Octavia 3 top in What Car group test

[Brimma]

Impressive headline for the Octavia 3, beating the mighty Golf et al in the April edition

[kevberlin]

Yes, and I'm looking forward to seeing it next Saturday.

The trouble is, for those of us looking for slightly smaller car, we are now left with the awful Rapid.

[LeeHarrison]

"Close your eyes and you could be in a VW" - surely you are anyway?

[The Plumber]

"Close your eyes and you could be in a VW" - surely you are anyway?

Prefer the alternative; close your eyes in a VW and you could be in a Skoda

Only owned one VW a Mk V Golf; very nice car but no better than the Octy II and despite 'the badge' depreciation was on a par with the Skoda too.

TP

[eccleshill]

"Close your eyes and you could be in a VW" - surely you are anyway?

Don't have to shut your eyes! Badges apart there are so many common parts they are damned near the same anyway!!

[eccleshill]

Yes, and I'm looking forward to seeing it next Saturday.

The trouble is, for those of us looking for slightly smaller car, we are now left with the awful Rapid.

As are those of us looking for a Petrol DSG - we are left with the Rapid in SE spec - can't even get the Elegance!

[LeeHarrison]

Don't have to shut your eyes! Badges apart there are so many common parts they are damned near the same anyway!!

Yep, I regularly torment a VW friend of mine with the like for likes.

As are those of us looking for a Petrol DSG - we are left with the Rapid in SE spec - can't even get the Elegance!

Got one sitting in Sheerness for a customer

[RapidRonnie]

Don't have to shut your eyes! Badges apart there are so many common parts they are damned near the same anyway!!

Although a lot of the controls and switches in the Octavia are shared I feel the Leon and Golf are more similar (the SEAT being a cheapified version of the Golf)

Skoda interiors tend to look a bit better than the equivalent VW IMO, except maybe the Fabia/Polo, and that's continued with the new Octy. Not keen on the wonky centre console in the Golf and just feel the Octy looks a bit more premium.

[eccleshill]

Got one sitting in Sheerness for a customer

One what? Rapid SE 1.4TSi with DSG? Or have Skoda relented and decided to give us Elegance spec with DSG on the Rapid or a petrol DSG on the Octavia?

[eccleshill]

Yep, I regularly torment a VW friend of mine with the like for likes.

Me too!! Bro-in-law has a Scirrocco 1.4TSi. When he got it he asked me to see if I could help him work out how to connect his phone. He couldn't! It wasn't in the spec! Ended up showing him how to use the "Bolero" (or whatever VW call it), and trip computer. Then showed him that he had air conditioned glove box. "How do you know all this?" "cos its exactly the same as my Octavia". Keys, Steering wheel stalks, door handles, mirror controls, electric window controls etc all the same.

I then pi$$ed him off by showing what mine has and his doesn't - dual zone climate, reversing sensors, auto dimming rear view mirror, rain sensing wipers, puddle lights, air vents for rear passengers, 7 speed DSG, 1.8TSI, fog lights, leather, better trip computer, mdi, a boot, room for passengers in the rear, better acceleration, better economy...

Believe it or not we paid the same money to within a couple of hundred quid. Then a few months later he still had the nerve to ask why I bought a Skoda when for the same money I could have had a VW?

[LeeHarrison]

One what? Rapid SE 1.4TSi with DSG? Or have Skoda relented and decided to give us Elegance spec with DSG on the Rapid or a petrol DSG on the Octavia?

should have read my reply before i posted.

Elegance dsg!!

[kalpat]

should have read my reply before i posted.

Elegance dsg!!

So even though the configurator on Skoda site doesn't show a Rapid Elegance with 1.4TSi DSG you have got one for a customer. If that's the case what was the additional cost for the DSG?

[Herschel]

Me too!! Bro-in-law has a Scirrocco 1.4TSi. When he got it he asked me to see if I could help him work out how to connect his phone. He couldn't! It wasn't in the spec! Ended up showing him how to use the "Bolero" (or whatever VW call it), and trip computer. Then showed him that he had air conditioned glove box. "How do you know all this?" "cos its exactly the same as my Octavia". Keys, Steering wheel stalks, door handles, mirror controls, electric window controls etc all the same.

I then pi$$ed him off by showing what mine has and his doesn't - dual zone climate, reversing sensors, auto dimming rear view mirror, rain sensing wipers, puddle lights, air vents for rear passengers, 7 speed DSG, 1.8TSI, fog lights, leather, better trip computer, mdi, a boot, room for passengers in the rear, better acceleration, better economy...

Believe it or not we paid the same money to within a couple of hundred quid. Then a few months later he still had the nerve to ask why I bought a Skoda when for the same money I could have had a VW?

