Skoda Octavia Diesel Estate - Choice: 2WD or 4WD?

[Stuarted]

Hi! I'm new to these forums, and I am seeking advice from experienced Octavia owners.

I considering buying a diesel estate car as my “boring, economical, comfortable, all-weather, everyday-transport, load-carrying-tow-car” to supplement my "fast, nimble, exciting and fun-to-pose-in, but small” MX-5 open-top 2-seat sports car.

The obvious, cheap choice is a Mondeo estate. However the Octavia also has an excellent reputation and I am attracted by the option of 4 wheel drive (not a Scout – I hate the looks of SUVs and I love the description of the 4WD Octavia as a “stealth” 4x4!).

I live in a suburban housing estate (not down a long, steep, muddy country lane or half-way up a mountain) and most of my driving is on A-roads and motorways. I am not seeking a vehicle for cross-country expeditions; that's what an SUV is for. But I live in a rural county and it would be good to have a car suitable for coping with occasional muddy, rutted roadside grass verges, sloping, slippery grass car-parks, muddy field gateways and towing gliders and trailers around an occasionally soggy grass airfield without getting stuck.

And, in view of some of the weather we've had in recent years, also (when fitted with winter tyres) being able to cope well with snow and ice on ordinary roads.

I would be interested to know exactly how effective the 4-wheel-drive is. Does anyone have any experience of, or links to reports of, direct comparisons between 2WD and 4WD Octavias? Or between the 4WD Octavia and other 4WD estate cars, please?

(I have concerns about the additional fuel consumption and other costs of the 4x4 versions, but I will start a separate thread about that.)

All advice, suggestions and comments welcome.

[Anddenton]

Fuel economy on the 4x4 really isn't all that bad (See my fuely below)

[TB1]

Don't buy a petrol 2.0FSi 4x4, they are thirsty due to the very low gearing.

I drive 4x4s at work and have had them buried up to the sill in ploughed fields and they get out as long as its not too wet. As always, the right tyres are the key to the best traction. I've also owned Subaru Legacies and the modern electronic brains in the Octavia really does work well at getting traction. I've had a discovery stuck on wet grassed slope which an octavia pulled up.

Good luck with whatever you decide to go with

[greatdane]

I start early on a moning sometimes 4 am when nobody else as been on road and although i dont have winter tyres on I never got stuck once and its a dsg

I thought about getting a scout but after seeing the videos of a yeti 4x4 on normal tyres and one with winter tyres I may invest in a set for next winter and they really do enhance your grip.

[London Les]

I've had a 2wd Elegance and now a Scout. The 4wd system is very impressive and gives great re-assurance in snow or exploring in the country. I have got stuck once on a steep hill with compacted snow and ice, and that convinced me to get winter tyres - since then its been brilliant, although the cost and changing wheels is a pain.

The extra weight and drag in the Scout is noticeable - its acceleration and cruising speed are affected. The old elegance felt pretty fast off the mark, and cruised naturally well over the national speed limit (I'm told), whereas the Scout needs more throttle to do the same. That said I'm completely happy with 50mpg for a fully loaded large 4x4 estate car on long runs. The new CR engine in the Scout is more economical than the PD in the 2wd car.

[Yorkshire]

Just have to remember to turn traction control off in mud which got me out of this.

Octavia 4x4 brilliant car, fuel economy very good, I get 33-35mpg towing. Very good torque for towing, plenty of power, holds well in 6th gear at 60mph. On a dual carriageway a couple of weeks ago, dropped into 5th to pass 2 cars a 2 HGV's on a steep'ish hill towing, checked speed and doing 65mph and still accelerating, oops, passed them all, then back to 60mph. You will have no problem towing your trailers.

[trundlenut]

I'm getting about 44mpg so far (since December) mainly on winter tyres. The 4x4 together with winter tyres was great fun in the snow.

I like the "stealth" of the 4x4 against the Scout and I got the car as I frequently go up farm tracks and the like for work. The proper metal sump guard is good in this respect.

[Stuarted]

Thanks for interesting replies so far.

"Yorkshire's" photograoh was very reassuring - it shows exactly the kind of soggy grass surface I was hoping a 4x4 Octavia would be able to cope with satisfactorily. And I like "trundenut's" reference to the 4x4 as a "stealth" version - exactly why I much prefer it to the Scout.

However what I was hoping for was some back-to-back comparisons (in terms of coping with mud / ice / snow / wet grass) with

- an equivalent 2WD Ocatvia

- other makes of estate-car ("stealth") 4x4

- an outright "in-yer-face" SUV 4x4

I am likely to be spending relatively little time in slippy conditions and even less time towing, but the penalties of a 4WD in terms of purchase cost, mechanical complexity and fuel consumption appear to be considerable and permanent so I want to know that the 4x4 really will give a signifiant and worthwhile amount of extra traction on the occasions when I need it.

Has anyone got a link to any relevant comparative road tests please?

[Phosphoric]

@ Yorkshire, can you explain why turning traction control off in a muddy field is better than auto control? Seems counter-intuitive.

I recall reading this somewhere before but have forgotten the reasons.

Edit: just found your previous post thanks.

It appears the main issue is TC cuts the engine power as well as diverting power to the rear wheels, disabling TC can possibly help in some situations then, worth a go.

Edited 22 April, 2013 by Phosphoric

[PC1212]

If you don`t need 4WD then why go to the added (considerable) expense of such a car?

If its for winter then a set of 4 winter tyres is a considerably cheaper option and will work better in snow than a 4X4 that has no winter tyres

I think this link sums it up and from my personal opinion as I work in the emergency services is true

We have some 4X4 freelanders which struggled in the snow, when I happily cruised by in my 2WD Elegance Octavia!

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/winter-tyres-vs-4x4