Been driving a 2ltr 2005 one around today and its horrible - definetly needs nitrous:rofl:

Hahaha, we've got an automatic one of those as a works pool car. What an absolute shower of ****

Couldn't believe how slow and vague it was. I've driven older Mondeo 1.8's that felt better, also a Focus 1.8 that was much better despite being a rough one, and a new hire Fiesta which drove like a little go cart - noisy but fun. I'll remove them from my possible future car list.

My Dad's got an 2.0 Zetec Auto, it's slow but comfy

This one has "sports suspension pack" ha ha. Not a nice ride. It was the woolliness - if theres such a word - that stood out.

The mk3 mondeo is a horrible horrible car.

The Mk4 is much much better, but is still dull.

What do you expect performance wise? It's a barge! Can't fault the general drive though imo, much better than the Octavia 1 or 2s that i test drove. The mk1 Octavia in particular is very cheap and nasty. Good to see badge snobbery is still alive and well amongst Skoda drivers though.

What do you expect performance wise? It's a barge! Can't fault the general drive though imo, much better than the Octavia 1 or 2s that i test drove. The mk1 Octavia in particular is very cheap and nasty. Good to see badge snobbery is still alive and well amongst Skoda drivers though.

No badge snobbery here - why would I buy a Skoda for badge snobbery:rofl: The mondeo was just a very disappointing car. Mazda6 is superior.

What do you expect performance wise? It's a barge! Can't fault the general drive though imo, much better than the Octavia 1 or 2s that i test drove. The mk1 Octavia in particular is very cheap and nasty. Good to see badge snobbery is still alive and well amongst Skoda drivers though.

Having driven both Octavias, and the Mk3 and 4 mondeo I agree with the barge comments.

The Mk4 has come on a long way, but that dash? FFS WHAT were they thinking? If my employer gave me a choice, I'd much rather have the Octavia to drive round in all day. Much more comfy and better spec'd for the money.

I borrowed a new one last year for a couple of days and was quite surprised, I think because I was expecting it to be awful to drive and it wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. Actually, I quite liked it. I did quite a long journey in it and found it really comfy. I wouldn't call it exciting though.

No badge snobbery here - why would I buy a Skoda for badge snobbery:rofl: The mondeo was just a very disappointing car. Mazda6 is superior.

The Mazda6 is probably also more expensive. Three year old fords make bargain used buys and for your average family car you can't really fault a focus / mondeo.

Believe me, the mondeo i have to drive at the moment is as dull as dishwater if you're into performance, but I was impressed by the build quality compared to the octavias I also test drove. I've had no issues apart from one failed abs sensor in 13 months so i'm happy enough. The plan is to keep it for barge duties and to buy a toy to run alongside it.

You laugh at badge snobbery comments from skoda owners but there is a fair amount of it in my opinion. People read the jd power surveys and assume skoda's must be top of the pile. You still hear some of them slating fiat, ford, renault and whoever else about reliability / build quality. I think it's fair to say that some skoda drivers lose a bit of perspective about their cars, particularly the performance varieties.

The Fabia vrs was a good car because it fulfilled a niche. Aside from the other vag alternatives, there wasn't anything like it and the diesel engine made an interesting package overall. Equally, the octavia vrs does a similar thing in that it takes some elements of the golf gti and adds a load of practicality by way of a big boot. However, if you start comparing the drive / performance of the octavia alongside the golf gti, be prepared for a wake up call.

If you want to talk squeaks and rattles, my two fabia vrss had more of these and other niggles than I've had in 'bog standard' hondas and fords as well.

I borrowed a new one last year for a couple of days and was quite surprised, I think because I was expecting it to be awful to drive and it wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. Actually, I quite liked it. I did quite a long journey in it and found it really comfy. I wouldn't call it exciting though.

I think you've probablyy got it spot on there. As a reps car or similar, it's probably very hard to beat the mondeo. It's a pleasant place to be whilst cruising at seventy. The base models on the mk3 were also healthily specced with cruise, steering mounted stereo controls and aux in socket for mp3 players.

And do bear in mind that prior to the octavia two coming there was a period in which the mk3 mondeo was making the octy 1 look very dated indeed.

My point was that it was a disappointment after being told/reading that they were a good car - it wasn't. I've not compared it with an octavia as its larger, but the Mazda6 is a fairer comparison and is much better. As I said above I liked the focus and fiesta. I've never driven a Fabia Vrs but I have driven a bog standard one which was a dull little car. I drove a Diahatsu Sirion a couple of weeks later and it was better. I then drove a new Corsa which was also tedious. In the past I've been a big fan of Fords in general. I've owned 4 capri's, 3 sierra's, 1 mk2 escourt, 2 Cortina Mk4's, 1 Mk3, and a Corsair, and apart from a Mk3 escort this was the worst I've driven. I suppose I do suffer reverse snobbery as far as Golfs go as I think they are very common and mind numbingly boring to look at - cat in pidgeons;)

My point was that it was a disappointment after being told/reading that they were a good car - it wasn't. I've not compared it with an octavia as its larger, but the Mazda6 is a fairer comparison and is much better. As I said above I liked the focus and fiesta. I've never driven a Fabia Vrs but I have driven a bog standard one which was a dull little car. I drove a Diahatsu Sirion a couple of weeks later and it was better. I then drove a new Corsa which was also tedious. In the past I've been a big fan of Fords in general. I've owned 4 capri's, 3 sierra's, 1 mk2 escourt, 2 Cortina Mk4's, 1 Mk3, and a Corsair, and apart from a Mk3 escort this was the worst I've driven. I suppose I do suffer reverse snobbery as far as Golfs go as I think they are very common and mind numbingly boring to look at - cat in pidgeons;)

People aren't going to change their opinions based on their own experience but i still think the quality of the interior on the mondeo you drove should've far surpassed that on your mk1 octy. I guess you drove a particularly tatty example that has taken a fair bit of abuse?