You won't ever be able to convince some people................so don't let it bother you IMO.

To be honest, I used to joke about Skoda's, but cos I love cars I tend to know a fair bit about them; so when I was considering swapping my BMW, I knew an Octavia vRS would fit the bill for what was looking for (family-sized boot, quick enough, economical enough, great value).

The only issue I had was, would it be of good enough quality?

As soon as I sat in one in the showroom, even before the test drive, I had my answer.

I don't think the image issue will ever go away; my brother, who is a Partner at an Accountancy firm, for example, cannot get a Skoda due to the company "image" with clients, even though a Superb/new Octy MkIII would be ideal for him. He's seen mine and thinks it's brilliant (albeit he still jokes about it occasionally, but he doesn't really mean it). But he can't ever have one.

IMO, it's their loss.

Anyway, it's only an opinion...............and we all know how great Skodas are, so who cares?!

[LewJo]

As are those of us looking for a Petrol DSG - we are left with the Rapid in SE spec - can't even get the Elegance!

SUK have told me (or at least the Car Leasing company I work for) that DSG Petrol's are coming in May, 1.4 TSI DSG on the SE spec is certaint but they're being quite cagey about the DSG in any other trims or engines.

Edited 14 March, 2013 by LewJo

[jbconno]

Just read that article, I have recently ordered my next company car and gone for a new Mazda 6 Sport Tourer.

[Juniperz]

Just read that article, I have recently ordered my next company car and gone for a new Mazda 6 Sport Tourer.

Only today, I was wondering whether that one should be on my short list. A bit of a pain that you need Sport trim if you want heated seats - they don't really do optional extras.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Only today, I was wondering whether that one should be on my short list. A bit of a pain that you need Sport trim if you want heated seats - they don't really do optional extras.

Yes, it probably should.

It's a very nice place to sit and it drives well.

Slighly annoyingly, the estate is 2% worse on emissions than the saloon.

[Juniperz]

Slighly annoyingly, the estate is 2% worse on emissions than the saloon.

Yes, 108g/km for the saloon (2.2D 150) sounded really good - then I saw the 116 for the estate...

Have you driven the Sport on 19"s or just SE / SE-L on 17s?

Edited 21 March, 2013 by Juniperz

[philhoward]

Only had a quick look but the 2.0 Petrol is hardly any worse by the time you take the 3% diesel loading into account?

[Juniperz]

Only had a quick look but the 2.0 Petrol is hardly any worse by the time you take the 3% diesel loading into account?

Good point from a tax point of view, though after 17 years of turbodiesels, I think petrol would be a bit strange! Peak torque at 4000rpm? What's that all about?

[Dr Zoidberg]

Only had a quick look but the 2.0 Petrol is hardly any worse by the time you take the 3% diesel loading into account?

If your company car policy allows petrol engined cars (lots don't) or doesn't mind about the higher fuel consumption then you are right.

The 1.4 petrol Octavia is also in the same BIK% as the CR150 and has very similar performance plus it's cheaper.,

[philhoward]

Mine does but has only recently started taking account of mpg figures (and I assume CO2 ratings as well) in the "list" we now have. 2.0 petrol turbos are now out of the window, but lots of turbo 1.4's and 1.6's appearing (it is only in the last few months a proper list has been created - it was previously a cost vs depreciation equation only with no consideration for economy).

I'm leaning towards a 1.4 with ACT for the next one; partly because I prefer the way a petrol engine drives, sounds and feels. My head says I should be looking at something with the word Greeline in the description but not sure I could live with the drop in performance. I wouldn't choose something slow if I was buying the car myself so choose accordingly with my company steed.

The gap between diesel and petrol for the company driver is getting smaller - which suits me.

Edited 22 March, 2013 by philhoward

[Dr Zoidberg]

The gap between diesel and petrol for the company driver is getting smaller - which suits me.

In April 2016 the 3% diesel surcharge will be dropped too, so that will have a big effect on car choices.

Not a factor for anything you pick today, but it will be more relevant in a couple of years time.

[philhoward]

I did spot that - so it will have some effect on what my next one is (just - as I get about 2 years from a car). I've got another 18 months to decide though - and by the rate cars are coming through at the moment it will be a different playing field by then.

[Coops]

In April 2016 the 3% diesel surcharge will be dropped too, so that will have a big effect on car choices.

Not a factor for anything you pick today, but it will be more relevant in a couple of years time.

Could do if running a 4 year lease - we pushed our company car leases out to 4 years (from 3 years) sometime ago based on reliability etc of models.

You would have to do some serious sums to work it out though.