nickcoll

The really positive thing about this issue is that you get a brand new steering wheel! Lovely - all matt and leathery again.

I replaced Continental EcoContact 6 which were a really inconsistent tyre with Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2, and I have to say I am very impressed with them. Very good feel and excellent grip.

Sorry to disagree, but you don't need to heel and toe to get more control out of a manual gearbox. There's all sorts of ways in which a manual gearbox is better even without heeling and toeing. For example, when turning into a side road you can precisely time when you lift the clutch to apply drive to the wheels, so you can change gear just before you turn and then accelerate away exactly when you want to. An automatic gearbox does not know that you are turning a sharp corner so there is no ability to control this. In theory you should be able to manually drop down a gear using the paddles but still there is no ability to time when drive is applied. It is just not as smooth. Another example is when accelerating away from stationary (maybe to join a roundabout). With a manual car you select the gear then lift the clutch when you want to go. It is instantaneous. With a DSG it takes its time before going, and the degree of acceleration is very hard to anticipate because you have to push the accelerator hard enough to get it going (no clutch to control this) but if you push just a little bit too hard the gearbox drops a gear and all hell breaks loose! There is just not the subtlety of control you get with a manual gearbox. One big issue is that you never really know exactly which gear the car is in if you are in Drive as there is no indication. Let's say there is a corner that I know is best taken in 3 and I am approaching it in Drive. I press the left hand paddle to drop a gear but the gearbox was in 6. It drops down to 5 which I only know by looking at the display. If I then try to drop to 3 by pressing the LH paddle twice it is a down-shift within the odd gearbox and therefore takes at least a second to happen, which is quite a long time and impossible to anticipate the timing when you are going round a corner. In a manual gearbox I know the car is in 6 and then I can block-shift to 3, applying the drive exactly when I want to by lifting the clutch. I do this all the time when driving but it is so difficult to do well with a DSG. I think a big issue when people compare a DSG (or any automatic gearbox) to a manual is that they compare how long it takes to change gear. In my view this is just not the point. The reality is that with a manual gearbox you are totally and absolutely in control of the point at which drive is applied to the wheels by control of the clutch. With a DSG it is a very moveable feast. Furthermore with a manual gearbox you know exactly which gear the car is in at all times because you put it into that gear, and you have the gearstick to remind you as well. With an automatic gearbox you either do not know which gear it is in, or have to look at the display to know (if it is in Manual or Sport mode). Finally in a similar vein when you are accelerating you never know exactly when the gearbox will change gear just because you have pressed the accelerator that little bit harder. Some of the time this does not matter, but when you want to drive with finesse it makes it very hard to do so. I could go on and on about the shortcomings for me of an automatic gearbox, but suffice it to say that I just do not find it possible to control the car as well with one when compared to a manual gearbox. The only time it is somewhat better is in traffic when you can just sit there and only have to press the accelerator. But for me that is not enough of an advantage to overcome the shortcomings.

Probably not if they are not "enthusiastic" drivers. It does make a big difference though to the car's behaviour as you go faster round corners, particularly on bumpy surfaces.

Can you give us a clue where it can be obtained from?

You will be able to disable the lane assist if you purchase an OBD Eleven (https://obdeleven.com/en/). At least I have certainly been able to do so on my 2021 Golf Alltrack so I would expect that the same would apply to an Octavia.

Compared to other factors the sidewall height has a relatively small impact on handling. Given the trade-off between sidewall height and ride comfort, if ride comfort is at all important most reviewers conclude that a smaller wheel size, with deeper sidewalls, generally strikes a better balance than shallow sidewalls on a larger wheel. Some people might feel that larger wheels "look better" but there will be a trade-off and it might end up that the ride comfort is spoiled too much for day-to-day use. Regarding changing the torsion beam for multi-link - yes, this would improve the handling a lot (much more IMHV than changing the sidewall height), but it would be enormously expensive even if buying all the bits from a scrapyard. Furthermore it almost certainly is not possible because I believe that the floorpan of a torsion beam car does not have the correct (and different) fixing points for the multi-link suspension.

