1. What was your perception of the Skoda brand BEFORE taken over by VW? Why?
   
2. What is your perception of Skoda now, since taken over by VW? Why?
   
3. Do you feel they have improved their brand image since taken over by VW? Why?
   

Please could you answer the questions in as much depth as possible?

Thanks for your help x

Hi Lou,

I think this has been asked before....it must be a regular assignment subject...?

It might be worth you having a search around on the site for some info..?

Hi,

yes it is.

Any suggestions as to where I can look?

It would be more useful to have current people answer the questions ive asked as it would be more reliable.

Thanks.

Originally Skoda (Pilsen) were the top marque in Czechoslovakia and produced everything from high quality cars to aeroplanes to tanks... But... they had a bit of a bad run back in the 70s and 80s i.e. the cars weren't great in terms of reliability and quality and consequently the brand received very bad press, although they were fairly successful on motor rallies. Since acquisition by VW huge changes were made and the brand has gone from strength to strength (they are very good these days). Where once you'd see the occasional Skoda on UK roads, now it's almost impossible not to see one on a journey. This has improved the name of Skoda, but I do meet the occasional doubter, and I suppose the stigma of producing those unreliable cars in the 70s/80s hasn't been completely shrugged off.

Edited 7 December, 201213 yr by Antofa

Thank you so much for your reply, You have no idea how much help you have been. I hope more people will be able to give me their views, so I can get a better understanding.

Thank you x

My perception of Skoda changed dramatically over just the last four years and had very little to do with with the VAG link.

When I was looking for a largish hatchback four years ago the Skoda Octavia which would have matched my requirements was summarily (and stupidly) dismissed because no way was I going from a brand like SAAB to a Skoda. I ended up buying a jaguar estate.

I have just bought a new Skoda mainly because in those four years so many relatives and friends have told me how happy they are with the product and the support. Plus reading national surveys which mostly reflect those opinions.

In the 78's & 80's there were the Skoda jokes around, but I had an uncle who worked in London at their main sorting office, & he had a skoda as his daily run about, he never had any major problems in the 3-4 years, & any he had were simple fixes he could do himself, he liked the car so much he bought another, same again, he actually liked the cars despite the jokes.

Skoda are currently percieved as being a value for money, reliable, day to day ' workhorses', the cars will do exactly what you ask of them in day to day running, they do not pretend to be sporty or luxury.

The brand image has only improved because the cars & dealers provide something that the customer wants, a product that is value for money along with in the main good dealer service specially post sale.

What VW have done with Skoda is to modernise an antiquated & run down car manufacturer & put in some major quality control & reliability into the products sold.

[*]What was your perception of the Skoda brand BEFORE taken over by VW? Why?

As above. I wouldn't consider a Skoda. To me the old Rapid and Estelle gave the impression of being cheap, unreliable and poorly built.

I wasn't really aware of their rallying pedigree but remember seeing them every now and again in TV coverage.

[*]What is your perception of Skoda now, since taken over by VW? Why?

To me the brand changed positively when they became backed by VW.

The design of Skodas started becoming more up to date and the build quality improved and fittings started to give a feeling of being able to do the job over the long term.

As a brand now, they are up there with the likes of ford, vauxhall et al.

I guess I'm a inverted badge snob. No way I'd buy a VW or Audi just to pay extra for the name.

I feel confident that the Skoda equivalents are as good in all areas.

[*]Do you feel they have improved their brand image since taken over by VW? Why?

Yes, helped along by surveys such as JD Power.

It's not just the reliability of the vehicles. The dealer experience has lot to do with it too.

Pre VW Skoda were an engineering company with a tradition of doing things well and making good products. The rear engined cars came in for a bit of criticism, mainly from people who hadn't seen one close up let alone driven one, considering what Skoda had to work with at the time they were considered better than their Russian built under license Fiat counterparts, they also gave a two year warranty with them, when the industry standard was one year. They were so good at design and engineering, that when they were taken over by VW, their car the Favorit was developed and made into the Felicia and their engines were used until 2002.

Skoda produce budget VWs, cars that are well engineered, reliable, good to drive, but built down to a price. Now that the cars are getting more accepted, VW are eeking out more profit from them. Skoda also produce alot of components for the whole group, a few Audi and VW owners would be surprised to find out that major components of their cars are made by Skoda.

Skoda must have improved their image, I've encountered Skoda badge snobs which was unheard of 15 years ago. They've got more mainstream with larger dealer groups now selling them.

