Well, I have now driven the Golf for about 500 miles or so and I have driven the Octavia for years and about 35,000 miles! It seems to be an ongoing debate on uk-mkivs forum as to which is better, the 2.8 V6 or the 1.8t. Here is my opinion.

The 2.8 is extremely smooth compared to the 1.8t and it doesn't have any turbo, so no lag! However the 1.8t has better fuel consumption (just) and seems more fun to drive. The rev limiter feels like it cuts in a little too early on the 2.8 compared to the 1.8 also.

I think the overall vote as to which is best depends entirely on your driving style. The 1.8 is thrashy and very tunable, whereas the 2.8 is smooth and not tunable unless you spend thousands on a supercharger.

My personal vote goes to the 2.8 for a number of reasons :

- Smoothness (did i mention it was smooth???)

- NOISE! WOW!

- No turbo lag

- More low down torque

I know this isn't a huge review or very technical but just my amateur opinion on these 2 fairly different engines.

your reasons are obvious really :P and i could say the same about swmbo's 3.2 vectra but i still love my turbo's!

There's no replacement for displacement

your reasons are obvious really :P and i could say the same about swmbo's 3.2 vectra but i still love my turbo's!

What exactly do you love about turbo's? It's not that I don't like them, but everything about the V6 is great. The noise, low down pull, refinement and no turbo's to blow up!!

There's no replacement for displacement

That's the point, the 1.8 needs the turbo for the low down grunt, but the bigger engine doesn't need it.

However... you should really supercharge that V6

What exactly do you love about turbo's? It's not that I don't like them, but everything about the V6 is great. The noise, low down pull, refinement and no turbo's to blow up!!

the feeling of ugency when the turbo spools. and the mid-range torque

bet the V6 sounds nicer than a 1.8T, and with a Milltek...:drool:

the feeling of ugency when the turbo spools. and the mid-range torque

bet the V6 sounds nicer than a 1.8T, and with a Milltek...:drool:

I'm thinking about getting an induction kit fitted. But a visit to JKM to discuss a Miltek may happen at some point!

As much as i like my VRS, miss the noise of the various V6 engine powered cars i've had and low down grunt, found turbo's slightly better for mid-range.

as he said really, its the madness that a turbo can conjure up thats great fun

and the noise.

I loved my 1.8T and ive driven afew VR's.

Id take another 1.8T over a VR any day! Just an all round better engine imo!

what about a v8 then??

what about a v8 then??

If it's supercharged I'm all for it