Hi

With the Skoda not having a multi-function stearing wheel I am looking at other options. The Mazda 3 seems a lot of car for the money with the amount of kit as standard while I have always liked the Seat Leon. Any thoughts on these cars? Perhaps someone might like to try and push me towards the Skoda even without the MFSW.

Thanks Michael.

Whilst they're also both good cars, the Octavia is much bigger inside! You could put one of the others in the Octy's boot! I didn't like the 3's interior either-it's way too gloomy. I've also read a lot about the Leon's ride quality-very hard on the FR\Cupra models I believe.

Alternatively, can the MFSW not be retrofitted?

PS I read this slogan on another forum: 'Real cars are made with spanners, not chopsticks!'

I have just converted from a 56' reg Leon FR diesel to a vRS DSG diesel. The PD engine in the Leon is very punchy and whilst the CR engine drags the power out the engine in the Leon gives it everything in the space of 2,500 rpm. I loved the Leon and round corners it felt a lot more planted than my current vRS (perhaps this will change when my Eibachs are fitted).

However, I have 2 kids both under 3 and I couldn't live with a boot as small as the Leon's and the build quality was questionable.

Without kids though I would of had another FR with the DSG box I think although the Octy is growing on me!

Micky H

if youre looking at new then copied from brochure

Available on Octavia vRS

Black ‘vRS’ leather seats £708.33 £141.67 £850.00

Bluetooth® and telephone function for multi-function

steering wheel (DSG only) ††† £329.17 £65.83 £395.00

Auto dimming rear view mirror, rain sensor and light

assistant (coming home and tunnel light) £141.67 £28.33 £170.00

Sprint Yellow / Race Blue paint £366.67 £73.33 £440.00

Xenon headlights and AFS II, with dynamic angle control

and integrated front headlight washers £625.00 £125.00 £750.00

However if youre buying second hand, then i will say that having had a very good MFSW for 2 years on my Fiat & having come back to a car without one, then all I will say is that with the Octy & its layout i would say its NOT essential, its a very nice to have.

Because I waited so long to get my car, I was thinking about cancelling & looked @ Mazda 3 TS2Sport, plenty of toys for the price, but as it is based on a Ford, i felt (probably not correct but IMO )that quality & space wise it wasnt up to VAG & specifically the 2 previous MK1 Octys I have kept me swayed to the Octy. ( if i won one or was given one, based on neighbours experiences trying to sell privately, this one i would sell immediately )

Having had SEAT's as Hire cars, interior wise these were dark, & didnt feel good quality, & closed in, the Cupras I had seemed sporty, with limited rear seating room, the boot was acceptable for a car of that size, but just wasnt my choice. ( If i won one or somone gave me one i wouldnt sell it as an unwanted item )

Understand that people will disagree with my comments above, but given the options, I would take the Octy without an mfsw for its ride, comfort, space, other toys / options & value for money.

Get a MFSW fitted if it's needed that much. Give Ben at Shark a shout for a retrofit price.

The PD engine in the Leon is very punchy and whilst the CR engine drags the power out the engine in the Leon gives it everything in the space of 2,500 rpm.

New Seat Leons are equiped with the same CR engines as the Octavia range so this is no longer a differentiator.

I am a bit surprised that anyone consider a MFSW to be a 'deal breaker'. I have had cars with and without MFSW and whilst they are a nice extra, they'd be a long way down on my list of important kit. Some people obviously see things differently. This morning I saw a billboard ad for a Peugeot "with Intergrated TomTom for only £XXX a month". I was really surprised at the ad copywriters would consider intergrated TomTom such a big selling point that they headline in the ad? Nowhere on the ad did it give the engine size or horsepower....

I am a bit surprised that anyone consider a MFSW to be a 'deal breaker'. I have had cars with and without MFSW and whilst they are a nice extra, they'd be a long way down on my list of important kit. Some people obviously see things differently. This morning I saw a billboard ad for a Peugeot "with Intergrated TomTom for only £XXX a month". I was really surprised at the ad copywriters would consider intergrated TomTom such a big selling point that they headline in the ad? Nowhere on the ad did it give the engine size or horsepower....

Hi

Speaking from a personal point of view there are enough s...t drivers about without me taking my eyes off the road to alter the stereo and talk on the phone!

This would be a deal breaker for me and I would be unhappy paying extra to retro fit an item that should be standard on a car in this price bracket.

The fact that it is standard on a number of other Skoda's is even more of a joke.

Michael.

If you like the rest of the car better than the other possible contenders - buy it. If not, buy one of the other two. But it seems like madness to let one accessory put you off the whole car; especially when there's a solution.

There's nothing you can do about Skoda's decision to not fit an MSFW. So triumph over them by having it fitted afterwards!

I have just converted from a 56' reg Leon FR diesel to a vRS DSG diesel. The PD engine in the Leon is very punchy and whilst the CR engine drags the power out the engine in the Leon gives it everything in the space of 2,500 rpm. I loved the Leon and round corners it felt a lot more planted than my current vRS (perhaps this will change when my Eibachs are fitted).

However, I have 2 kids both under 3 and I couldn't live with a boot as small as the Leon's and the build quality was questionable.

Without kids though I would of had another FR with the DSG box I think although the Octy is growing on me!

Go with FSD's, WALK and rear ARB as well as the Eibachs and the Octy vrs will wipe the floor with your old leon, for handling and comfort!

