weeks and have achieved 96mpg , three times better than our Karoq on the same driving pattern. What a car! Love it.

This review in What Car certainly confirms our opinion of the Octavia iV estate. This weekend I'll certainly achieve my target of 800 miles on one tank of fuel. It's an ideal car for people whose journeys are mainly less than 30-ish miles on e-power and longer trips on hybrid power. The car is an absolute delight! https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-plug-in-hybrid-cars-2021/n22743?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter_12/06/2021&utm_term=StoryButtonOne&utm_id=83456&sfmc_id=0034K00000B68fiQAB

Hi Redboy. I'm pleased to read about your repair at no cost to you, other than fuel. Does anyone else think that if a car is being repaired under warranty, thet the loan car should be at least the same or better model than your own?

Good luck Greezy as I fully agree with your attitude. My request for a goodwill contribution from Skoda UK was refused and I was told to approach the dealer. I'm reluctant to be more forceful as the car is so good and I don't want to reject it, as long as the software update fixes the minor glitches. In previous disputes, I've headed my e-mail 'without prejudice' which hints at legal action and I also find a mention of Which? legal services helps. Please keep me updated.

Even more good news. Owing to our driving patterns - several short journeys per week on e-power and one longer one on hybid power - I am likely to get about 800 miles on one tank of petrol. That is impressive for a 1.6tonne car with a relatively small 40 litre fuel tank. Another benefit of having a PHEV.

I've heard from Skoda UK today. They have confirmed that the car is booked in for its software update on June 17th and asked whether the case could be closed. I said that I was unhappy that I was making a 60-mile journey that I wouldn't have done otherwise and could they make a goodwill gesture. I was told to take it up with the dealer. I'll ask the dealer to charge the battery as I'm getting around 36 miles on a full charge, which will get me home. I'm annoyed that a new car with a problem has to be driven to the dealer at the owner's expense, but I suspect that a voucher would set a precedent for all warranty claims.

Hello David. Before you are put off buying a Mk 4 Octavia, see my thread entitled 'The good, the (not so) bad and definitely not ugly Octavia iV Estate'. Ours was bought on May 11th and there are just a few minor glitches. Skoda has issued a software update, which will be installed into ours on June 17th. I'll report on the same thread on what, if any, changes have occurred. All I will say here, so as not to repeat myself, is that it's the best car I've ever driven and because of our driving style (around town a lot, out on longer journeys weekly) I'm certain that we'll get over 700 miles on one tank of fuel, 40 litres.

I have no objection to the dealer's details on the numberplate because they can only be read close-up. I always used to remove the rear window stickers, until one time I asked the dealer to stop doing it. None of our recent cars have the stickers. Reminds me of years ago when Wolesley cars had a backlit logo above the radiator. My dad's business partner used to remove the bulb, saying he refused to give free advertising!

I would only precondition the car when it was plugged in during wintertime when going shopping on e-power. However, I have noticed that the aircon is on as soon as I unlock the car, so you are correct in assuming it would drain some power from the battery if it wasn't plugged in if I precondition the car.

