A bit of background first. I have my company car's for 3 years/90,000 miles. My Leon FR 170 PD is due to go back in October and as such I need to choose another car by the end of August. I have narrowed it down to 2 cars.

1) Seat Leon FR 170 CR DSG White/Speed Blue

2) Skoda Octavia vRS 170 CR DSG White

I really can't decide :confused:

Seat Leon FR CR 170 DSG

Spec if ordering Leon

Bluetooth & MFD Upgrade Kit - £210

Black Orion 18'' Wheels - £500

Bi-Xenon Lights - £730

Aero Kit Dual Exhaust - £300

I really love my Leon and am very tempted to have another, albeit I'm not overly keen on the plastic interior and as we have a 20 month daughter the boot can be too small at times. I do think it has a more sporty look and image than the Skoda and little touches like the flat bottomed wheel confirm that. I'm also loathed to pay twice as much in the Skoda for the Bluetooth Kit. The cars below would be what my potential car would be like.

White with 18'' Black Orion

Speed Blue with 18'' Black Orion

Skoda Octavia vRS 170 CR DSG

Spec if ordering Octavia

Leather Seats - £800

Bluetooth & Maxi-Dot - £480

I would also add the following down the line...

Black Coated wheels - £250

HID Projector Lights - £100

Tinted Glass - £150

20mm OEM Sprin Drop - £400

I went to Birmingham Skoda/Seat to look at a new Leon FR and just happened to sit in the ''old'' style vRS. Wow. Superb quality, felt really well put together and the general ambience of the car felt far superior to my Leon. The boot was fantastic and imagining the new LED lights complete with the sporty vRS look impressed me. As mentioned above though I think the £480 for bluetooth is a rip off compared to the same thing in the Leon and there do seem to be a lot more vRS' on the road but not in White. Overall I was impressed though.

Pic of Paul 2505 car

Overall

So decision time. Understand I am no boy racer regards window tints, black wheels, etc I do on average 35,000 a year and have done for the last 8 years and have never had a ticket but do like a car to be different and sporty for those country lane moments!

Comments appreciated, thanks all:thumbup:

Either would be a good choice

Not a fan of that blue on the Leon though.

the dash on the Leon has always put me off..it just seems a huge blank expanse

perfomance wise they are almost identical and mechanically they will be almost the same as well

so really it just down to the drive and comfort/interior

I really think the octavia is better put together and the view from the drivers seat is easier on the eye

but then I have just bought my third vrs so they are doing something that appeals to me!

you are familiar with the Leon so you know its faults and are comfortable with the car and image

its a tough choice and its one I nearly made as I did fancy a leon, but I just didnt like sitting it!

The one thing that swung it for me with the VRSs I have owned is the practicality of the cars whilst being a performance car, there is a huge boot even in the saloon, there is also a nice feeling having an understated performance car. Those in the know appreciate it, Ie the drivers. VAG have a problem with the VRS in that the blurring of quality between the VRS range and the other cars in the VAG brands is becoming very blurred. Go for the VRS mate, the thinking man’s performance car. We all know what we get for our money is superb, comparing it to the Leon (lovely cars IMHO) the practicalities of the VRS come to the fore. Good luck, both nice cars BTW but the VRS has a huge cult following for a reason.

vRS has the better interior and the better boot, leon will be a little better on the handling and speed due to being lighter both good cars, but i agree the elon does have a dark interior n=and it isnt for me. id have a cupra though

Go for a long test drive in the Leon. A colleague of mine has an FR TDi and 90K in a car with that firm a ride would put me in hospital I reckon!

I had a Toledo and loved it and vowed to buy another Seat when it came to change it. I went and looked and the new Leon and Altea and hated what had happened to them. The interior used to be classy and well screwed together but the new one is just a dull expanse of poor quality grey plastic. I walked away without even taking a test drive.

Got in an Octavia and knew that it was much better straight off; everything worked and felt well screwed together. I would go for the Skoda myself and enjoy the off beat choice.

Personally though I think the white just looks cheap and don't understand the current white fad in cars.

In terms of interior styling the Skoda wins hands up

Personally though I think the white just looks cheap and don't understand the current white fad in cars.

White looks classy.....as long as you keep it clean. when they are dirty, they look like a taxi, however when they are clean with blackened tyres, tinted windows....they look the business...IMO.

Go for a long test drive in the Leon. A colleague of mine has an FR TDi and 90K in a car with that firm a ride would put me in hospital I reckon!

I have done 80k in 2 1/2 years in a FR TDi with the larger wheels and loved every second! It is firm but as Elton John would say 'There's nothing wrong with firmness up your ****':eek:

You have to bear in mind though the leon facelift has a slightly better interior.

I used to own a stage 1 TFSi vRS, recently test drove a 57 plate Leon Cupra when lookinh for a car for the missus and I was really un-impressed with the interior, felt like a real downgrade from the Skoda

Sat in my vRS used to feel like sitting in a re-badged VW and when I swapped to my Passat was a bit dissapointed how few extras and improvements there is in the VW over the Skoda. You can really tell Seat is audi's poor relative and where as id recommend any Skoda as the smart buy, id be in no rush to recommend a seat

just to top it off, drove the new Octavia last month and the interior IMO takes the quality, well built feel even further

White looks classy.....as long as you keep it clean. when they are dirty, they look like a taxi, however when they are clean with blackened tyres, tinted windows....they look the business...IMO.