Driven a Leon FR CR and it felt practically the same as my Octy. The only differences were the stiffer suspension (slightly too firm but not the worst I've driven), the smaller interior (by quite a bit) and the hideous dashboard which looks like they stuck several completely different bits to the bulkhead with super glue. Build wise I don't think there's much in it as I've had a few trim issues with the Octy as has the FR owner.

I couldn't live with a boot as small as the Leon's and the build quality was questionable.

+1

I am a bit surprised that anyone consider a MFSW to be a 'deal breaker'. I have had cars with and without MFSW and whilst they are a nice extra, they'd be a long way down on my list of important kit. Some people obviously see things differently. This morning I saw a billboard ad for a Peugeot "with Intergrated TomTom for only £XXX a month". I was really surprised at the ad copywriters would consider intergrated TomTom such a big selling point that they headline in the ad? Nowhere on the ad did it give the engine size or horsepower....

To be fair to the ad writers I certainly know a lot more people who would be interested in integrated Tomtom and not fussed about engine size or horsepower, many of my friends couldn't even tell me what engine size they had never mind the horsepower. I agree with you on the MFSW, would have liked it in the Octavia but it wouldn't change my choice of car at all.

I liked the last Seat I had but this time the Leon wasn't in consideration due to the small and impractical boot.

John

I have just converted from a 56' reg Leon FR diesel to a vRS DSG diesel. The PD engine in the Leon is very punchy and whilst the CR engine drags the power out the engine in the Leon gives it everything in the space of 2,500 rpm. I loved the Leon and round corners it felt a lot more planted than my current vRS (perhaps this will change when my Eibachs are fitted).

However, I have 2 kids both under 3 and I couldn't live with a boot as small as the Leon's and the build quality was questionable.

Without kids though I would of had another FR with the DSG box I think although the Octy is growing on me!

I agree with you Moley. I'm currently driving a 58 plate Leon and the suspension is rock hard. It's great fun and one of the best car's I have driven for power and handling. The all round package is more appealing and individual than other "run of the mill" brands such as Ford or Mazda but (and it is a big BUT) the Leon is impractical in terms of space hence my next choice being the Octy VRS. I don't rate my local Seat dealer either.

i would echo the above post whilst the leon is a hard ride the handling is excellent! it depends what your wanting if your not worried about space the leon would be my choice but if its more comfort and practicality you need then its the octy all day long

Go with FSD's, WALK and rear ARB as well as the Eibachs and the Octy vrs will wipe the floor with your old leon, for handling and comfort!

Perhaps, but out if the box without spending money the Leon was far better.

I fitted a new steering rack to a Leon MkII on Saturday. There is very very little difference mechanically between a Leon and Octavia, all the major components are the same. The Leon has a slightly smaller and lighter bodyshell and the spring rate might be slightly higher, but there is not much in it at all.

I used to own a Golf V GTI TFSI at the same time as my Octavia TFSI. A lot of the road tests said that the Golf had 'quicker steering' and 'sharper turn-in'. In fact the rack, dampers, springs were the same and I could hardly detect any difference in the way that they drove. You did notice the greater weight at the back of the Octavia, but that's about it. In fact I noticed much more of a handling difference between the Diesel and Petrol vRS's, than between the petrol vRS and the GTI.

MickyH - made your mind up yet ?

MickyH - made your mind up yet ?

Hi

Going to test drive a Mazda 3 185 Sport at the weekend. I have been a passenger in one recently and was very impressed. It comes with sat nav,bose,heated seats and front and rear screens, folding mirrors and the all important mfsw.

Michael.

MickyH - made your mind up yet ?

Hi

To be honest I don't really need the extra space that the Octavia would bring. I am also quite keen on a car with a rear wiper as I have to reverse out of my garage area every day and at the moment I have to wipe the rear screen every day by hand!

As my BMW is only 18 months old I am hoping to nearly do a straight swap for a car with having to put any cash down or sell the BMW privately first.

Michael.

There's a wiper on the back of my Octavia vRS, and a mfsw. But I have the DSG model.

The cabin space, not the boot space, is the reason I went for the Octavia. Felt far less cramped than the golf, A3, focus and S40 I test drove 6 mths ago.

Lets hope SUK policy on options is a bit more sensible in future. I miss the MFSW as I had one on my previous car, it was not a deal breaker but I'd probably have had one if I could have. At the risk of repeating myself I find it bizarre that you can't even specify electrically folding mirrors on the VRS in the UK when you can get them in other markets.

Edited 17 February, 201115 yr by juan27

I'd love the diesel cabin heater but you can only get that in Scandinavian markets. Shame as it'd have been brilliant when we had -15 a few months back.

Hell, even on the Octavia, 18's, rear electric windows and an arm rest (jumbo) only came as standard after 57 plate. Tight buggers.

The Mazda will be typically Japanese and laden with gadgets as standard. Apparently the trim is also typically Japanese though in that its well built but feels hard and a bit tacky. That's personal taste though but all the Jap cars I've both owned and been in have been like that to a degree. CRX, MR2 (owned), 626, Impreza, Accord, Jazz, CTR, Evo, Supra (been in) - all rock solid inside but felt slightly lacking in the plushness stakes. The use of shiny black plastic was a tad excessive which is probably what did it.