I do 25K motorway miles pa

That must be a hefty monthly amount on an annual mileage of 25,000 miles?

Its 19K personal and 6K business (which I get reimbursed for). Always had a private car until my current leased Nissan Qahqai. Each time i do the sums and the lease option is pretty much equal tp purchasing a new car, but without any of the hassles. Whilst I am doing this sort of mileage I dont want the hassle of maintaining / updating on a regular basis. By contrast SWMBO has a Peugeot 308cc bought new in 2009 (new model) and at 8K pa is a long term keeper (at least 10 yrs). Of all the lease quotes I got, the Octy was the best value in terms of cost, BIK, equipment and fuel economy (i40 tourer, Mondeo, Focus estate, Astra Estate, Kis C'eed estate) and I love the elegant styling, especially the interior in the beige.

Best to go for the 2.0 litre as if your firm pay your mileage based on the HMRC rates you will struggle with the 1.6 to break even, but the 2.0 rates are a lot better and easier to achieve.

I had a 1.6 C5 for a month and a bit whilst my previous 2.0 was in for repair, struggled to break even on the 1.6 rates. Some Journeys was costing me personally to get to work.

That's just what I concluded and hence changed my order to the 2.0!

Each to his own, I like my 1.6 CR engine, it handles both city & motorway driving, I have it with 7 speed dsg at present,

but have ordered it again with a 5 speed manual in the Mk3, it handled well on the test drive, so I chose it again!!

Agreed - my reasons are really about there being no additional cost for me to have the 2.0 over the 1.6. If there had been I would have been happy with the 1.6, no doubt.

I had a demo car over the weekend - 1.6D DSG Elegance, even though I will order a 2.0D manual (SUK couldn't get me what I wanted for a weekend for ages) and I was pleasantly surprised. I really do not like automatic gearboxes but the the DSG is pretty impressive. And the 1.6D was better than I was expecting. I don't think I would have fancied any country single carriageway overtaking, but on mixed motorway and suburban driving it was plenty quick enough (I wasn't in a hurry!). I did some Sport mode sprints on dual carriageway with a few roundabouts thrown it, and it was fine. About 50mpg over the weekend according to the trip computer, though the sprints will not have helped there (!).

Still going for the 2.0D for the reasons discussed at length above - it's not much more on company car lease, I want a bit more poke, I reclaim business mileage at a better rate for 2.0 than 1.6 - but pleasantly surprised.

DSG still needs a mode that stops my left leg from moving when coming to a halt though. Really don't like automatics...

Test drove a 1.6CR SE today. Very happy with the build quality, and the engine was much like my Qashqai 1.5Tdi, but a bit nippier. Got 50mpg over a 7 mile run up the dual carriageway - driving 5 gears again felt a bit strange though. Ultimately very glad to have ordered the 2.0 though - am sure will get same or better mpg, 6 gears and bit more poke. Bolero sounded good though - every bit as good as my Bose speakers in the Tekna. Think the beige alcantara will give a more upmarket feel as well. All in all very happy

That's just what I concluded and hence changed my order to the 2.0!

DavidF3911, what the monthly lease on this. I will be joining a company car scheme in August, I have 420 pm allowance for the lease. I am just looking for a ballpark figure to see I can get a 2.0 TDi Elegance with a couple of extras.

I had a demo car over the weekend - 1.6D DSG Elegance, even though I will order a 2.0D manual (SUK couldn't get me what I wanted for a weekend for ages) and I was pleasantly surprised. I really do not like automatic gearboxes but the the DSG is pretty impressive. And the 1.6D was better than I was expecting. I don't think I would have fancied any country single carriageway overtaking, but on mixed motorway and suburban driving it was plenty quick enough (I wasn't in a hurry!). I did some Sport mode sprints on dual carriageway with a few roundabouts thrown it, and it was fine. About 50mpg over the weekend according to the trip computer, though the sprints will not have helped there (!).

Still going for the 2.0D for the reasons discussed at length above - it's not much more on company car lease, I want a bit more poke,

Just to support your choice of the 2.0 I get 50 out of my cr 170 vRS which obviously includes some spirited stuff the 1.6 just isn't capable of. If you put the 1.6 side by side with the 170 mine would be better on mpg. Enjoy your 2.0!

DavidF3911, what the monthly lease on this. I will be joining a company car scheme in August, I have 420 pm allowance for the lease. I am just looking for a ballpark figure to see I can get a 2.0 TDi Elegance with a couple of extras.

Hard to give precise advice as schemes / personal mileage vary so much. However its £140 pm less than my Qashqai, which itself was £140 less than a BMW 5 series / Merc E class. Comparable to a Mondeo 1.6 (my 2.0 Elegance that is) and a bit cheaper than i40 Style Estate. In other words fantastic value - can you get a quote?

Hard to give precise advice as schemes / personal mileage vary so much. However its £140 pm less than my Qashqai, which itself was £140 less than a BMW 5 series / Merc E class. Comparable to a Mondeo 1.6 (my 2.0 Elegance that is) and a bit cheaper than i40 Style Estate. In other words fantastic value - can you get a quote?

cant get quote until August, trying to get my numbers crunched in advance. I hope to be able to get the 2.0 TDi, probably never use it all but nice to know the powers there when you need it!!

