The Zee

The designers have really knocked themselves out! Compared to the new Mazda 3

New exactly new, or is it just me. Blue = Scala Red = Rapid

I also have a Mazda CX-3 as a general runaround. Once you get used to there not being a turbo and get the revs up around 3k it really is quite quick. What impresses me most is that during normal driving the revs are so low (I have an auto) I can't believe the engine will ever wear out as theres just no stress.

It's certainly not in the same league as the new Focus Vignale. When Skoda announced that the Rapid replacement was going to be a serious shift upmarket I expected it to be a mini Superb, which the Vignale is. Sadly I can't see it being popular in the UK.

I'm doing just that. Going for a Hyundai Tucson Premium SE, petrol auto. As a pensioner I can't wait for VAG - I will probably be dead before it arrives.

I don't think half a second will make much difference to my life. I might be old but not that close to the grave that I am worried about losing half a second.

With the 2.0 TSI engine it should liven things up a bit. The main reason I did not put my money down on the 1.5 was it seemed a bit dull compared to my 2.0 TSI Superb. Just waiting for the Paris show to hopefully get a bit more info on spec & options, oh and probably a 500 year delivery time-frame.

By the way, a spare wheel kit is now available for the five seat Kodiaq from any Skoda dealer. It is £250.00

Hi, I have recently downgraded my DSLR kit. I used to use pro-spec gear but the weight of it having to lug it around was getting too much. I opted for a Nikon D3400 with a couple of lens and to be perfectly honest with prints up to size A3 I really cannot see any difference from the pro kit (which was a few years older in tech terms). Give it a look, it is in your price bracket. Also have a look at www.kenrockwell.com a brilliant site for expert and honest reviews.

No quite. The Skoda dealer was the one who sold me my Superb a few years back, they were good then and the Mazda dealer we bought a new car from them last year. Can only assume that business is so good they don't care about sales.

Yep, I have had to do that as well.

Picture this. London Bridge Station concourse, height of this mornings rush hour. Three workmen dressed in high viz orange jackets and trousers complete with hard hats. First workman in front with arms outstretched to the side. Second workman behind the first pushing an empty wheelbarrow. Third workman behind the one with the wheelbarrow with arms outstretched to the side. Thankfully the wheelbarrow made it safely across the concourse without any tragic accidents, which would have obviously lead to the closure of the station and inconvenience to thousands of passengers. When on earth did we get to the situation where three people are being paid to transport one innocuous wheelbarrow. It wasn’t even a new one, so suppose that the risk of theft was not the reason for such security.

Having given all of them my mobile number, home number, e-mail and home address I was hoping that I might have been taken seriously.

Remind them about their statement on the Home Page and their statement at the bottom of the Used Cars tab on their website.

Some years ago I was in a dull and boring job. An opportunity came up for something more interesting and dynamic. It was a nightmare. The place was in such a state I didn't know whether it was Wednesday or Easter, it was so manic. At the end of the first week I stood outside at about 8pm and thought to myself "what have I done?" Weeks past and I was able to put my mark on the place - twenty five years later I am still there. Just give yourself some time to adapt, step back and look at the bigger picture.

This is a very interesting and brave thread. There is so much that is not understood about the wide range of mental issues. It has been a subject of Taboo for far to long. If someone has physical issues they can be seen and understood, it is not the same as mental issues. Some people think depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They're wrong – it is a real illness with real symptoms. Depression isn't a sign of weakness or something you can "snap out of" by "pulling yourself together" Someone close to me suffers from clinical depression, their mood can go from a high to a deep low in a matter of hours and last several days, sometimes weeks. To an outsider they have nothing to be depressed about, good job, nice home, nice car, no debts – the situation that most people aspire to. It’s the unseen chemical imbalance in the brain that triggers the events. Society and to a greater extent employers need to get a grasp with this. If you ring up work and say you won’t be in today because you have twisted your knee and can’t walk, that’s OK, but if you call to say you are depressed you are more likely to be treated as weak and not a reliable employee. It’s no wonder so many people suffer in silence.

What is it with car dealers at the moment? I know we have the WLTP lark going on, but seriously ! As I am in the market for a new car I thought I would look at the opposition as well as Skoda. Firstly Skoda – Had a test in a Karoq, left the salesperson with some questions who said he would get back to me, he didn’t. Chased but couldn’t speak to him, left a message to call me back, he didn’t. Secondly Mazda – Expressed an interest in the CX-5 which is now available for the first time as a petrol automatic. Contacted two dealers who said they would come back to me when full details and pricing were available. This has been in the public domain for a month now, but cannot get any interest from the either dealers. Thirdly BMW – Looking at an X2, dealership could not have shown any more indifference if they had been trained to. I know in the scheme of things 30k -35k is not a fortune these days but it is a lot of money for me. If the front line of these businesses cannot give confidence I wonder about the ongoing service support during ownership. Is there anybody out there that wants my money?

and me, gone for a Mazda CX-5 after thirty plus years with Skoda. Car buying should be a pleasure not a chore.

Its a conventional torque converter box and is as smooth as glass. It still has "flappy" paddles on the steering wheel and manual changes by the lever if you so desire. My old Superb (six speed DSG) was an excellent box as well. I think it was better than the seven speed they fitted to some Superb models.

Having been down this road after deciding to go for an Edition 1.5 tsi plus a host of options, then being treated like a ping-pong ball in a game I could not win by the dealer and Skoda UK, Can get an Edition, can’t get an Edition maybe will make an L&K, maybe not. I have made the decision to jump ship to Mazda. This is after being a loyal Skoda owner since the days of the Favorit. The Mazda CX-5 gives me everything that the Skoda would plus its miles easier to spec up thanks to Mazda’s no nonsense approach. The one thing that really sold me was the quality of the leather. It has long been know that the Skoda leather is not the best but Mazda use full thickness hides and it shows. So the choice is SE-L Nav+ (entry level about the same spec as the Karoq SE-L, or Sport Nav+ (similar the the Edition, except the Mazda has pretty much all the Edition options already included) Therefore 1) select either SE-L Nav+ or Sport Nav+ 2) select engine and transmission 3) select colour 4) select interior colour The only available extra option is the additional Safety Pack Job done, delivery in eight to ten weeks. Because Mazda do not have such a ridiculous list of infinitely variable options, having already packaged these into two model variations the need for long waiting lists for bespoke vehicles goes away. They can therefore concentrate on a pretty standardised production run so anything you may want is already rolling down the production line somewhere....and the price in line with what the Karoq would have cost. Sorry Skoda, but you have lost the plot. Buying a new car should be a pleasure not a chore.

No. I bought a cheap runabout while I work out what I want. I Kodiaq has a similar feel to the Superb in terms of quality and boot space (important for me). It really is a personal choice whether you want to sit high up or lower down. Both are excellent cars, you would not be disappointed with either. Try them both, then decide.

I had a Superb from new in 2012 until last year and loved it. Felt like a change, regretting selling it now. Nothing comes close to the Superb for long runs.

Its showing on Autotrader today (11th July) for £2275 phone number 07707 169910

Not quite correct. WLTP will apply to all new car registrations from Sept 2018 (those already build and approved under WLTP), but EU measures for "end of series" cars (those already build but approved under the old NEDC test) to allow for a limited number (not specified) of unsold vehicles in stock to be sold until Sept 2019. So don't expect a fire sale of stock.

Re your Fabia - In the UK we used to drive on the left of the road - now we drive on whats left.