Like most things beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I happen to think white is a cack colour that should be saved for vans and hire cars but thats just my 2p. If people like white on their car then that's fine by me but you won't see me in one :P

The whole white thing with black alloys is becoming a bit common now though

Go for a long test drive in the Leon. A colleague of mine has an FR TDi and 90K in a car with that firm a ride would put me in hospital I reckon!

I agree. I've no idea what Seat have done with the suspension for the FR Leons, but they must be scratching their heads at the pile of springs and dampers lying around the factory

I took a Leon out for an extended test drive and though it certainly felt quicker and more nimble than the vRS estate, I couldn't have lived with that suspension. The OP might complain about bluetooth being an option on the Skoda, but then there is NO chiropractor option at all for the Seat and it should be standard

Having said all that, I guess a set of Koni FSD's would improve things significantly and ensure you end journeys the same height as you started them.

I considered a Leon once. But I sat in one and knew I would never be content looking at the cheap slab of plastic they call a dash. The Skoda feels far more upmarket.

You have to bear in mind though the leon facelift has a slightly better interior.

True it is slightly better, but still no match for the vRS

I had Leon hire car in spain - not bad overall and looks the part but the suspension was horribly hard and the A posts too wide - reduced visibility too much for me. (Probably something to do with the wiper setup.

The Octy is understated which I like and is more comfortable IMO.

In exactly the same situation myself. Currently got an Altea 2.0 TDI 140 and its been great.Really would like an Octy vRS, but there are a few problems for me:-

1 - Its right at the top end of my allowance possibly just over with some lease companies....

2 - CO's are also at the top - 150 is my limit....

3 - For some ridiculous reason, you can not get a manual gearbox AND bluetooth/mfs - WTF???? This is not acceptable to me as I need phone prep & want a MFS.

4 - Octy will cost me £130 per month, Leon FR will be £110 per month.

5 - Already got a Seat, nice to have a change.

6 - Leon dash isn't nice (different to the Altea).

7 - Leon ride is a bit stiff....

8 - Boot is much smaller than the Octy plus there are less cubbies in the Leon.

9 - Leon is cheaper so I can have full 'Technology & Convenience Pack', sat nav, bi-xenons, MFW, bluetooth, etc, and it still comes in £40 per month cheaper, as well as point 4 above....

10 - SWMBO prefers a Leon!

Edited 17 August, 200916 yr by cherry evo

In answer to point 10, get the vRS to annoy her.

In exactly the same situation myself. Currently got an Altea 2.0 TDI 140 and its been great.Really would like an Octy vRS, but there are a few problems for me:-

1 - Its right at the top end of my allowance possibly just over with some lease companies....

2 - CO's are also at the top - 150 is my limit....

3 - For some ridiculous reason, you can not get a manual gearbox AND bluetooth/mfs - WTF???? This is not acceptable to me as I need phone prep & want a MFS.

4 - Octy will cost me £130 per month, Leon FR will be £110 per month.

5 - Already got a Seat, nice to have a change.

6 - Leon dash isn't nice (different to the Altea).

7 - Leon ride is a bit stiff....

8 - Boot is much smaller than the Octy plus there are less cubbies in the Leon.

9 - Leon is cheaper so I can have full 'Technology & Convenience Pack', sat nav, bi-xenons, etc, and it still comes in £40 per month cheaper, as well as point 4 above....

10 - SWMBO prefers a Leon!

if you are going to spend 2 or 3 years sat in a car day in day out I would get the one that feels best when I'm sitting in it..you are going to spend an awful long time looking at the dash and instruments if you dont like the look of them

Agreed, but there's also the financial aspect to look at - tax man, robbin b'stard bends me over enough as it is, Octy is going to cost more than the Altea I've presently got. Hence the reason I've also looked at a Leon Ecomotive!!! Trouble is, there are NO cars out there within the company restrictions (£450 per month full maint & tyres, 28k miles p/a, 4/5 door, diesel & under 150gm CO) that really takes my fancy, hence the reason I've considered a Leon Ecomotive.... Leon FR seems the best compromise...

In answer to point 10, get the vRS to annoy her.

Lol, nice one - she says, .... off!!

Okay then, called back at the stealers today & finally got some sense on the contract hire. VW Financial Services did the biz! This is what I had a quote for:-

Octy vRS TDI DSG + Metallic + Bluetooth + Auto wipers/lights/mirror + Xenons. 3 year full maintenance + tyres, 28k miles p/a - £440 per month. Just hope our MD waives the 150gm CO limit - DSG's are 159...

Swmbo not very happy, but as she said, I'm driving it not her! Still not 100% decided but if the MD says yes then I'll probably go for it. Got a Superb tdi dsg for an afternoon next week to try out the diesel/auto combi - 1st auto car so need to be certain as I'll have it for three years (all being well!)....

I would say go for the Octy IMHO because of the quality.looks,boot size etc its way above Seat now and almost VW too

Hope you are happy with your final choice.

Having seen the new Cupra R :rotz:pics this morning, I feel I am edging towards the Skoda

Edited 19 August, 200916 yr by Moley RUFC