Well I have my 24hr test drive in the new Octy, 1.9TDi Ambiente. I like everything about the car excpet the engine! I drove my wifes 1.6LX octy (75bhp) to the dealer, as I did not want to leave my vRs there for 24hrs.

Despite being supposedly 30bhp more powerful the 1.9 TDi is very sluggish compared with the 1.6 petrol. Other than that the car is lovely, with a much better designed cabin. Have noticed a noise from the back that made it sound as if the doors or windows were not fully closed (but they were).

Also even at 80mph the 1.9TDi was very noisey compared with either the 1.6 or 1.8T.

Sorry folks I am still not convinced of the virtues of deisel other than the economy. It just is not pleasant to live with.

However perhaps I am being harsh and it will grow on me this evening when I intend putting some mileage on the car.

Now we need to hear Jonnos views as he said he'd keep stum until after your drive.

Now we need to hear Jonnos views as he said he'd keep stum until after your drive.

Well I will post a more fuller evaluation on Monday after I have had my 24hrs with the car.

Was rather shocked that the car has 24hr Test Drive vehicle plastered down both sides

Now we need to hear Jonnos views as he said he'd keep stum until after your drive.

While we wait for that, jmtpw........

Interior - plusher and better quality than current Octy. Some "harder" plastics, but not cheap & unpleasant a la Citroen Paxo. The seats *look& smaller, but fit better. And as for those a/c dials "wit dem littel flashy tings" as my mate said, oh yes.

Engine - 1.9TDI (105bhp) Given that its a bigger car than the present OCty, and less power than my 2.0 petrol, I wasn't expecting to be blowing fiat punto's into hedges or anything. However, Torque is where it's at. It didn't disappoint. On a lighter note, you *might* find pressing the "loud" pedal a bit more or changing gear brings much more shove.......

Windnoise (I assume that's the noise being referred to) - yes, there is a little more, but it's hardly noticeable, and if you're having fun, why bother. The VW Passat suffers the same strange experience of it sounding like the doors/windows in the back are open when they're not. It's strange, but frankly, I'd rather have that than trim round the gear lever popping off with every shift (Ford Mondeo, 53 reg), and trim around handbrake falling off at the slightest touch (Saab 93, 54 reg) - both demonstrators I've tried in the last year.........the octy, by comparision, was sound.

While we wait for that' date=' jmtpw........

Interior - plusher and better quality than current Octy. Some "harder" plastics, but not cheap & unpleasant a la Citroen Paxo. The seats *look& smaller, but fit better. And as for those a/c dials "wit dem littel flashy tings" as my mate said, oh yes.

Engine - 1.9TDI (105bhp) Given that its a bigger car than the present OCty, and less power than my 2.0 petrol, I wasn't expecting to be blowing fiat punto's into hedges or anything. However, Torque is where it's at. It didn't disappoint. On a lighter note, you *might* find pressing the "loud" pedal a bit more or changing gear brings much more shove.......

Windnoise (I assume that's the noise being referred to) - yes, there is a little more, but it's hardly noticeable, and if you're having fun, why bother. The VW Passat suffers the same strange experience of it sounding like the doors/windows in the back are open when they're not. It's strange, but frankly, I'd rather have that than trim round the gear lever popping off with every shift (Ford Mondeo, 53 reg), and trim around handbrake falling off at the slightest touch (Saab 93, 54 reg) - both demonstrators I've tried in the last year.........the octy, by comparision, was sound.[/quote']

Java man, don't get me wrong, I like the car, and it was my wife who complained about the wind noise, I could barely notice over the deisel racket . I don't get this torque, people tell me this compensates for the lower power often developed by the deisel engine. I deliberately have not compared this test car with the performance vRS but with the 75bhp 1.6 petrol. Compared with that lower power Petrol the 1.9TDi feels gutless, so where is this torque and what is it supposed to feel like?

All in all I am sure I would have enjoyed a test in one of the petrol FSI engined versions more. Certainly is beetr rear leg room. The ankle biter seemd much further away from me when he was strapped in the back .

'beetr' god my typing is getting worse

Compared with that lower power Petrol the 1.9TDi feels gutless' date=' so where is this torque and what is it supposed to feel like?

All in all I am sure I would have enjoyed a test in one of the petrol FSI engined versions more. Certainly is beetr rear leg room. The ankle biter seemd much further away from me when he was strapped in the back .

[/quote']

Put your foot down in 2nd gear and find out.........

AS for ankle bitter - there is a bit more room, but i think you'll find you just couldn't hear him over the windnoise.

Put your foot down in 2nd gear and find out.........

AS for ankle bitter - there is a bit more room' date=' but i think you'll find you just couldn't hear him over the windnoise.[/quote']

Well I could be that I am just not experienced with drivind deisel engined cars.

