Cheers PSM, I am slowly getting my head around what the options are on the latest "fully loaded" VRS Estates are.

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!!!

Those few inches do make a difference. I've unloaded from my VRS to a collegues A4. He had to drop the seats to get it in, I didn't.

Although the seat does seem to have plenty of goodies, it's worth thinking about how many of them actually matter. Bluetooth, get a parrot thing. Or even better pull over and take the call. Rainsensor, VRS has it. It's ok, although can be annoying. The rest, apart from the folding mirrors can be had on the VRS.

Why not arrange test drives in both, after all, all the toys in the world won't make up for it if it's a crap drive.

Those few inches do make a difference. I've unloaded from my VRS to a collegues A4. He had to drop the seats to get it in, I didn't.

Although the seat does seem to have plenty of goodies, it's worth thinking about how many of them actually matter. Bluetooth, get a parrot thing. Or even better pull over and take the call. Rainsensor, VRS has it. It's ok, although can be annoying. The rest, apart from the folding mirrors can be had on the VRS.

Why not arrange test drives in both, after all, all the toys in the world won't make up for it if it's a crap drive.

OK, so first-hand experience beats tape measures beats quoting figures off the Parker's website. Pity, as although the Exeo's styling is clearly the result of an A4 and an Ibiza being left alone in a garage for nine months, I like it more than I do the Octy - especially the FL version.

Oh well, if the Exeo's out, then I guess the S4 Avant I saw on Autotrader is too... :(

Just thinking about the spec question, it strikes me that you are comparing two cars directed at slightly different markets. It would seem to me that the 'SE LUX' variant is much more akin to the Octy L&K?

I would be surprised if this spec Exeo was setup in the same 'sporty' way as the vRS...

Depends what you're after of course, just seems that it's not quite a straight comparison. Although it would now seem that most of the spec is now available on the FL vRS, like the rain sensor - this never used to be selectable.

Cheers,

Steve

Steve check this out:

SEAT EXEO ST 2.0 TDI (170 PS) SE LUX 5-Door REVO 200 BHP (that looks to me like a souped up VRS! rather than an L+K - same engine as the VRS but given a little pep)

http://www.supercar.co.uk/HighResImage.aspx?DefaultImage=seat&Id=601035220&UC=2&View=1

http://www.supercar.co.uk/HighResImage.aspx?DefaultImage=seat&Id=601035220&UC=2&View=2

http://www.supercar.co.uk/HighResImage.aspx?DefaultImage=seat&Id=601035220&UC=2&View=3

http://www.supercar.co.uk/HighResImage.aspx?DefaultImage=seat&Id=601035220&UC=2&View=4

http://www.supercar.co.uk/HighResImage.aspx?DefaultImage=seat&Id=601035220&UC=2&View=5

http://www.supercar.co.uk/HighResImage.aspx?DefaultImage=seat&Id=601035220&UC=2&View=6

As I said I was suprised given the spec of this car it seemed a low price. But if a similar spec VRS in Graphie is £19K I'd buy the VRS first.

Fair enough. Still reckon as an A4 that would have been the Sport model, rather than the S-Line though

But yeah, hear what you're saying

Steve

http://www.supercar.co.uk/HighResImage.aspx?DefaultImage=seat&Id=601035220&UC=2&View=6

Providing Seat haven't downgraded the interior trim too much, I reckon that would be a nice place to sit.

Just wish those ******** at Skoda would make a MFSW available for a non-DSG vRS

Just thinking about the spec question, it strikes me that you are comparing two cars directed at slightly different markets. It would seem to me that the 'SE LUX' variant is much more akin to the Octy L&K?

I would be surprised if this spec Exeo was setup in the same 'sporty' way as the vRS...

Depends what you're after of course, just seems that it's not quite a straight comparison. Although it would now seem that most of the spec is now available on the FL vRS, like the rain sensor - this never used to be selectable.

Cheers,

Steve

let me say: if you want an Audi, buy an Audi, not a Seat that looks like an (old) Audi

my 2c

There is a reason for the Exeo price, it just is not selling at all so Seat are pricing them low to shift them. This has an effect on residuals and they are losing money hand over fist because nobody wants what is in effect an old shape Audi A4 based on a nearly 10 year old design. The Exeo dash is quiet complicated and the layout can be confusing because of its dated design.

There is a reason for the Exeo price, it just is not selling at all so Seat are pricing them low to shift them. This has an effect on residuals and they are losing money hand over fist because nobody wants what is in effect an old shape Audi A4 based on a nearly 10 year old design.

A quick check at DtD shows that a £23.5K diesel Exeo Tourer (discounted price) has a residual value approx £500 LESS than a £20K vRS diesel Estate (discounted price). Both prices are with some extras.

In truth, VAG have probably forced Seat to pitch the Exeo more at the Passat level, whereas the market sees it as an overpriced Octavia, hence the poor residuals.

I test drove an exeo estate CR 140(admittedly SE, not SE Lux) and octavia vRS CR back to back - I bought the octavia because the interior of the exeo was dated looking, full of fiddly little buttons (especially for the climate control), the centre armrest made it virtually impossible to pull the handbrake up, and the octavia's boot looked a lot bigger (wider). The interior on the FL octavia looked so much more fresh and modern with the white instrument illumination. At the time a fully kitted out vRS was cheaper than the list price of the exeo SE CR140 estate. The exeo also had a few rattles even though it only done a few hundred miles. It just seemed bland and dull compared to the vRS

And since buying the octavia I think I've seen 3 exeos on the road, and lots of FL octavias - show's which one's selling best as they came out at fairly similar time! I imagine the depreciation on an exeo would be quite steep

Providing Seat haven't downgraded the interior trim too much, I reckon that would be a nice place to sit.