I now have a Golf Alltrack (replacing a 4x4 Octavia which I loved) which is a 4x4 DSG with the 200PS engine. Basically the same vehicle but with a higher ride height. The engine gives great beefy performance but the car still manages 55mpg easily on a run (or sometimes just under 30mpg if I really hoof it on twisty roads!). I don't really like the DSG but then I have always preferred a manual gearbox. The problems with a DSG in my experience (if you enjoy driving and like to be in control of what the car is doing) are that 1. You never know exactly what it is going to do - it will change gear whenever it feels like it. If you press just a little bit too hard on the throttle it drops down the gears and the engine revs increase vastly, so setting off from a standstill is often a case of creeping slowly away or racing off like a rocket, with the difference between the two a mere few mm of accelerator pedal travel. 2. It is very variable how long it will take for drive to engage, so sometimes you come to a halt at a roundabout and then press the accelerator and nothing happens for a second, and when coupled with (1) above it is really difficult to control what will happen and when. Turning out onto a main road (even in the wet) which used to be really predictable and satisfying with my Octavia 4x4 manual is much less predictable now. The uneven throttle response means that you either crawl away from the junction or rocket away with the tyres scrabbling for grip. 3. It can be a bit jerky at low speeds. Altogether I would always prefer a manual gearbox. The only time a DSG is better is in heavy traffic where you are continually starting and stopping. But personally I would much rather have the hassle of using a manual gearbox in this situation than make the sacrifice in drivability that you get with a DSG the rest of the time. Unfortunately it is not possible to get that lovely creamy 200PS engine with a manual gearbox so I am having to accept that I am stuck with it. I would be very interested to try an Octavia VRS with the same drivetrain as the Alltrack, although there are things I don't really like about the external looks of the VRS, and I find the interior very dark and unwelcoming with its black headlining. And I really prefer the upholstery of the Alltrack which is more subtle than the VRS with its flashy logo on the seat back. The Alltrack grips pretty well if you push it, but it is a bit floaty until you load up the suspension in corners. The faster you go the better it feels but this is not really practical on public roads most of the time! The DCC helps somewhat when in Sport mode (or higher on the scale) but the ride comfort deteriorates and it becomes very pattery. I don't think the suspension is that well tuned and I think that the springs are probably too soft during the first part of their travel, and this is coupled with damper settings that are over-firm in bounce but underdamped in rebound (again when in Sport mode). The VRS springs and suspension generally would probably be much better in this respect. I would try a test-drive but you can never drive the car enthusiastically enough to feel the difference until you own it, by which time it is too late! One final comment on something which is incredibly annoying, although it seems unavoidable - the Lane Assist is an absolutely terrible feature. It affects the steering at exactly the times you don't want it to. We have lots of narrow twisty country lanes around here and if I don't remember to switch it off the instant I set off I can guarantee that it will be nudging the steering when I am going down a narrow two lane road and there is a car coming the other way. It is absolutely horrible to feel it kicking in and trying to steer the car when you are trying to control it so that you don't crash into something. It is somewhere between distracting and downright dangerous. You really should be able to disable it permanently if you choose. It MAY be of value on a motorway or suchlike road (I have never seen the value of it personally), but it is an extreme annoyance on narrow roads.

Answering my own question, here is a list of some of the ARBs fitted to AWD MQB cars: 5Q0 511 305 BC - 19.6x2.6 5Q0 511 305 BD - 20.7x2.8 5Q0 511 305 BE - 21.7x3.0 5Q0 511 305 BF - 21.7x3.6 I believe that the standard Golf R bar is the third one in the list, also presumably fitted to the VRS 4x4. The first one is what is fitted to the Scout or equivalent and I think that the second is fitted to SE 4x4 models. I would be very grateful if anyone with more knowledge could confirm or correct this information.

The rear ARB (anti-roll bar) has a part number that begins 5q0511305b, with another letter after the b, from a through to at least o. I believe that this letter determines the stiffness of the bar and its application. Does anyone have access to a list of the variants and their application, and even better would be their specification (overall thickness, wall thickness etc)? I would like to purchase a stiffer one than the standard but still a stock VW bar rather than an aftermarket bar.

I find this very frustrating, not knowing what gear the car is using in D mode so that if you manually drop a gear you don’t know what gear you will get. There should at least be a way to change the display to show the gear.