Thank you all for your replies Hope you all have a lovely weekend

Lou x

Hi Lou, maybe you could Google some of the Skoda Munitions stuff to give you more of an idea of where they came from? Try searches for Skoda Tank or Gun? Skoda history & original perceptions are very different from today. Confusing even? They formed around 1859 as an Armanents company & by the 1920s were building things like fighter planes for the CZ airforce, anti tank guns, tanks, trams, ocean liners etc. Then they aquired a car manufacturer (Laurin & Klement) to widen their portfolio (Skoda Auto). They only made cars for the elite & royalty, exporting them to Japan amongst others! By the time of WW2, half of Hitlers modern tanks that he used to invade Poland were bought from Skoda. The tables were turned though when Hitler invaded CZ & took over their factories, forcing them to only make the machines that he needed, engines for the Messerchmitt fighter bombers etc. They even made the guns for the mighty German Tanks that the Allies feared. Sadly, most of their factories were destroyed by the allies bombing or by the retreating Germans themselves. Within a few years however they had got themselves back on their feet & were making varied machinery again, some good solid cars & even some nimble racing cars. However, when the communists invaded, they were not allowed to use the monies from the profits of their car sales to develop new products, any decent new products were never allowed to go into production & all they could do was re hash the same old designs with a tweak here & there. Making the cars seem very out dated by the standards of the day & lowering their image over the years.Even the only new design they were allowed to make (the much under rated Favorit), still had to make do with a modified version of the engine they had used for years. That old engine was so well engineered however that it survived in modified form untill only a few years ago when emmisions regulations killed it. In it's last version I would say it was still better than a lot of engines in new cars today? When they were freed from communist rule, the car division was sold to VW & Skoda themselves continued to make the heavy duty stuff, articulated lorries, trams, static engines etc. Even some of the Millenium Wheel is Skoda, as has been said before, Skoda Auto has gradually increased it's presence in the Brand untill it's at the stage it's at today. not only expanding fast with ever more models, increasing sales where others are struggling to survive but making complete cars for Seat (the new Toledo). Engines & gearboxes for Seat, VW & Audi & of course taking the Land Speed Record for a forced induction car last year & winning Most Reliable Car on sale in the UK this year.

Hope my ramblings help you a little!

Thanks for the advice and information much appreciated, But I just wanted to know about the perception of the brand before and after its acquisition by VW, and really what people think thought/think of it.

your message was very insightful so thank you.

See? Ramblings!

Good luck in your assignment, I'm sure you'll do well

As an owner in all the various factions of Skoda.

Pre VW.

In the UK the rear engined Skodas were the butt of many jokes, none to their good, however these were invariably made by people who had NO experience of the marque. In truth the cars were solidly built with simple engineering and a very respected motorsport heritage. They are still the only manufacturer to hold the most Class wins on the old RAC Rally of Britain, and the exact reason I ran a 130 Rapid, and used it in many motor sport activities.

They then started producing the front wheel drive Favorit which was a step towards the more modern "Western" model range and which was not initially well received and did have some reliability concerns.

Post VW.

Expertise from the VAG "family" improved the marque with the introduction of the Felicia and the old jokes gradually diminished. People started to realise that now Skoda was a well engineered but cheaper version of the small VW cars. VW seem to have used the engineering qualities from the historic Skoda set-up to improve their own range.

Now.

VW have improved the range of vehicles away from the singular model, to encompass all that the market seems to require, moving into the luxury end with the Superb, and the SUV market with the Yeti. This has increased market penetration and marque perception.

Interestingly the old "joke" perception of Skoda wasn't so prevelant in Europe as it was in the UK. There people seemed to be more interested how good and practical the engineering was. The old rear engined cars were especially popular in Scandinavia where their surefooted capabilities on poor roads and on snow and ice were especially appreciated.

Hi and welcome aboard.

I used to say the anti Skoda jokes before i bought my first Fabia in 2002 and have never bought another brand of car since and i have converted others to do the same.

Since VAG took over they have worked hard in turning a joke brand into a serious brand which was quality, reliable and value for money.

I will never by another branded car as Skoda for me are the tops.

Just take a look at the self deprecating humour in the 'it's a Skoda. Honest' adverts. With the car park vandalism...

The reputation can be drawn alongside fiat and their slight issues with rust in the 1980s...

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for all your comments.

From what i am seeing it seems people's perception of skoda have changed, and it seems to be due partly to VW take over, which has brought up its brand image as people seem to trust VW due to its image and reputation for quality and reliabaility which has been transferred to Skoda.

Have a good weekend

My perception of Skoda changed dramatically over just the last four years and had very little to do with with the VAG link.

When I was looking for a largish hatchback four years ago the Skoda Octavia which would have matched my requirements was summarily (and stupidly) dismissed because no way was I going from a brand like SAAB to a Skoda. I ended up buying a jaguar estate.

I have just bought a new Skoda mainly because in those four years so many relatives and friends have told me how happy they are with the product and the support. Plus reading national surveys which mostly reflect those opinions.

I have just gone from a Saab 9-5 Aero to a Skoda Superb Elegance and I am well chuffed!

Thanks everyone for your comments! much appreciated! Have a good week!

Lou

You have all been really helpful, so thank you!

Lou x

Hi to all , i would say drive an Octavia , a Golf , an Audi A3 , all with the same spec ( same engine ect ) then post the best all round car !!!!!! to save you the trouble ------- THE OCTAVIA would be your first choice

Until you drove a Superb

yes !!!! that goes to show SKODA has it all sown up