just noticed a link on the Superb II forum regarding an AUTOCAR poll; Yeti not included

Anyway there's an 'other' option so I voted

oh yes the link:

My link

Edited 17 December, 200916 yr by The Plumber

i'd vote if i had mine here! pmsl....ten years ago i can think of a million things i'd have said before "jeezus i cant wait fer me new skoda to arrive" with such zeal. :'(

It's not really car of the decade, either lol

I selected "other" and entered the Fabia vRS, with the remark "Skoda suddenly taken seriously.

I have never driven one, and TBH would never buy one, but I feel that THIS is the car that started making Skoda "cool".

Until the Yeti came out I always wanted an Octy; right the way back to the day they were launched; but it is a company car. and my boss is a snob :(

Nope... not a Furbie vRS either!

@Babs,

Car of the Decade cannot just be about the car, there are too many great cars out there, and one that is great for one reason may well be crap at something another car does well.

When Skoda launched the Octavia, a few of the motoring mags gave it a reasonable review and then ignored it, ditto the Fabia; but when the Fabia vRS was launched, EVERYONE (even Clarkson!!) had to admit that Skoda were no longer a company to laugh at; they had made a DIESEL hot hatch that was as good as anything powered by petrol that you could buy for the same money.

The vRS made ORDINARY people look at Skoda and realise that they made GOOD cars!! Not those silly RWD things that kept breaking down or rusting to bits, that they were famous for back in the 60's&70's.

I see on the news today that GM are shutting down Saab; go back 10-15 years, would you have said that Skoda had a better chance of surviving than Saab?? VW are upping their game because their baby sister company are showing them up; who could have predicted that even 10 years ago??

I agree with everything you're saying, but there are far better ones!

Some examples I can think of...

VW Mk5 Golf GTI - it brought back the fun in a GTI that was missing from the Mk3 and Mk4 (in general)

Vauxhal Insignia - instantly made everyone forget about the godawful Vectra by being a good car

Tesla Roadster - showing that there is a future in fun, electric powered cars

VW Mk5 Golf GTI - it brought back the fun in a GTI that was missing from the Mk3 and Mk4 (in general)

Don't disagree about MK5 GTi, but the MK4 transformed the way pretty much every car manufacturer did interiors on mid sized cars from then on, so perhaps had a greater impact.

Don't disagree about MK5 GTi, but the MK4 transformed the way pretty much every car manufacturer did interiors on mid sized cars from then on, so perhaps had a greater impact.

Yes the Mk4 was heralded for it's interior quality.

But first came to market in 1998

Great cars I admit, but none of them turned around a company and brought it such high esteem (after decades of jokes), like the Fabia vRSv did for Skoda; and be honest, people buy VW Golfs because they are a safe "known value" brand, the same way sales reps buy BMW 3s because they think they are a "prestige" brand (w@nkers).

But this was the GTI that turned around the GTI!

GTI is a brand above VW, above Skoda!

Outside of this forum you'll not find a massive number of people who even know about the vRS brand. I've had 5-year-olds asking if I'm driving a GTI. That's how important the Mk5 GTI was.

I will say... out of the suggestions on this forum for Skoda's... the Superb is the best idea. It's redefined the luxury segment by providing a quality product at an amazing price, and making people wonder why they're paying a lot more money for less car!

I agree the Superb is .... superb!! But would people have taken any notice of it if Skoda had not already lit up the radar with the Fabia??

The GTI is a brand unto itself, but it has been a LOOOOONG time since it was actually the best car in it's market; other cars are faster, better handling and more fun to drive, the GTI only really survives because of its perceived"VW reliability" reputation.

Erm... well yes and no. The GTI is acclaimed to be the best "all rounder". The VXR and ST were both faster, the Megane handled better. But the GTI was the one the reviewers would actually buy with their own money.

I think people are putting the Fabia vRS onto this pedalstal. It's a decent little car, but it wasn't ground-breaking. The Fabia itself was a good kick start, but the vRS model... not really... especially since it sold so poorly outside of the UK.

I agree the Superb is .... superb!! But would people have taken any notice of it if Skoda had not already lit up the radar with the Fabia??

The GTI is a brand unto itself, but it has been a LOOOOONG time since it was actually the best car in it's market; other cars are faster, better handling and more fun to drive, the GTI only really survives because of its perceived"VW reliability" reputation.

The Mk3 and Mk4 Golf were admittedly a little soft compared to the 1 and 2 but the MK5 was widely regarded as the best hot hatch on the market and likewise the new MK6. Yes, there are faster, sharper hot hatches around but the Golf is the best all round car, a judgement that Autocar, What Car, Top Gear all seem to share.

Mk5? Mk6? Personally I would rather have a well cared for Mk1.........

Mk5? Mk6? Personally I would rather have a well cared for Mk1.........

Oh me too without a doubt. I think that instead of a MK6 I would but a Yeti for everyday driving and then a lovely original MK1 GTI for playtime