Hey Guys,

Just thought I would stick up a post about my most recent work task. Transport manager has asked me to test a few cars as potential fleet replacements, specifically a Greenline Estate, an SE Plus 1.6D estate, and a 2.0D 4x4 DSG estate. I was supposed to have the 1.6D 4x4 too, but none available apparently.

The first one, the Greenline arrived today from Skoda UK, and will have it till tuesday.

First impressions:

A few optional extras are fitted to the demo car (Bluetooth and multi function steering wheel, Bolero stereo (Option or standard?)) so its significantly more basic than my Scout but acceptable.

Drivers seat could do with lumbar support for my dodgy back, but have experienced much worse.

The 1.6 CR engine is totally different to my expectations. Smooth, quiet, and more poke than I expected too (power through the rev range, and easier revving than the PD engine in my scout)

Ride is much smoother than the scout, and quieter (suspension different? and larger profile tyres on smaller rims I guess)

Averaged 55.5mpg on my commute home according to the computer, the scout computer usually 43-45 on the same route (50 miles across the pennines)

Will report more as the miles clock up, then on the next cars too....if anyone is interested? Also if anyone has any questions about it, gis a shout.

If not...I'll tell you all anyway

WOW, overwhelming response to that one...

Now on the 1.6CR SE Plus. Feels quicker and more planted. Better screwed together for some reason. Averaged 54.5 mpg on route home from work last night, and I did have a bit of a 'play' on some parts.

Overall...prefer the SE Plus to the greenline 2....BUT for the reduced company car tax on the greenline, I could live with it for sure.

Looking forward to the 2.0 CR 4x4 DSG in december now.

This is interesting.

I'm surprised to hear your praise for the 1.6cr as having poke. That's good to know.

I have the SE+ spec with the 1.8TSI - I agree it's a great spec with a lot of equipment for the money.

did the greenline's fuel consumption change much over the period you had it? How many miles did it have on the clock?

Interested as been toying with a greenline as replacement for the fabia.

Despite the early disparinging chat about the 1.6CR being "gutless" I have never found it so, surprising lively with 3 provisos

(i) I am generally on my own, on generally flattish terrain.

(ii) I am not addicted to harsh acceleration/ perhaps to include risky? overtaking :p

(ii) I feel the DSG masks any possible shortcomings as it drops umpteen gears and then revs

All is good, well leastwise with the 1.6 CR engine

WOW, overwhelming response to that one...

Now on the 1.6CR SE Plus. Feels quicker and more planted. Better screwed together for some reason. Averaged 54.5 mpg on route home from work last night, and I did have a bit of a 'play' on some parts.

Overall...prefer the SE Plus to the greenline 2....BUT for the reduced company car tax on the greenline, I could live with it for sure.

Looking forward to the 2.0 CR 4x4 DSG in december now.

I test drove the SE Plus and the Greenline and I could not really tell the difference between the two. If I had made a factory order I would have probably bought the SE Plus (with ESP as an option) but as I had a stock car I went for the Greenline as the ESP was standard (and it had the Admunsen Sat Nav instead of the Bolero). As you can see my average mpg is quite good. I don't think the engine is "gutless" but the CR engines do drive differently to the old PD engines and they seem to require a bit more gear changing to get best out of them.

Edited 16 November, 201114 yr by io1901

This is interesting.

I'm surprised to hear your praise for the 1.6cr as having poke. That's good to know.

I have the SE+ spec with the 1.8TSI - I agree it's a great spec with a lot of equipment for the money.

Don't get me wrong here, its no racing car, but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the 1.6 CR. Certainly acceptable if you don't expect it to set your world on fire!

did the greenline's fuel consumption change much over the period you had it? How many miles did it have on the clock?

Interested as been toying with a greenline as replacement for the fabia.

Ah now, this is an interesting one. The Greenline arrived with 600 miles on, whereas the SE had 6600. I expect that the bedding in process has freed up the SE engine more than the Greenline.

I only had either car for 3-4 days but the economy over a commute (and to be fair its a pretty heavy route)on both cars hovered around the 54/55 mpg (computer).

I noticed today however, before handing the SE back, on a motorway run sitting between 70-80mph, it dropped to 47mpg...which is only a couple of mpg better than my Scout! :S

I like the 1.6CR and tried one in the Oct'y estate before I plumped for a 1.8TSi. The 1.6CR diesel was defo on the radar

and I liked it alot compared to my Fabia mark 1, 1.9TDi which is great engine although nosier and more lumpy power delivery. I only went

1.8TSi because I do 6,000 miles a year so the lower fuel economy makes no difference to me. To be fair I also wanted more power under

the lid. I would have been very happy with a 1.6CR though.

Well, I got back into my Scout on Friday afternoon. Felt much stiffer and firmer ride but much much quicker! I still love it!!

Don't get me wrong here, its no racing car, but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the 1.6 CR. Certainly acceptable if you don't expect it to set your world on fire!

Ah now, this is an interesting one. The Greenline arrived with 600 miles on, whereas the SE had 6600. I expect that the bedding in process has freed up the SE engine more than the Greenline.

I only had either car for 3-4 days but the economy over a commute (and to be fair its a pretty heavy route)on both cars hovered around the 54/55 mpg (computer).

I noticed today however, before handing the SE back, on a motorway run sitting between 70-80mph, it dropped to 47mpg...which is only a couple of mpg better than my Scout! :S

I have a Superb Estate 140 CR manual and in the attempt to maximise mpg, I keep to between 65 - 75 mph on motor way from West London to Southampton, the first part of which journey is a nightmare ( schools kicking out ) at the time I travel but I average, per computer, 56 - 58 mpg and have seen over 60 mpg at night time. I find that keeping the revs around the 1800 - 2000 rpm seems to produce the best results. Better to change down to 5th gear than " struggle " in top and keep revs in that area. Car is just 1 yr old with circa 3500 miles on the clock, just booked in for first service. Touch wood, the only fault so far is gradual loss of coolant which I have asked the dealers to look into at service time. So my mpg with a bigger heavier car ( with one up btw ) is not bad, I suppose the extra weight might be in it's favour once rolling?. Wherever, I do not accelerate vigorously and let the engine find it's own happy speed on the motorway, and which often builds up unnoticed. I had an Octavia 130 pd before which took some time to build up to a good mpg, at 10,000 seemed to vastly improve, was better that the Superb in that respect. It is amazing the low revs of the diesel engines these days, mine rarely goes above 2500 , and only when in the lowest gears. This car seems to do 38 mph per 1000 rpm, amazing. Cars I have had in the past, distant in some cases!, Hillman Hunter 18mph per 1000 rpm, Granada Coupe 3 litre auto 21 mph, Vauxhall Cavalier 25, VW 1.6 diesel 25, so the current vehicle is streets ahead.