I had a demo car over the weekend - 1.6D DSG Elegance, even though I will order a 2.0D manual (SUK couldn't get me what I wanted for a weekend for ages) and I was pleasantly surprised. I really do not like automatic gearboxes but the the DSG is pretty impressive. And the 1.6D was better than I was expecting. I don't think I would have fancied any country single carriageway overtaking, but on mixed motorway and suburban driving it was plenty quick enough (I wasn't in a hurry!). I did some Sport mode sprints on dual carriageway with a few roundabouts thrown it, and it was fine. About 50mpg over the weekend according to the trip computer, though the sprints will not have helped there (!).

Still going for the 2.0D for the reasons discussed at length above - it's not much more on company car lease, I want a bit more poke, I reclaim business mileage at a better rate for 2.0 than 1.6 - but pleasantly surprised.

DSG still needs a mode that stops my left leg from moving when coming to a halt though. Really don't like automatics...

Just to support your choice of the 2.0 I get 50 out of my cr 170 vRS which obviously includes some spirited stuff the 1.6 just isn't capable of. If you put the 1.6 side by side with the 170 mine would be better on mpg. Enjoy your 2.0!

Thanks! Should hopefully have mine before the end of the month, if the lease company will let me change a wee bit early, though my current end date is only 3rd July anyway :sun:

- am sure will get same or better mpg, 6 gears and bit more poke.

What exactly are the advantages of a 6-speed gearbox over a 5-speed gearbox?

What exactly are the advantages of a 6-speed gearbox over a 5-speed gearbox?

There's a small weight penalty, but at motorway speeds, 6th gear will have the engine at lower RPM saving fuel.

The other ratios have changed slightly so you might find that you can happily drive at 30ish mph in 4th with a 2.0 and the 6 speed gearbox as opposed to 3rd in the 1.6, again saving a little fuel.

I hope I dont regret reading this particular post.

I am currently driving a 2.0 L&K DSG and am waiting for my 1.6DSG elegance to arrive.

Although most of my driving is on motorways, (total 35k per year) I am not a speed freak, and I tend not to have to 'kickdown' to get more power.

I went for the 1.6 purely for costs. it was showing higher MPG, lower road tax, and the capital was less.

the only time I use sport mode at the moment is if I really want to get away from lights quickly.

I was told that the 1.6 105 is like the old 1.9pd.

I will be first to admit that I dont know a lot about cars, but if the 1/6 can go in a superb, and the Octy is much lighter I can only presume it will not be an issue.

there have been positive posts on here, so I hope they outweigh the 'go for a 2.0 litre'. only time will tell - update to follow!!!

Honestly I don't think it's massively important. In the end I went for the 2.0 as I don't think it will cost anymore to run, and the extra power is a bonus. If the 1.6 had been significantly cheaper I would have gone for that - I've test driven a 1.6 and it was fine. I've had 6 gears for the last 3 years so it was just getting used to mainly driving in 4th with 5th as a cruising gear at speed.

Actually get on Fuelly asap and we can compare costs - Mattpez and Timoctav are on with 2.0 and I will be when I get mine in Sept

DavidF3911, what the monthly lease on this. I will be joining a company car scheme in August, I have 420 pm allowance for the lease. I am just looking for a ballpark figure to see I can get a 2.0 TDi Elegance with a couple of extras.

2.0 TDI Elegance DSG with sunroof, 18" alloys, park assist, winter pack & heated windscreen is coming in at £371 a month (10k pa lease) or £70 more for 20k pa.

I went from 2.0 TDI CR 140 on an A3 to the 1.6 TDI Octy and also had concern it would be, and feel, underpowered.

Turns out it has a decent turn of speed and is smooth.

Have got DSG, had the DSG - or s-tronic - before on the A3 and wanted to have this. That's a chunk more to pay for DSG although worth it.

If it hadn't been for that may have gone with 2.0 but had to draw line somewhere on final price - price can start creeping up into the £20ks very quickly!

Having had the 1.6CR for a few weeks now having gone from a 2,0 CR Superb, noting that it isn't fully run in yet.

Big difference is the gears, missing 6th badly.

The engine is still very smooth and its a comfortable drive.

The cost difference between the two is not significant, depending on your insurance, so it all depends on what you are looking for.

Reduction in running costs vs speed.

Not played around with the three drive modes as yet though, but still the 1.6 is a nice car.

Having had the 1.6CR for a few weeks now having gone from a 2,0 CR Superb, noting that it isn't fully run in yet.

Big difference is the gears, missing 6th badly.

The engine is still very smooth and its a comfortable drive.

The cost difference between the two is not significant, depending on your insurance, so it all depends on what you are looking for.

Reduction in running costs vs speed.

Not played around with the three drive modes as yet though, but still the 1.6 is a nice car.

do I take it you are driving a manual??

the 1.6 I am waiting for is a 7 speed DSG.

What exactly are the advantages of a 6-speed gearbox over a 5-speed gearbox?

Additionally to the advantages mentioned diesel engines have a much narrower torque band than petrol engines do, so the closer the ratios (achieved by having more of them) the better it is for keeping the revs at the optimum. That's why heavy goods vehicles have up to 16 speed gearboxes.

The six speed 'box on its own is good enough reason to specify the 2.0 engine. Look at the additional power and torque as a bonus, with little if any loss in fuel consumption - despite what the official figures say.

Edited 17 June, 201312 yr by Timoctav

Yes I am driving a manual

2.0 TDI Elegance DSG with sunroof, 18" alloys, park assist, winter pack & heated windscreen is coming in at £371 a month (10k pa lease) or £70 more for 20k pa.

Jeepers. 2.0 TDI Elegance DSG (no other extras) 10k pa on 3+35 is £241 a month direct from Skoda (and that includes servicing): http://www.skoda.co.uk/fleet/fleet-offers/octavia-offers