No mention of Sportline trim in the May brochure, and you can't configure it on the configurator either. The press release read as if it was going to be available straight away, but maybe it's not a trim level we will ever have in the UK - just like the Scout? Maybe in the UK they want to keep the 200PS diesel engine solely for the VRS. Shame, as I would not want a VRS but would be tempted by a Sportline 200PS 4x4 estate.

I have just checked and you are right - very reasonable at £180! That is definitely new since I last went through the configurator a couple of months ago. If it and the Sportline trim had been available when I checked I probably would not have ordered the Golf. It will be interesting to see how much the Sportline trim works out at when configured up with everything I have chosen for the Golf (primarily DCC, Progressive Steering and heated front seats). Fascinating that there is also an option for "All-season tyres" which never existed before. Maybe these are to make up for the lack of the Scout trim, but they have not been publicised at all so anyone who needs them will only know they exist if they go through the configurator (or a dealer tells them, which mine certainly hasn't!).

I have reluctantly had to to purchase a new VW Golf Alltrack instead of a new Octavia. I drive on rough tracks a fair bit, and both our Octavia Scout Mk3 and SE 4x4 had underbody protection, ("Rough Road pack" for the SE), and raised ground clearance, but this option doesn't seem to exist for the Mk4, and of course there is apparently not going to be a Scout model in the UK even though it is available elsewhere in Europe. I am a bit sad to not be getting another Skoda, but the Golf Alltrack looks like a nice bit of kit, and with the Mk 8 the Golf estate is almost the same size as the Octavia (just 50mm shorter), so that feature of the Octavia is no longer such a big deal as it was with the Mk 7 Golf estate. Things I will not get with the Golf: Colours are not as interesting as for the Octavia No USB port by rear view mirror Doesn't look quite as good as the new Octavia Scout (IMV). Slightly smaller internal space (although not all the dimensions are available to be sure about this). After I placed my order for the Golf, Skoda announced the Sportline, which addressed one of my other issues which was the lack of a 200PS 4x4 option in a non-VRS model, although the Sportline still hasn't appeared in any way on the Skoda UK website, not even in the April pricelist. I got an extremely good deal on the Golf, with a discount that was very much better than I could find on an Octavia, and also the lead-time at about twelve weeks was much better as well. So hopefully I will be driving my new Golf in about eight weeks from today. The other thing that I will miss is that I haven't found an online community which is the equal of BriSkoda, but maybe I just haven't found it yet? The VW forums I have found so far (of which there are quite a few) are more fragmented and none are as active and comprehensive as BriSkoda!

You are of course entirely correct - sorry about that stupid error. Sounds like there may be a tax or other explanation for the difference in the quoted output after all. Probably the same engine in practice, just quoted as a lower output!

116bhp = 110PS Since it has less than 150PS it will definitely have the torsion beam rear axle rather than IRS. Here's a quote from MC Bodge on another thread: "It isn't terrible. It's quite "safe". It just behaves a little oddly as the back rolls. It doesn't hold a consistent line through a sweeping bend in the way that my Fords did/do." I believe that the odd behaviour comes when you get to the point at which the inner wheel lifts, or nearly lifts, off the ground. This happens because the two wheels are linked together by the beam. The only solution to this is not to drive that close to the limit in a car with the torsion beam, or restrain the sportiness of your driving! As MC Bodge says, it's safe as the car doesn't snap into oversteer. This is probably because the car's not going fast enough to create enough sideways force and the suspension will be tuned so that if you go much faster the car will just understeer, balancing up the reduction in grip at the back and giving a clear sign you are driving beyond the car's limits. It feels a bit odd of course when it happens but is not unsafe, just unsporting.

