Doing some research on new cars for next year, now I am very tempted to get a fully specced VRS Estate again - Leather all the mod cons. but I was somewhat surprised to see this car coming in around £21K fully loaded with leather from Seat dealers, Sat Nav, Bluetooth etc.:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/Seat-exeo-2.0-TDI-170-Se-Lux/240649/

Looks quite a tidy car and shares same DNA as our VRSs. Are Seat trying to close the gap with the VRS Estate clientelle?

Anyone had a close look at one of these?

The biggest difference I see is the boot space, if that is a factor for you.

The Seat is based on the old Audi A4 Avant, whereas the Octavia is based on the old Golf mkV.

Think they're trying to push the Exeo really, hence the tempting list price. And having not needed to tool up for a new model, do R&D etc - Audi have done it all for them! So will certainly have kept Seat's costs down.

Personally I'd go for the Octy - don't particularly like the Exeo's 'parts bin' approach of previous gen Audi A4 chassis, with a newer range of engines, and some interior tweaks.

Steve

Looks quite a tidy car and shares same DNA as our VRSs. Are Seat trying to close the gap with the VRS Estate clientelle?

It's based on the old Audi A4 so I'd argue it's not the same DNA as the Golf based Octavia. Only the engine in common(?).

Think it depends on what you want from a car. A collegue had an Exeo as a hire car, the boot isn't that big. I helped him load some boxes in to it and it was mare getting them in. Other than that it was ok, it didn't really excite in anyway though.

Boot dimensions are pretty similar between the two, actually - although can't speak for the relative ease of getting stuff in. Have been looking for cars with 1m+ long boots, and Octy (hatch and estate), A4 Avant, Golf Estate and Exeo ST all have them...

Boot dimensions are pretty similar between the two, actually - although can't speak for the relative ease of getting stuff in. Have been looking for cars with 1m+ long boots, and Octy (hatch and estate), A4 Avant, Golf Estate and Exeo ST all have them...

No there not:

Seat Exeo ST: 442

Octavia Estate: 580

The Octy VRS is also a FAR better looking car.

Guys, I am on my second VRS - like both the looks and performance of the car, but what is interesting to me is that fully specced Seats are sitting at dealers unclaimed, I wonder what I could get for £21K brand new wise for a VRS. By the time I add leather etc (BTW I think the interior shots I am seeing of the Exeo ST SE LUX looks very similar to leather specced VRS. I actually like the look of the thing too.

Nice shot of the interior here:

http://motorimpress.com/images/news/05.2010/seat-exeo-tech/seat-exeo-tech-01.jpg

Mmmmmmmmm

You can get a fully loaded Octy diesel DSG from drive the deal for sub £21k with Sat nav, bluetooth and leather.

Seat equivalent about £22k...

Octy looks far superior IMO.

No brainer...!

Guys, I am on my second VRS - like both the looks and performance of the car, but what is interesting to me is that fully specced Seats are sitting at dealers unclaimed, I wonder what I could get for £21K brand new wise for a VRS. By the time I add leather etc (BTW I think the interior shots I am seeing of the Exeo ST SE LUX looks very similar to leather specced VRS. I actually like the look of the thing too.

Playing devil's advocate here - but might there be a reason as to why there are example lying unclaimed?

No there not:

Seat Exeo ST: 442

Octavia Estate: 580

I briefly considered one as a replacement for my Honda Accord tourer until I had a good look at my brother's 2003 A4 Avant which is effectively the same car. The boot looked tiny which is borne out by the figures quoted.

My understanding is that the Exeo is an interim stop-gap until a new mid-sized Seat is ready. When that happens the current Exeo will look and feel very old IMHO.

Best regards

David

I had a look at one of these myself before ordering a new VRS CR. The issue I had with the Exeo, (wife has an A4 s-line),

Good Points:

Same engine as the VRS

Good spec for the money, most extras included

Multi function steering wheel

Full size spare wheel included

Bad points (in my opinion):

Old technology stereo

armrest is in the way of the handbreak when the break is on

No CD disk changer option

Handeling is a little artificial compared to the VRS, an issue I have with audi's

Not much left knee space

I tried a lot of cars before deciding on the VRS. I am very fussy as I do a lot of miles, you might find some of my opinion a little picky.