Something went wrong so perhaps the moderators could delete the thread with a similar title. On the car fora I've belonged to, members tend to post all the nightmares they have had with their vehicles, whereas the majority who are satisfied keep quiet. So I'm starting a thread to report on my experiences with our Octavia iV Estate. I hope this gives some reassurance to those who have perhaps been put off by negative comments. The Good Despite the tyres being fairly low profile (225/45 R18) Skoda has matched the suspension to them and the ride is limousine-like on N Yorkshire's bumpy roads and much better than either the Yeti or the Karoq. With having a wheel at each corner, the handling is excellent. The transition between e-power and engine is unnoticeable and the 6-speed auto (hopefully the robust wet-clutch version) is also smooth.There are a large number of menu options, with switches for key functions and I've found my way around the many options, which didn’t take long. Before starting, I select the most useful display (currently power flow). The speedometer is very clear: as the virtual needle sweeps clockwise tiny lit dots appear as well as the numeric speed in 20mph intervals plus a numeric digital display in the bottom of the display. A clever feature is that both the numerical and pseudo-analogue displays show kph when the units are changed. Voice control is very simple, accepting plain speech commands, so it will plan a journey using town, street and house number, as well as adjusting the aircon on either side and many other choices too. The regenerative braking is excellent: it has two levels of regeneration plus automatic but I have maximum regen, so that going downhill I hardly need to use the footbrake and light touches on the accelerator keep speeds within the appropriate limits in town. On a steep section of around 3 miles, the regen added 1/2 kWhr to the battery. At junctions the brakes are hardly needed. The lane control works well - if I move over the central white line, the steering vibrates and gently puts me back in the centre of the lane. The smart cruise control is effective, although probably more useful on dual carriageways or motorways. I’ve done a couple of trips using battery only: for example 16 miles on battery alone with an average of 21mph at a cost of £1.30. Currently, I am likely to achieve 700 miles on one tank of fuel. The MySkoda app enables me to pre-set the aircon, which will be useful for short trips in winter and once I have a Smart meter I'll be able to charge the car using Octopus Go between 00:30 and 00:40 for 5p/kWhr (ie 65p for 30 miles). I can also pre-set the charging time using the app as well as monitoring the charge state. There is a built-in SIM card, so the car links to an Android 'phone via Bluetooth. I've also set the clock to Internet time so it should always be accurate. The boot is bigger than previous cars we've owned and our greyhound is able to get in and out easily, with lots of room to get comfy. There are two large storage spaces on either side of the boot, as well as space behind the rear seats and the rear of the boot protector. The Skoda dog guard still allows the roller-blind boot cover to be used to hide boot contents. I’m running-in the car for the first 1000 miles, but with a combined horsepower of 202 the acceleration is awesome and even in e-mode, with the torque available from an electric motor, from zero mph upwards it rockets away, ideal around town. I also find that the car will creep very slowly, so on wet grass or snow I'm hoping that I'll be able to get moving. My only slight concern is that the car has complex menus and sub-menus to navigate through, so older less techy folk (like me) might have difficulty getting to know the options immediately after a quick run-through at the dealers. It is very easy to find the basics and drive the car away, but it does need time to get the maximum benefits from all the built-in features. The (not so) bad There are a few software glitches, which are annoying rather than concerning. Until I set the clock to Internet time, it reset itself a couple of times; the short, medium and long-term mph/e-usage values reset themselves once; the TPM warning came on for no apparent reason (the tyres were well-warmed up) but this used to happen occasionally with the Karoq. There is no jack or spare wheel, but with such a heavy car a scissor jack would be dangerous anyway, so if the gunge doesn't work, I'll press the panic button to summon Skoda Assist. In any case, Skoda UK has recently received a software update which will be offered to several thousand owners, so I'm hoping that this will fix the minor issues, when the car is at the dealers on June 17th. Definitely not ugly The estate is the best looking car that Skoda currently produces. Our Yeti was a very distinctive one-off design and I can still recognise one at one hundred paces. Our Karoq was a fine car, with technology 10 years in advance of the Yeti, but it looked so bland, like all the three K's Skoda currently offer, as well as every other manufacturer's cars on the market. I can only recognise the make when I see the badge. The Skoda is a beautiful design from all angles and we love it. Conclusion It's definitely the best car we've ever owned and it's a credit to Skoda for continuing to update the Octavia to its present state and it's certainly far superior to my first Octavia, bought 18 years ago - and that was an excellent car for the time. If anyone is considering buying a Mark 4 Octavia, then I highly recommend it, but if you have any concerns then wait until I've reported back after the software update. I hope this information helps you.