People aren't going to change their opinions based on their own experience but i still think the quality of the interior on the mondeo you drove should've far surpassed that on your mk1 octy. I guess you drove a particularly tatty example that has taken a fair bit of abuse?

To be honest I didn't notice the interior - probably just as dull as my octy - its the driving experience of a newer lower mileage car that I'm on about

To be honest I didn't notice the interior - probably just as dull as my octy - its the driving experience of a newer lower mileage car that I'm on about

I test drove two mk1 octavias alongside two mk3 mondeos. Whilst the mondeo's were gutless due to the 1.8 engines the ride was smoother and more planted in both than the octavias. I'm sure the larger size has somemthing to do with this though. Additionally, the steering felt more precise.

Don't get me wrong, it is a terminally dull car. I frigging hate it for that aspect, but in all other aspects it is faultless. Perhaps Ford just needed to put some better engines in the mk3, but then skoda were putting some rubbish engines in the mk1 octy like the 1.6 and 2.0 petrol.

You'd be a nut to be a new mondeo though. The used prices of 3 year old fords are excellent for buyers!

Just looked on Parkers and a Mazda6 2ltr and Mondeo 2ltr are almost the same price

Just looked on Parkers and a Mazda6 2ltr and Mondeo 2ltr are almost the same price

Same car more or less underneath.

If I'm honest I've only ever driven a MPS here and a 2.3 auto in NZ, so not strictly a straight comparison - perhaps a 2ltr would have been horrid

Having driven the latest modeo (1.8 tdi I think) vs mk 2 octavia I would have the ocativa. You did not dirve the Mondeo, you pointed it where you wanted to go, octavia is a much more involved drive.

Interior wise the mondeo was good quality, but that huge silver block is horrible in my opinion, Octavia feels a touch cheaper interior but well made and solid. Noise wise the mondeo is very quiet and the ride is probably more comfortable than the octavia.

Too me it is the difference between travelling from A to B or driving from A to B, and I like the second.

The Fabia vrs was a good car because it fulfilled a niche. Aside from the other vag alternatives, there wasn't anything like it and the diesel engine made an interesting package overall. Equally, the octavia vrs does a similar thing in that it takes some elements of the golf gti and adds a load of practicality by way of a big boot. However, if you start comparing the drive / performance of the octavia alongside the golf gti, be prepared for a wake up call.

Are you talking about the MK1 vRS or MkII vRS? I agree about the handling of the new vRS versus the Mk5/6 GTI, but the road tests of the Mk1 vRS all agreed that it was far better than the Mk4 Golf GTI at the time. In fact, EVO mag said it was probably the best VAG product at the time of testing.

Plus, my mate has a 2004 Mondeo and even he agrees that the interior feels quite cheap in places compared to the Mk1 Octavia.

Having driven the latest modeo (1.8 tdi I think) vs mk 2 octavia I would have the ocativa. You did not dirve the Mondeo, you pointed it where you wanted to go, octavia is a much more involved drive.

Interior wise the mondeo was good quality, but that huge silver block is horrible in my opinion, Octavia feels a touch cheaper interior but well made and solid. Noise wise the mondeo is very quiet and the ride is probably more comfortable than the octavia.

Too me it is the difference between travelling from A to B or driving from A to B, and I like the second.

I find the mk4 equal to the octy in comfort and drive, but yes the dash is fugly.

But much better than the mk3 the firm gave me.

One of my dads cars is a ST220 with all the bells and whistles and I have to say it is absolutely fantastic too, heated/air conditioned leather seats, sat nav......!!

I've been using it whilst mine is having the engine finished off, it is near silent and incdedibly smooth - never tried a 4 cylinder model but the big 3 litre V6 is pure sex!!!

Steve:)

Are you talking about the MK1 vRS or MkII vRS? I agree about the handling of the new vRS versus the Mk5/6 GTI, but the road tests of the Mk1 vRS all agreed that it was far better than the Mk4 Golf GTI at the time. In fact, EVO mag said it was probably the best VAG product at the time of testing.

Plus, my mate has a 2004 Mondeo and even he agrees that the interior feels quite cheap in places compared to the Mk1 Octavia.

I can't remember to be honest. I expect i meant the mkv vs the mk2 as I've had little experience of the mkiv golf which is commonly thought of as poo. However, i have experienced bog standard octavias in mk1 form and I still thought they were shocking.

i can't agree with your comment re the mondeo at all tbh. I drove mk1 octavias alongside mk3 mondeos and it was clear that the mondeos were a cut above in my opinion.

i can't agree with your comment re the mondeo at all tbh. I drove mk1 octavias alongside mk3 mondeos and it was clear that the mondeos were a cut above in my opinion.

That's fine as it wasn't my comment anyway. I only mentioned it as the friend I gave a lift to made the comment, as he reckoned that the Mk1 vRS interior was as nice if not better in places than his own 04 plate Mondeo. Perhaps it was the squishy dash top that swayed his opinion.