Cheers

SEAT EXEO ST 2.0 TDI (170 PS) SE LUX 5-Door REVO 200 BHP - £21940 - 639 miles

18In Alloy Wheels

Bluetooth Interface Telephone Equipment

Driver, Passenger And Side Air Bags

Electric Heated/Folding Door Mirrors

Full Size Steel Spare Wheel

Rain Sensor

Rear Parking Aid

Rear Windows Tinted Glass

Silver Roof Rails

Heated Front Seats

Full Leather.

Guys good points, but I am not comparing DTD - I am comparing with what a fully specced Skoda would cost from a franchised dealer like the Seat one above for the Exeo, actually looking at the list above, that looks like a lot of car for £22K. Looks like they are aiming at the VRS Estate market, ie us. I for one would consider one (as well as a VRS of course)

Edited 4 September, 201015 yr by VRS-LE-OCT-II

SEAT EXEO ST 2.0 TDI (170 PS) SE LUX 5-Door REVO 200 BHP - £21940 - 639 miles

18In Alloy Wheels

Bluetooth Interface Telephone Equipment

Driver, Passenger And Side Air Bags

Electric Heated/Folding Door Mirrors

Full Size Steel Spare Wheel

Rain Sensor

Rear Parking Aid

Rear Windows Tinted Glass

Silver Roof Rails

Heated Front Seats

Full Leather.

Guys good points, but I am not comparing DTD - I am comparing with what a fully specced Skoda would cost from a franchised dealer like the Seat one above for the Exeo, actually looking at the list above, that looks like a lot of car for £22K. Looks like they are aiming at the VRS Estate market, ie us. I for one would consider one (as well as a VRS of course)

why not compare with how cheaply you can get car?

Same spec octavia is £700 cheaper than that...

As said before the only thing it has going for it is that is similar in looks to the A4 avant. However back end is poor as is grill IMO.

Seeing as that A4 'B6' audi chassis is about 10 years old now it wont be around for long and as soon as new falimy tourer comes out second hand values will nose dive.

I got my brand new VRS CR Estate with a very similar spec to that (minus the bluetooth and folding mirrors) from a local dealer and only paid £19k. That is £3k less for a brand new car compared to a pre registered. I know where my money would go!!!!!!!!

was going to go for one of these before i ordered my vrs , it is the old a4 with the a4 cabriolet dash.

i am 6'4" and my eye line was level with the top of the windscreen, and the boot is very small

i tried my kit in the boot and i had more space in an avensis hatchback (04)

good price and good spec tho. was put off by reading somewhere that if seat did not turn around

vw would be dropping it as a brand.

No there not:

Seat Exeo ST: 442

Octavia Estate: 580

I've been round both with a tape measure, and it's only a few inches difference in each direction actually - the cubic capacity thing can be a bit misleading. As for comparing it to the Accord estate, though, I'm not sure there's much around with a boot as big as one of them!!!

Guys If I can get a fully loaded VRS for £19-20K, I know what I will be buying! But having had a chat with my local dealer when buying both of my VRSs countrywide, he did/does not budge, hence does not get my buisness, I just thought that spec was decent given the rrp of the vehicle and the mod cons, some that you cannot get on the VRS (heated seats) also given that it is sold as a "premium" brand above Skoda (and before anyone loses the rag, I think that is daft, but the way it is), also it looks like a special 200BHP Revo modification (or I could be wrong).

You can get heated seats on the vrs (have them on mine).

PSM I did not know that, can some tell me the "top" spec of a VRS CR 170, not interested in DSG. And what it cost them recently?

I had pretty much everything except sat nav, Xenons and silver roof bars on my estate and that came to £19k,

PSM, could you do a spec check with what you got for £19K against the list I added earlier for the Exeo, for example it has passenger and side airbags, I dont think this is an option. Did you have heated front seats? would be nice to compare what you got, that is included in the Exeo spec.

For example - some of the options below are not even available on the Skoda, ie marked with ***

18In Alloy Wheels

Bluetooth Interface Telephone Equipment

Driver, Passenger And ***Side Air Bags***

Electric Heated/***Folding Door Mirrors***

Full Size Steel Spare Wheel

Rain Sensor***

Rear Parking Aid

Rear Windows Tinted Glass

Silver Roof Rails

Heated Front Seats

Full Leather.

If a Skoda is available with this spec list above, I'd love to hear from any owners the best deal they got from an offical skoda dealer, as I say I found the car above off Seats official website, I guess what I am saying is that I think I'd struggle to get the same car (probably available cheaper too) but the car above also has a spec list that Skoda does not do at present ie noted ***.

My VRS has rain sensor and side airbags