Personally I think the biggest reason for the poor handling is that your model, with an engine which is less than 150PS output, will have the beam rear axle rather than IRS. Having driven cars suspended with both rear suspensions (mk 3s, though) it is certainly the case that the non-IRS suspended cars do not handle in a sporty fashion, although they are safe! The IRS makes a very big difference to how the cars feels when cornering. It is fairly obvious that the rear suspension will have to be softer when there is a beam rear axle keeping the two wheels connected, otherwise the inner tyre will lift off the ground at too low a speed when you go round a corner, reducing the grip at the back. I imagine that Skoda's thinking is that in a lower powered car people won't be driving in such a sporty fashion, so a less capable and less sporty rear suspension is not important. I am not personally convinced that it would be a good idea to stiffen the rear springs on a car without IRS - it will make the car more prone to oversteer on the limit. At present there is a sort of self-limiting effect with the suspension as it will feel unpleasant to approach the sort of speed around a corner where you are getting close to the limit of grip, but if you alter the balance of the car you will lose the "benefit" of that effect. Not to mention that your insurance company might be very unhappy if you were to crash after having changed the springs... Much better to trade the car in and get one with a more powerful engine and IRS. They handle very well in my experience.

That's encouraging - is it as heavy as you would like? It may be possible to beef it up a bit more using VCDS - has anyone tried this, I wonder?

That's a shame - in my Mark 3 model the steering is appreciably weightier in Sport mode, which makes it much easier to corner smoothly. Can you adjust the steering separately when in Individual mode - if the steering can be adjusted but this doesn't make any difference you have to wonder why they provide the ability to change its setting?

Firstly, yours if the first answer which really helps. I know you took slight exception at my confusion of EDL and XDS, but this is in the absence of any clear information previously about the difference. You appear to know the answer which is great, but that is what I have been seeking and not finding anywhere. You can't know stuff until you do! It is encouraging that you believe that XDS is fitted to the entire range, but I feel like we are back at the beginning of my question, albeit with a better understanding of what I am asking - that is, does the 4x4 have XDS fitted? I have never seen it said that anywhere it was standard on all Mk 3 models. I do understand that you think I am being unreasonable in expecting to know this for certain, so probably there is no point trying to know the answer other than to accept people's assertions that it is likely that it is fitted. And indeed why should one bother trying to find anything out for certain? A fool's errand obviously!

Thanks for your helpful comments.

That is very interesting and the text from the Polish spec is encouraging. The mention of XDS+ suggests that an upgraded version this is now standard on all Octavias rather than just a fitment on the 4x4s when my current vehicle was new. Why can't Skoda UK be as informative now as they were then? The video however, I think, shows the Haldex in operation rather than the EDL, but maybe it shows the interaction between the two.

Well - I can't clarify or verify anything because I just don't know. That's exactly why I have been asking. All I can say is that my 2013 4x4 TDi estate was explicitly fitted with a 'differential lock' referred to as XDS. This was not fitted to non-4x4 models. The brochure at the time makes that clear (see screenshot attached). The non-4x4s at the time were fitted with: ESC incl ABS, EBV, MSR, ASR, EDS, HBA, DSR, ESBS, TSA, MKB & Prefill according to the brochure. Roll on to the present and I have been trying to find out whether the modern equivalent of XDS is fitted to the new 4x4s. I believe that this is called EDL or EDL+, but there is an absolute absence of information about what these amount to. As Skodev says above Clearly locking diffs can take multiple forms and I am now thinking that the salesman's answer from Skoda UK is basically saying that the mechanical LSD is only fitted to the 245PS petrol variants, which is fair enough as they need it being FWD-only. However I can't get any answer at all about whether the equivalent of XDS is fitted to a new 4x4 TDi model. For my model this was a specific additional fitment for the 4x4s and it may be the case that it is now an automatic fitment to all Octavias which don't have the VAQ - but in the absence of any real information this is simply speculation. I am maybe expecting too much but would prefer to know for certain before splurging £30k+ on a new car! 2014 4x4 Diff lock.pdf

After having no response at all from Skoda UK I asked the salesman at a local dealership whether it was fitted to the 4x4s and he has just come back with an answer that it is NOT fitted. Apparently it is only fitted to the 245PS petrol engined models. I am really gutted and not keen to "upgrade" to a car which will have less good handling. I enjoy driving my Mk3 4x4, and a large part of that enjoyment is the great handling which is definitely partly due to the XDS killing the understeer. I am not going to pay north of £30k for a new car which is less good. If anyone knows definitively whether this is a simple switch using VCDS then please let me know!

Each paving slab could weigh about 70-80kg. That is more than the weight of an average adult person. So just think what the car would be like with seven people in it as well as you - I wouldn't want to do it!