I really appreciate this forum. There are few Skodas in New Zealand and having come from the US, my only exposure to them was as taxis in France....

For us at least the 1.8TSI was closest we would come to a perfect car. It's a pleasure. And I love the red exterior.

Some thoughts for others contemplating it:

1) They are really well designed. We owned a VW new beetle in the USA and the Skoda integration is familiar but has slight improvements.

2) It's really fun to drive; a turbo in New Zealand is wonderful with all the hills.

3) It has great safety/comfort features - probably the key decision in our purchase.

4) the hatchback holds an enormous amount for it's size.

5) I really like the rubber/textile boot mat. I'm also ordering the floormats as the supplied textile ones are thin and cheap.

6) FWIW (may offend some), the experience reminds me of Saab pre-GM; a great car with a small but dedicated following and some great features. Also an emphasis on what I would call superior "real-world" performance as opposed to muscle car/ racing car like performance which no one uses in regular life. A great mix of power and efficiency for those who don't need a car to compensate for small genitalia/ lack of confidence, but still enjoy driving.

Some mixed things:

1) I wish it came in manual at the 1.8TSI level. We got the steering wheel paddles and I wouldn't in retrospect do that again. A fun gimmick, but not really something we use regularly and not worth the money. I'm curious if anyone uses them on a daily basis?

2) The iphone works brilliantly with it with one serious caveat: the bluetooth phone is great. The MDI interface is pricey but works well.

The critical issue is mixture of two design flaws, one from the iphone, one from VW/Skoda. The iphone insists on searching for an A2DP bluetooth media streaming connection (in english, to send out music via bluetooth). You can't tell it "I only want phone communication through bluetooth, not music."

The Bolero system in theory allows you to turn on/off the ability to use bluetooth audio (music) streaming, but it doesn't work. Even if "Bluetooth Audio" is unchecked in the Bolero setup panel, it picks up the iphone A2DP bluetooth music and automatically gives it priority over the MDI connector.

In practice, this means if the iphone is connected via MDI and you start the car, the music works for a few seconds and then freezes. You have to unplug/plug the MDI which is annoying and unnecessary and could have been avoided.

3) No boot/trunk release button. It's only on the remote; so you have to take out the key, push down and hold the button if you are in the car and someone (your partner) for instance wants to put stuff in the trunk. Not critical, but annoying.

4) Noise (highway noise) is a bit high, but not a problem, just more so than the Acura TSX/Euro Accord that I had previously.

5) I wish a tan interior was a choice unlike the off-white that we were offered. It looked great in my Acura and in the Red Audi for instance. The black cloth is pretty good and very comfortable however.

6) I really wish you could more easily control the phone volume. The signal that the bluetooth has connected/disconnected every time you start the car is really loud if you don't turn down the volume after every call.

Not of these are critical, just minor niggles in the setting of everything else being so well thought out.

Hello there!

I will have to agree with most of what you've said, it is a lovely car.

But except on annoyances point 3 ....

"3) No boot/trunk release button. It's only on the remote; so you have to take out the key, push down and hold the button if you are in the car and someone (your partner) for instance wants to put stuff in the trunk. Not critical, but annoying."

If you press the unlock button on the center console (below the parking brake handle) it will unlock the boot and also the gas tank filler door. There is no need to take out the key....

Cheers!

You've picked the best model in the best colour :yes:

I agree - it is a great car. The 1.8TSi engine is awesome!!

The 1.8TSi is available as a manual in the UK.

I got the DSG with the multi-function steering wheel but no flappy paddles and no phone integration. I agree that the paddles are a gimmick that I would never use. I had phone integration in a previous car and quickly realised that I was incapable of concentrating on a phone call and driving at the same time - maybe just me but I now ignore my phone when it rings in the car.

As someone else said you can unlock the car with the switch on the centre console - have you missed the hatch release? There is a rubberised pad between the number plate lights that is the external release.

As far as the annoyance around the iPhone, there is a simple solution, get rid of the annoying iphone & get a proper phone

The good news is that its not only the Skoda brand that have issues with iphone connections

I will have to agree with most of what you've said, it is a lovely car.

But except on annoyances point 3 ....

If you press the unlock button on the center console (below the parking brake handle) it will unlock the boot and also the gas tank filler door. There is no need to take out the key....

I think the OP means boot release not unlock. Hence he refers to the feature on the keyfob...

This feature actually pops open the boot, all the button on the centre console does is unlock it.

I too would like a feature that physically opens the boot so that as the driver you can open the boot from inside the car if your passenger returns with their hands full.

I think the OP means boot release not unlock. Hence he refers to the feature on the keyfob...

This feature actually pops open the boot, all the button on the centre console does is unlock it.

I too would like a feature that physically opens the boot so that as the driver you can open the boot from inside the car if your passenger returns with their hands full.

Oh... ok. is this what you are looking for??

There's a mod people do for this. I saw it posted here somewhere, you are going to have to search for it. It involves changing the hydraulic arms and attaching a spring I believe.

Interior tailgate release is the one feature I miss. So handy to have a lever by the drivers seat...........................................

I think the OP means boot release not unlock. Hence he refers to the feature on the keyfob...

This feature actually pops open the boot, all the button on the centre console does is unlock it.

I too would like a feature that physically opens the boot so that as the driver you can open the boot from inside the car if your passenger returns with their hands full.

Yes, that's what I mean. It's not a killer, but other VWs, like the beetle have this and it's nice.

. I had phone integration in a previous car and quickly realised that I was incapable of concentrating on a phone call and driving at the same time - maybe just me but I now ignore my phone when it rings in the car.

.

I to have found myself quite incapable of both driving the car and talking/listening on the phone.

So rather than just ignoring the phone ringing and distracting me I just switch it completely off.

Sorted

Edited 31 October, 201015 yr by ramonford

I to have found myself quite incapable of both driving the car and talking/listening on the phone.

So rather than just ignoring the phone ringing and distracting me I just switch it completely off.

Sorted

I would do the same but I have TomTom traffic and it needs the bluetooth connection via the phone to get traffic updates. If I remember I just stick it in silent mode but unlike some folk I have no problem at all ignoring a ringing phone!