Woodgnome60

As a footnote - I bought a brand new Mercedes Benz today. C220d Estate AMG Night Premium Line for £32,835.50 in Brilliant Blue Metallic. RRP £44900. It's the end of the model line (reliable?) and so Mercedes is reducing them by £10k in the UK. It came in at about £4k less than the Octavia IV (hybrid). Not a like for like specification, I know, but hope I will be happy with the choice.

I sold my Octavia vRS in 2017 - following DeiselGate. Not just on principle but on the proposed fix which lowered fuel consumption and had complaints against it post fix that there were some "problems". I didn't get the fix and sold the car. After 4 years of BMW ownership - I was looking to come back to Skoda - namely Mk4 Octy iV. Reading this post, tonight, especially the press article on the Software Development (which in some ways is what DieselGate was all about) - I must have been stupid to even consider it! Just for information - the replacement BMW is £43k (GBP) which is now too rich for me! The Mk4 iV was a it pricey but I would have gone for the estate. Not now - decision made. I am currently exploring and have shortlisted the Hyundai Ioniq, Kona and Kia Niro. They're not as good a car on the Octavia - but as the complete package they seem to work and have a lot more standard kit and come in about £8k (GBP) less.

Last time I checked the UK configurator there was underbody protection available on at least one trim of the Mk4 (if I'm not mistaken).

Your appraisal seems pretty typical. Great looking car with buggy electronics. The drive assist is a feature I really want to work well and bothers me the most. You are really selling be the 4x4 because with my previous FWD vRS the problem was always putting the power down in wet or dry from a standing start. I always thought it would really suit a 4x4 system. Your fuel consumption figures are similar to my current BMW X1 2.0d M Sport (44mpg / 54mpg tonight on 14 mile run home from work). My Mk3 vRS 2.0d was about 55mpg on long daily commutes - but I do drive veryy frugally, rarely using brakes with all gearbox deceleration.

You are of course quite right. I've just specified two different brands to the same specification and BMW is 20% higher price. I was debating more about whether that premium was worth it on a car unlikely to have any problems? Although I have negotiated the BMW with a 10% discount to £41k - I haven't tried with the Skoda which is still £38k recommended price. I suppose I could look at other brands - but Hyundai and Kia have a different car heating system - where you cannot drive their PHEVs in pure hybrid mode when it's cold (the heaters force the engine to run) - which I don't want. I've dismissed Ford / Vauxhall - but I guess this forum isn't about alternate brands!!

Actually - similar specified BMW 330e (PHEV) is £47k, Skoda Octavia SE L 1.4Tsi (PHEV) is £38k so there is a £10k difference comparing new with new. I will say one thing - the side profile of the car - the Octavia IMHO is much better proportioned, the 3 Series' bonnet is slightly too long. I'm still thinking on it.

Great responses - thanyou!

DSG kangaroos away when cold? Infotainment bugs/black screens? Traffic assist that constantly chimes warnings and moves the steering wheel? Car emergency stops by itself when driving under bridges? User profiles that don't work? Rolling/soft suspension around corners? LED headlights on Mk4 not as good as Xenons on Mk3. Skoda (VAG) not interested/capable of addressing issues? The owners should be paid as software beta testers (commented on this website/forum). Oh - and VW Group have interests (owns all the publishers?) for the majority of reviews for the main positive UK reviews on the car... All this I have fortunately gained from this forum whilst researching. How did I get to this forum? I have previously owned an Octavia Estate vRS Mk3 from 2010-2017. Loved the car. NEVER when to the garage except for service and tyres. Sold it on principle because of Dieselgate. Didn't trust VAG - but Skoda too? Now a BMW X1 M Sport 2.0d with all the toys. Two recalls - expensive servicing and recently a worn engine mount replaced. Not the same reliability for a car I drive mainly in the same way as the vRS - sedately. Nice car - but 4 years old and time to change. I was set on the SE L iV - spec'd it came in at £38k. The same spec BMW 3 Touring 330 PHEV is £46k. I saw a BMW demonstrator 6 months old with 3000 miles for £38k too. Which would you buy under the circumstances? Constructive answers welcomed - I check most evenings and will respond. Help!

The water gets in in the relative humidity of the air. I.e. if the seal is not air tight - air gets in and when the temperature drops the water condenses - there is no longer enough energy for the air to hold the water it contains.

The condensation is water. If humid air is allowed to enter - when the temperature drops it condenses. If the lamp is air tight - no condensation.

UK - the preconditioning is with the iV.

It is. Second car without, my last car with. Former is serviceable with no bass, latter is better quality with some bass.

Don't agree - my BMW X1 has LEDs all round and no condensation/water. Water inside a lamp has to get in and can only do so if not sealed correctly. Once inside it can never really evpurite back out through a slighly leaking seal - so you're stuck.

My 2017 BMW X1 has LED rear lights and no condensation. Ever.

As I saw no responses - I'll answer the one's I think I know! There is a data SIM in the car - with a year's subscription - not sure if only with Columbus SatNav though. Map updates are typically 3 to 12 months. TMC Traffic from DAB is fairly good - but not as instant or with as great a coverage as Google Live Traffic. I don't know about the texts but seriously doubt it. Car Play - not iPhone user. Good question - but you can definately pre condition the car with the app.