Betty has gone in for a bit of paintwork repair; the dealer's oaf scratched her while she was in for service a few weeks back. They've loaned me an Octavia for a few days. Interesting comparison.

Not sure what engine is in the Octavia. Diesel certainly ... the TDI badge is all silver, no red letters, does that mean it's the 110bhp version? If it is I'm surprised at how well it goes. Pulls really well and feels smooth and quiet. Not as rapid as the 170 in Betty, but I certainly wasn't disappointed with it in town or on the twisty road across the hills from the dealers in Bradford to home near Hebden Bridge. Wonder how it would be on the motorway? Probably won't get time to find out.

Has the DSG gearbox. I haven't driven many automatics, think the last one was a hire car in the US about 6/7 years ago, and I've never been impressed and always said I'd only ever have a manual. Mmmmm ... may be time to change my mind. Experimented with the Drive, Sport, and the Manual changes. Once I'd got out of the habit of searching for something to do with my left foot I began to really enjoy it. Pootling in town was so much easier and less tiring (especially as I have an arthritic left knee - too much skiing and rugby). The Sport setting was great fun on the twisty bits over Oxenhope Moor. Not sure in what circumstances I'd even bother to use it as a manual?

Handling in the twisty bits not as sure footed, and didn't seem to be so much grip. I guess (a no 4x4 and (b the bigger rear overhang are both factors here. Felt closer to having the rear end break away. Also wallowed more in the bends, which surprised me a little - I thought the height and longer suspension travel on Betty would make things the other way round, but Betty is noticeably tauter. The Octavia felt heavier too (no idea if it really is or if that's just the way it feels). Certainly feel Betty could be driven faster cross country with more confidence.

Less wind noise in the Octy, as expected, but surprisingly (to me) seemed to be more tyre noise. Both cars impressively quiet overall though.

Up the steep farm track to my house noticeably less grip on the gravel and mud surface; but that's partly why we got rid of our previous Volvo (Octavia no worse than that). Liked the DSG here too though; always awkward to choose the right gear on the steep bits of the track in Betty, constantly switching between 1st and 2nd. The DSG simply did it better. I was surprised, I thought the road would confuse it, but no way! I even tried to upset it with foot on and off the gas at odd moments but it was completely unfazed. Liking this more and more.

Inside was familiar. Could see the design themes common to Yeti and Octavia (and the Fabia I had when Betty was being serviced). Not sure what trim level this is, but it's very comfortable and everything is solid and good quality. A niche up from the Fabia certainly (that was pretty basic and raw). Liked the look of the bottle holder slightly angled back towards the driver in the door, seemed better than the upright one in the Yeti. Liked the fact that the front seat squab is longer and gave more support behind my legs/knees - that was more comfortable than Betty. Trade off was that I didn't like the seat back. The 'wings' should in principle be more supportive (and I certainly moved about less) but I'm pretty broad across the back and found them a bit 'tight'. Think I'd ache on a long journey. Can I have an Octavia squab and a Yeti backrest please? Felt oddly claustrophobic overhead, having got used to Betty's headroom. Probably wouldn't have noticed if I'd come straight from my previous Volvo V50.

Felt odd too getting out of it, closing the door, and having the roofline at about chest height. Seemed a very low car, but again probably just because I've got so used to Betty.

Didn't feel so 'special' on the road. Maybe just the rarity value (which might decline) but Betty feels 'different' and seems to attract admiring glances/turn heads. The Octavia is just 'ordinary', there's dozens of them around.

Would I swap? No. Would I be happy to own an Octavia if Betty wasn't an option? Yes.

Would I swap? No. Would I be happy to own an Octavia if Betty wasn't an option? Yes.

Bob worth getting a demo of a Octavia VRS CR170! :p

Bob worth getting a demo of a Octavia VRS CR170! :p

Yes, I'm sure that's a very different beastie!

It was the 1.6TDi CR engined Octavia you had, 105bhp with 250Nm of torque. Not a bad engine at all, plus the DSG really is very good. It uses the newer 7 speed twin-dry clutch system.

Assuming the Octavia has done a few miles, check out the MPG is can get if you drive it with economy in mind! Pretty impressive for a fair size automatic car!

It was the 1.6TDi CR engined Octavia you had, 105bhp with 250Nm of torque.

Really? How do you know? Just by the badging? Even more impressed then, I'd assumed it was a 2.0. Not planning to drive it far enough to fill up and check the fuel consumption though - I'll have to take your word for that.

Betty has gone in for a bit of paintwork repair; the dealer's oaf scratched her while she was in for service a few weeks back.

Oh dear. My husband took his Volvo in for a service, they drove it towards the ramp ... and missed! Bumper badly damaged and some very red faces.

The DSG is brilliant - I can see another convert coming on........shame we can't get a CR170DSG like we can in the Octavia & Superb.......

The 'new' 6 speed in Elsie the Helipad is much better than in my 'old' '06 Octavia, and I thought that was good It won't be 'new' but just new software, even so it is so much better.

Maybe now you can understand why a few (well 2 of us, Bahnstormer & myself) have had our CR140's remapped to get the CR170 performance with a DSG....

I ordered a manual 140 Yeti and changed it as soon as the DSG version came out - having waited 7 months for my car did have some advantages! It is my first auto and I love it. I won't easily go back to a manual. And if I need manual kicks I take the MX-5 anyway.

Something you perhaps did not play with is the cruise control. This is where a DSG is also lovely as it will change gears up and down hills WITHOUT disengaging the cruise control as what would happen in a manual car when you press the clutch. Brilliant for cruising.

But a great post. I see you did not mention anything about soft-touch surfaces viz a viz the Yeti so as to not upset anyone out in the East.

Maybe now you can understand why a few (well 2 of us, Bahnstormer & myself) have had our CR140's remapped to get the CR170 performance with a DSG....

Yup, I get it now.

Something you perhaps did not play with is the cruise control. This is where a DSG is also lovely as it will change gears up and down hills WITHOUT disengaging the cruise control as what would happen in a manual car when you press the clutch. Brilliant for cruising.

No I hadn't used/realised that ... sounds very clever! I could see that being very useful on long forays across France as I approach the Alpine motorways. I'm not rushing to change cars, but when the time does come for a replacement ...

No I hadn't used/realised that ... sounds very clever! I could see that being very useful on long forays across France as I approach the Alpine motorways.

Indeed! But alas of limited use in the UK with our too congested road system where you hardly ever get to use the cruise control anyway!

Indeed! But alas of limited use in the UK with our too congested road system where you hardly ever get to use the cruise control anyway!

Use my cruise control all the time, helps the fuel consumption and my licence - by not going straight up to 85+ as it tends to do as soon as it gets on a motorway (we have a lot of them here in the North-West)

Took the Octavia back yesterday. Betty's paint job done, valeted and all nice and shiny. Drove her away, first set of traffic lights braked ... and stalled her! :| Forgot to change gear/put foot on the clutch pedal ... got too used to that DSG (sorry Graham).

On a positive note, whilst she was in I asked the dealer (DM Keith, Bradford) to fit my roof bars, which they've done. They didn't charge me, so I thought they should be 'mentioned in despatches'.

Now to mount the bike racks ready for holidays

Senility creeping up on you, Bob?

Senility creeping up on you, Bob?

Creeping up? Mmmmm ... no. Galloping through more like!

I had a TSI SE Octavia courtesy car yesterday - after the CR170 you really needed to give it some beans to get it moving and it's economy was to say the least unremarkable - it was very quiet however and I had to check the engine was actually running on tickover!

Zero torque after the diesel!