This is almost the same as my face lifted Audi A3 I had from new in December 2000 .

Seat have used major bits of Audi leftovers before. I remember when I had the A3 my brother was looking at a new Seat Leon which effectively had the pre-face lift A3 interior.

Interesting views chaps, I think when you see the differential between the rrp of the Exeo ST SE Lux and the price some are sitting on the forecourts of some Seat dealers you can see what is selling more, I forgot about the MFSW not yet an option on Skoda manual cars. Anyway been interesting to see what the differences in spec and price are with - what looks to me like the nearest competitor in the VAG stable to our VRSi Estates.

Has it become a no-brainer yet?

Nearly Steve, I'd love to get as close to that spec with a VRS estate and see what it costs, lets not fofget there - is a REVO 200 BHP tweak, MFSW, on manual gearbox, Blu-tooth, Leather, Heated, Side Airbags, Full size spare, privacy glass, silver rails, folding mirrors, graphite colour option (is that a cost on the VRs?), park sensors, rain sensors, xenons, anyway the price is £21900 at the Seat Dealer, sure that could be haggled down, all I know is that a fully loaded VRS to the hilt (with every option) should be circa £20K - the difference is actually achieveing that from a dealer near you.

Just looked at the Skoda national VRS estate locator, best one I can see is a DSG white, MFSW, Leather, 6K on clock, Dealer asking £21,500 for that.

Edited 7 September, 201015 yr by VRS-LE-OCT-II

Guys just "created" a VRS with all the trimmings on the Skoda website, cough splutter: £24,590. Not even DSG or Sat Nav! Gulp. I then checked the offers - VAT & 0% price and the NO VAT price is £18,140, Adding the £3.3K of Extras will take the VRS to £21.5K. I included Graphite paint at £410, In fact here:

Comfort Acoustic front and rear parking sensors £515

Maxi-dot trip computer £130

Sunset glass (from B-pillar back) £210

Safety Auto dimming rear view mirror, rain sensor and light assistant (coming home, leaving home, tunnel, daylight) £155

Curtain airbags £290

Xenon headlights and AFS II, with dynamic angle control and front headlight washers £720

Steering wheel / interior / seats Heated front and rear leather seats £175

vRS leather upholstery £820

Radio / navigation / telephone MDI (Mobile Device Interface) £155

Functionality Silver roof rails £130

So with the Interest Free & No VAT offer, it is coming in at £21.5K for a fully loaded manual VRS.

I’d be surprised to see a VRS with this spec below £20K TBH. But if £21 is the price for a loaded VRS like the one above, I know what I will be buying!

Have you checked the price for this spec on Drive the Deal? I suspect it will be cheaper than the £21k on the Skoda website. I got my estate without the front sensors, curtain airbags, silver bars, MDI and Xenons for £19k so with the cost of those extras would push you over the £20k mark. DO not forget the VAT free offer is on the options too hence you can take a little off the price of those too.

I would ask do you need all the options you have speced? You could drop the price a fair bit by taking off some of the items. The options I left off (that you have speced) I decided were not worth the money to me.

Front sensors: I can see the front of the car easily.

Silver roof bars: Prefer black bars on darker cars (have a race blue one). Also think silver ones look cheap on a dark car (just my personal preference).

Xenons: Do not do much night driving and what I do is mainly on streetlit roads so do not see the benefit. Also find the standard lights are good anyway.

MDI: Did not like the fact I had to spend another £25 for the cable to make it work. Never been that impressed with factory fit ipod system before and find the Aux plug on my preFL octy worked perfectly well anyway and is part of the standard spec.

Curtain airbags: Have front and side airbags so did not see the benefit. A bit of a gamble maybe but do not intend to crash anyway!!!!!!!!!!!

Good points PSM. All along I am just trying to see what the correlation in price is for a new VRS with that EXEO though. Some interesting views though, food for thought.

What I'm taking from this is that they're throwing toys/spec at the Exeo in order to try and shift them. In order that people are tempted by them against competitor models, in this case from within the VAG family.

Good points PSM. All along I am just trying to see what the correlation in price is for a new VRS with that EXEO though. Some interesting views though, food for thought.

Also remember that Exeo is an ex-demo so you won't be the first owner and it's got 700 hard-driven miles on it.

Just specced up the car you have detailed above on drive the deal. Comes in at £19727. Thats brand new from a Skoda dealer, albeit one that may not be local to you, but they will deliver it to you for that price (assuming you are in England).

Even if you are not prepared to buy via drive the deal, that is a good staring point for haggling and I'd imagine that you'd be able to get one for under £21k from most dealers.

Edited 12 September, 201015 yr by Stevoraith

I tested a Seat Exeo before I tested a VRs estate. I found the Seat cramped and dark inside with very little storage space. The ride was also very harsh. I stepped into the VRs and it was a thousand times smoother and handled much better - the Seat understeers lots with all that weight out front (longitudinal engine!).

For me it was a no brainer - especially with the VAT free deal at the time!

VERY happy with VRs - just can't get the keys away from my wife!!!