Top Gear's Roomster Report

[Vroomster1]

OK Roomy Briskodians, what do we make of tonight's Top Gear test of the Roomster?

[speedy1]

Good to see Clarkson makeing sense as ever...."This car isn't really a skoda it's a front from a polo and the back form the golf" WTF is that suppose to mean???:confused:

[vrsadz]

just finished watchin it i would have gone for the 1.9tdi rather than the 1.4 due to more torque and would have left others for dead in the drag race. couldnt belive the skoda was quicker than the other two int the dog test by a number of minutes

[richardsfavorit]

I think he should have chosen a larger engine for it. The 1.4tdi is a bit powerless, even in the new Fabia

[TriggerFish]

But to be fair, that would make it more expensive (dunno specific prices) and they were testing cheapish cars of a simluar price.

The fuel consumption surprised me though!

[richardsfavorit]

But to be fair, that would make it more expensive (dunno specific prices) and they were testing cheapish cars of a simluar price.

The fuel consumption surprised me though!

Yep a larger engine would have cost more.

Thats true about fuel, as Clarkson said, you would have to floor it more for performance. Probably fine city driving compared to motorway driving.

[BulletRob]

I think he was in the 70bhp 1.4tdi...

had it been the 80bhp which is more punchy it would have been closer in both performance and economy.

[jasc1988]

I thought it was pretty hilarious...

Clarkson cracks me up

[vRSy]

lets be fair about fuel consumption, you can guarantee the large majority of the problem would have been clarkson not the car, he has a lead foot.

[bengie]

:iagree:

[n0ct0]

I test drove a Roomster 1 with the 70bhp diesel in it and decided it was too slow if I ever had to overtake anything so went for the 1.9, so points for Mr. Clarkson's recommendation there. And coincidentally also bought it to transport 3 large dogs around, which it does admirably. So I think all in all Clarkson was pretty fair on the car and he did say it was very well put together. I reckon you would use a lot more fuel thrashing a low powered car about than going the same speed in one with a larger engine. Remember the episode with the Prius and the M3?

[bahnstormer vrs]

Have to wait 'till Friday night to see the repeat; was watching the other side.

However, Clarkson has previously waxed lyrical about Roomster here;- Jeremy Clarkson Skoda Roomster review | Driving - Times Online so I'm sure would have been careful, if somewhat crass as usual to find the cheap joke, with his comments.

Overall having driven all three TDI variants of the Fabia/Roomster I have to say that, whilst the 1.9 is on paper the quickest the 1.4TDI 80 is the best all round and most charismatic; I loooove the three pot burble it produces.

[Jim H]

lets be fair about fuel consumption, you can guarantee the large majority of the problem would have been Clarkson not the car, he has a lead foot.

I wonder if "Captain slow" James had drove the Roomster, whether it would have got more MPG. From the start I actually said the best cheap small car is the new Fiat 500.

You don't have to wait until Friday to watch it again. Go to the BBC website and see it on iPlayer or if you have Virgin Cable it will be on Catch up from Monday.

[skippy41]

He was defiantly right to small an engine for the weight of the body, could someone send skoda a link to the show, they may just put the new 1.6 tdi in

[Babs]

I've never had a problem with wanting more from the 1.4TDI, even 5 up with a boot full of sound equipment in a Fabia estate

[timppi]

^Me too,

1.4 tdi 80bhp is just quite enough for a car like that. All driving, exept motorways, where we in finland have 120 kmph (~75mph) in the summer.

[Shifty]

I think my test drive was better, more thorough. This was the 1.4 tdi also.

[Captain Sisko]

Good to see Clarkson makeing sense as ever...."This car isn't really a skoda it's a front from a polo and the back form the golf" WTF is that suppose to mean???:confused:

watch the What Car video review on the Roomster

It has the front of the Mk2 Fabia (which in turn uses the chassis from the Polo)

and the back from the Octavia mk1 (which you guessed it used the Golf mkIV chassis)

I think it was an entertaining test if not a thorough one.

It wasn't that cheap but definately cheerful. All them Fiat 500s, gotta be fixed surely!!!

[skippy41]

watch the What Car video review on the Roomster

It has the front of the Mk2 Fabia (which in turn uses the chassis from the Polo)

and the back from the Octavia mk1 (which you guessed it used the Golf mkIV chassis)

I think it was an entertaining test if not a thorough one.

It wasn't that cheap but definately cheerful.

All them Fiat 500s, gotta be fixed surely!!![/

Na Thats the new London mini cab rank:rofl::rofl:

Edited 6 July, 2009 by devonutopia

[Salut]

The 'test' was a typical Top Gear effort. I agree with above comments regarding the engine choice.

The really big problem is that I haven't got a dog-the water tray is redundant before I start out!

[Dr Zoidberg]

I wonder if "Captain slow" James had drove the Roomster, whether it would have got more MPG. From the start I actually said the best cheap small car is the new Fiat 500.

That depends on what price cap you set for "cheap" , though a 500 would be very high on my list of choices.

The other would be a 107/aygo/c1.

[skippy41]

You could actually save some money by buying that model and getting it chipped, I wonder what it could be increased to and what the fuel economy would be like after

[mdk1]

Saw it last night, thought it was very funny, Swmbo had to stop watching incase it burst her stiches.

Thought the price they said it was, was wrong but having just checked the price on Skoda website.

Roomster s 1.4tdi 70bhp is £11550. Not sure what discounts are on at the mo. but that seems quite steep.

[Decron]

Prices everywhere for everything have gone up a lot recently.

I have been looking at options for company cars. 2 years ago we could have had Golf SE's with the 105 pd in them for about £16.5 where the same car now come in nearer £18k making the £14995 list price for the same spec Roomy look amazing value.

[Vroomster1]

Suppose I should contribute a view to my own thread .................

In a nutshell, it's all good fun and entertainment, even (groan) the time-warped treatment of the speed test. At least JC's dog liked it, and I suspect The Man himself might not be too badly disposed - his earlier Times road test wasn't bad at all.

Re underpowered cars and fuel efficiency, many many years ago I read a road test report comparing a Mk2 Escort 1.1 Popular (how many of you remember them?) with the RS2000 of the day. The RS won hands down 'cos its big torquey engine just loped along, burning much less fuel than the weedy Pop which was always footonthefloor. My own RS (sadly missed) was a hugely effortless drive and returned about 40 mpg on the m'way. Sigh.