You are correct - thanks. I've posted this reply in the kph/mph thread. Our Octavia iV estate was bought on May 11th and yesterday I set kph in settings. The digital display now shows kph. I'm not aware of any software updates as when I'm asked on the car's display I refuse, so it was always available. I also set the clock to 'automatic' and via the SIM card, it now displays internet time. This should fix the problem I had with random time changes. The dealer told me yesterday that Skoda UK has received a software update and several thousand cars are eligible for the 'fix' and owners should be contacted by their dealer. Ours is already booked in on June 17th.

Our Octavia iV estate was bought on May 11th and yesterday I found the way to set kph in settings. The digital display now shows kph. I'm not aware of any software updates as when I'm asked on the car's display, I refuse. I also set the clock to 'automatic' and via the SIM card, it now displays internet time. This should fix the problem I had with random time changes. The dealer told me yesterday that Skoda UK has received a software update and several thousand cars are eligible for the 'fix' and owners should be contacted by their dealer. Ours is already booked in on June 17th.

Update: no reply from Skoda yet following my e-mail. I've sent an e-mail to my dealer headed 'without prejudice' listing the faults to date, namely the clock resets randomly to the wrong time, favourites cannot be saved to the satnav, the TPM gives a false warning, the rhd display (normally the speedo) changes the display at random, the vehicle data for short-term, medium term and long-term fuel/e-power usage has reset all data, a short-term failure of resistive braking and the lack of an option to display kph. I've said that I'll wait until Skoda has produced a software update to fix all the problems, but expressed my lack of confidence in the long-term for a car so dependent on the software and touchscreen to control most functions. My option to reject the car ends on June 9th and the update is likely to be beyond that date. If it is fixed, then I'm prepared to keep the iV. So far the faults are comparitively minor and just annoying, but I'm concerned in case the car has a more serious fault. In every other way, it's a brilliant car. Yesterday, for example we drove 83 miles and achieved 90mpg with 36 miles on e-power only as there was some regenerative charging. It's very comfortable and along a bumpy section of road, on which our Karoq and Yeti both produced a harsh ride, it was almost completely smooth. Such a shame after selecting the iV after reviewing all the PHEV's on the market, test-driving two and picking the Skoda as the best of a very impressive selection.

Hi Roottoot. I am that man! Wimmy was my previous forum name, well before we bought our iV, because the registration form would not accept my chosen name. Now we have the iV I'm registered as Jim

Re settings for the aircon. Voice control will adjust most settings including aircon and navigation, as well as understanding plain English. Our iV Estate has 18" rims and is the most smooth and quiet car we've had, especially in e-mode. The suspension is well-matched to the low-profile tyres.

No it wasn't mandatory but I've filled in Skoda questionnaires in the past which were asking for comments on servicing, new car handover and so on, but this one was far more detailed, as I said, so I told Skoda it was none of their business and not to send such intrusive surveys again. It resulted in a £50 voucher, which bought a first aid kit, warning triangle and a his-vis jacket. So it was worth complaining and to their credit they took my complaint seriously.

Exactly my thoughts. I'm not letting them get away with using paying customers to act as guinea pigs in driving what is in effect a black box full of software which has not been properly developed.

I've decided to send an e-mail to Skoda after all, rather than telephone, as it's a bank holiday. I'll keep forum members informed about the response, but I did end by saying that a contribution towards costs in the form of vouchers would be acceptable.

Our iV Estate needs to have a software update at the dealer sometime in June. As this is a journey I wouldn't have done otherwise, I'll be asking Skoda for a contribution to the journey cost. Sometime ago, I received a very detailed questionnaire from some organisation working on behalf of Skoda and the questions were so intrusive (salary, age, health, sex, marital status and so on) I complained vociferously and received £50 in vouchers. So how much should I ask for a 60-mile round trip? Fuel will be around £4 and electricity £2. I could either be reasonable or rant on about the car being ill-prepared for release to customers with software glitches etc. Which approach works best? I've had considerable success in the past with other companies when I send e-mails headed 'Without Prejudice' and mention Which? legal services, but I'm fairly ceertain that Skoda is better approached by telephone, based on previous experiences. Thanks for the advice. Jim

Yes it's for when we travel to Europe.