Just thought I'd post my first impressions of my new VRS TSi 2.0T as I've had it for 2 days now and done a massive 50 miles so far

Obviously with so few miles I can't really tell you what it's like on a long journey but anyway here's my first thoughts.

My car was delivered to me in Berkkshire from telford Skoda in Cumbria and the delivery driver had managed to average 40mpg over the 300 odd miles he did, so that's not bad.

However in reality for my shortish stop start drive to work I'm getting around 23mpg and I haven't given it a caning yet as I thought I ought to ease it in gently.

I love:

1. Love the look, I chose metallic black paint and with the 18" rims and red calipers it looks really good. Not sure if I like the nose but hey it'll grow on me.
   
2. It feels nice and solid and well built... never had a Skoda before so you never really know until you get your own.
   
3. Engine is superb, love the power (came from a Ford Focus 1.6 so it feels like i've bought a rocket ship now) and it pulls from low down in the rev range too, not quite diesel low down grunt but still very driveable.
   
4. Handling in the dry feels great, well planted and tonnes of grip makes you feel like a better driver than you are (or at least makes me feel like a better driver than I am)
   
5. Standard kit is good and i love the touch screen stereo
   

Gripes (don't likes):

1. Only 1 12v output socket.. Not so good when you have kids that want to watch the DVD player and you also want to run your sat nav or indeed ipod!
   
2. I went for the standard VRS upholstery, in hind sight those pale seat inserts are going to get ruined by the kids... but that's my fault not Skoda's
   
3. Tyres really struggle to get the power down under reasonably hard acceleration in the wet. Not sure if that's the Dunlops are crap or if it's just the power is too much for any tyre in the wet. All I do know is If I give it some beans in 1st and 2nd the wheels start thumping up and down due to so much spin (even with traction control on).
   

So that's early days impressions... can't wait for it to be a bit more run in so I can really see what it can do (obviously within the law )

I'll give you some longer term thoughts once I have them.

Happy you are enjoying it.....................I'm still waiting for mine in white

Your gripes

1: I also noticed one 12v socket. Going to buy an extension to convert it to two or more..same issues...sat nav and DVD for the kids

2: I thought the same issues with the kids but the leather interior seemed dull (all black to me), really could do with the VRS badge being in colour...............anyway I think the standard black/white goes well with the black/white car.

3: Tyres in the wet..........I have not got mine yet but from a previous 2 litre turbo astra coupe, the same, struggled to get the power down in the wet.

Defiantly more to love than gripe

Edited 25 March, 201016 yr by Pickings01

Hi all,

can't you use the rear 12V plug for the kids and the front for the SatNav? Or does the UK VRS come without the rear plug?

Mine is a Classic, the lessest model, and even it sports the rear plug....

Apart from that: Welcome aboard and have fun with your rocket. Mind you, I wouldn't have managed to only go 50 mls in the first two days.

For the power socket you can buy a multi way socket from Halfords or from ebay - not sure what they're called. Cost less than £10 from memory and well worth it. I've got a 3 way adaptor and use it to power my sat nav, phone & kids dvd player. It also saves having to change from one charger to another when your doing 90 down the M6!!

Got Potenzas on mine and theyre pretty good in the Wet IMO. Any FWD will struggle to match its dry performance in the wet though

I think your seats will be fine !!

IMHO they are much better than the leather in my LE but doubtless others will disagree ?

Enjoy.

Good to see you're getting on OK! Agree with you on all those points, though I haven't really floored it in the wet. I've been taking it easy (following the gear change recommendation) and can get up to ~ 33MPG on a short (4 mile) journey to work, up to nearly 40MPG for a decent motorway run (cruise control @ 70mph). Overall, after about 450 miles I've averaged about 35MPG. At some point I'll start with a bit of a heavier foot.

I did go for the leather interior for the reasons you mentioned (expecting first child in Sept!), and I really like it. I did spot on the Skoda accessories site, a different leather interior is available which looks nicer still, but @ over £1200 it's much more expensive! If anyone's interested I'll post some pics up of my leather interior.

Hi all,

can't you use the rear 12V plug for the kids and the front for the SatNav? Or does the UK VRS come without the rear plug?

Mine is a Classic, the lessest model, and even it sports the rear plug....

Apart from that: Welcome aboard and have fun with your rocket. Mind you, I wouldn't have managed to only go 50 mls in the first two days.

Sadly no. Just one 12v socket in the UK (as far as I can see anyway).

I've bought one of the convertors that people have recommended here and that seems to do the job just fine so i'm happy

I know 50 miles in 2 days is a poor show... Sadly work and the family keep getting in the way of a long drive to really test it... How inconvenient

I think the grip in the wet thing is just my expectations are too high based on having a not very powerful car before... Once you've found the limits then you can drive to them I guess.

Once I've been on holiday (taking the car) with the whole family next week I'll let you know how the seats fair with the kids

SlimAdy - I've managed to get the MPG up a bit now (approx 28mpg on my 8 mile trip) by driving to the gear change recommendations, though sometimes I think it asks for too high a gear too early and seems to labour the engine a bit. Have you noticed that?

Though I guess the gear change recommendation is not based on anything more technical than monitoring which gear you are in and the revs that you are pulling it can't really detect what the road is doing so common sense on when to change has to prevail.

SlimAdy - I've managed to get the MPG up a bit now (approx 28mpg on my 8 mile trip) by driving to the gear change recommendations, though sometimes I think it asks for too high a gear too early and seems to labour the engine a bit. Have you noticed that?

Though I guess the gear change recommendation is not based on anything more technical than monitoring which gear you are in and the revs that you are pulling it can't really detect what the road is doing so common sense on when to change has to prevail.

Yep, I've noticed that too. It was useful for me, as coming from a diesel (> 5 years away from petrols) it helped get me quickly into what I could do in it!

Gradually opening it up a bit now, love the turbo whistle!

DocOc, if you really don't like the standard VRS upholstery you could always change it to full leather later on down the line. I paid Seat Surgeons in York a visit a couple of weeks ago to see about getting the door cards on the wife's Fabia VRS SE reskinned in leather. Whilst I was there I had the pleasure of seeing (and touching!) their leather products, and thought that their standard leather seats and door skins were lush, and great value at about £750. Even better was the nappa leather at about £900. Once you see their work, you’ll be joining the kids in chucking ice cream and sweets on your standard upholstery, just as an excuse to upgrade to leather!

DocOc, if you really don't like the standard VRS upholstery you could always change it to full leather later on down the line. I paid Seat Surgeons in York a visit a couple of weeks ago to see about getting the door cards on the wife's Fabia VRS SE reskinned in leather. Whilst I was there I had the pleasure of seeing (and touching!) their leather products, and thought that their standard leather seats and door skins were lush, and great value at about £750. Even better was the nappa leather at about £900. Once you see their work, you’ll be joining the kids in chucking ice cream and sweets on your standard upholstery, just as an excuse to upgrade to leather!

Ha ha! I'll bear that in mind, sounds really reasonable price wise.