One or thing I noticed was that I cant seem to get the trip computer to show mpg, only how many miles worth of fuel left in the tank.

One or thing I noticed was that I cant seem to get the trip computer to show mpg' date=' only how many miles worth of fuel left in the tank.[/quote']

Which, to me, is infinitely more useful than seeing what the car is currently drinking. That's the only criticism I have of my Octy,(apart from it's bad behaviour recently).

IIRC the new one will show you current avg and current. It'st a matter of finding it. Can't remember if they changed the graphic, but avergage should be illustrated with a zero with a diagonal line through it (much like a de-restricted sign).

HTH

Compared with that lower power Petrol the 1.9TDi feels gutless' date=' so where is this torque and what is it supposed to feel like?

[/quote']

Most of the "performance" of the engine will be due to it being turbo-charged...therefore, not a lot's going to happen until it's on boost. This will mean that it will feel sluggish until the turbo kicks in...once you get the hang of keeping the revs in the relatively narrow powerband it should be alright.

Unless they have managed to get the engine/transmission wrong...

Rob.

I've driven both the 105 bhp and the 140 bhp and managed to be disappointed by both for different reasons. I've driven the 105bhp on two occasions and have to agree with william in that i too find it gutless( perhaps i've been spoiled by the furby's), the handling/steering though were much better than the 130bhp elegance estate that i had for 6 months. The 140 bhp, well that was fun, press the go peddle and to certainly does go! what disappoints me though is having to pay an extra

I own a 105 BHP diesel, a successor to the previous 110 BHP diesel. Quite happy with the performance and can easily get 60+ MPG on shortish motorway runs with up to 70 MPG on long ones.

I had a 140 BHP diesel on loan for a week. It was great fun and still very economical. I was regularly tempted to drive in "boy racer" mode.

At the end of the week I was wondering if I should have bought the 140 but finally decided that it is too powerful for my requirements.

I've got the new Octavia 1.9PD Elegance, and yeah, the diesel is certainly clattery, esp. when cold, and there is noticable wind noise. However, there's plenty of boost in 2nd gear as well as 3rd, and even in 5th it manages to accelerate. The diesel does take a bit of getting used to, esp. if coming from a petrol car (I managed to stall the first few times). But it's built well, and has some nice toys. All in all, I think it's better than the previous Octavia.

I stalled once as well, although only once, unlike when I have the displeasure of driving my parent-in-law turbo diesel Focus. Apparantly the wind noise is due to a fault with the rear half light windows and the cars are subject to a recall to have it fixed.

"Apparantly the wind noise is due to a fault with the rear half light windows and the cars are subject to a recall to have it fixed"

The courtesy car I had was very bad for wind noise. When I returned it, the dealer advised that they had sussed what it was and that Skoda were doing a recall. I just find it absolutely amazing that something like that hasn't already been picked up and resolved during pre release testing etc. I can understand that components (e.g. coil packs!) failing won't get picked up til the first batch start failing but to miss something that happens in every day use is beyond comprehension (to me anyway)

Is the 1.4 not a bit underpowered for what is quite a big car?and why do car mags group tests lump it in with astra/focus .etc.I always think of mine as big car certainly in mondeo?vectra class and certainly as big as my last car(A4) :confused:

I have never driven the 1.4 16V 75bhp, although I have driven a pre-facelift Octavia 1.6 8V 75bhp (older engine than the 102 bhp 1.6), and the car has plenty of power for everyday driving.

The Octy is an in between. Its over all size would fall into the Vectra etc size group, but its passenger size would be Astra/Golf etc. Magazines sometimes compare it with one group or the other. In fact the latest what Car does a group test of Octy against Golf, Astra, Focus, while in the same magazines towing tests they group it with the Vectra etc.

Its over all size would fall into the Vectra etc size group, but its passenger size would be Astra/Golf etc.

Not so my last but one car was a Vectra and I ran Cavaliers for 10 years before that.

My first Octavia (Feb 2000) had similar interior room to the Vectra and the Cavs. The Mk2 Octavia has even more room than the Mk1 as well as an enormous boot.

Compared to the BMW 3 series it has substantially more interior space.

It is a large family car in every way. That is how Which rate it and I agree with them.

I have little experience with the Vectra, but a Mondeo is much roomier and even a Focus has a roomier cabin. The Octy is all boot. The rear leg room is atrocious.

Most of the noise on ours it road noise from the cheap tyres.

Deisel definitely takes practice to get the most out of.

I have little experience with the Vectra, but a Mondeo is much roomier and even a Focus has a roomier cabin. The Octy is all boot. The rear leg room is atrocious.

I agree about the Focus, it is amazingly large inside for its overall size. Ford appear to be bucking the trend.