im looking to Swap my fabia vrs for a bigger car to fit dog pram etc In easier. Concidering an octy estate but then thought do i really need an estate? could an octy hatch be big enough?anyone got any views on this? pics of both a hatch and estate with boots open would be good too.

The only difference is "headroom" in the rear, both cars are the same length.

So if you are not putting tall loads in the hatchback is just as big.

The Octy has a big boot whichever one you choose, certainly more than we've ever needed which is why we have Yetis.

Octy boot is pretty massive. We could fit our Silvercrest pram in no problem at all was was a huge bugger.

But...I kind of wish I had the estate now. Roof bars will be handy soon when bikes start to be come the toys of choice.

My next car will likely be an estate.

So think ahead and if you're unsure I'd go with the estate because you'll never wish for something less practical (for your main car).

I bought a VRS Blackline Hatch it looks better in my opinion than the estate, but the hatch chucks water all over you if you open it in rainy conditions, i have tried trimming the edges and opening slowly, its better but who wants to go slow when its chucking it down. Being as the estate is the same length + the roof rails. I would go with the estate now function over fashion.

My personal opinion is that the car makes for more sense as an estate, Dont get me worng I love mine so far but its not really a hot hatch. I think a reasonably nippy estate with decent handling and huge practicality is the sweet spot.

My personal opinion is that the car makes for more sense as an estate, Dont get me worng I love mine so far but its not really a hot hatch. I think a reasonably nippy estate with decent handling and huge practicality is the sweet spot.

But in quite a lot of ways it doesn't look like a hatch either - the profile is quite saloon like and I think more A4-shaped than Golf.

Concidering an octy estate but then thought do i really need an estate?

Since when do you need to justify buying an estate? It's more practical, there are no downsides, and my personal opinion is that the Octavia simply looks better as an estate. The hatchback is a bit frumpy, at least in non-RS trim.

^ this

estate is hugely practical and (IMhO) better looking. even more statisfaction to be derived when you pull away from mr average in his bmw 318i when you're in your in "just" a skoda estate ..

I've met BMW drivers that are envious of my boot and I've jut got the hatch. A few were in the process of switching to Skoda.

The ultimate driving machine is feck all use if the pram won't fit.

Estate all the way, also good to get a raised boot as helps to get the buggy out, though the lip on the estate is less

Got x2 kids and 1 dog a vrs estate and its ideal

Edited 9 May, 201313 yr by JaminWales

The vRS has a spoiler, that's why I went for a hatch

Seriously though we have two Octavia's, the vRS hatch and a Scout estate.

Although the boots are a similar size (the only extra space on the estate is above the parcel shelf) the estate makes for the better family car in my opinion.

The retractable load cover in the estate is far better than the big and chunky parcel shelf in the hatch and the roof rails mean we can chuck the roof box on whenever the boot isn't quite big enough.

The estate also has a couple of concealed compartments and I find the boot lid on the estate lighter and easier to shut.

and the roof rails mean we can chuck the roof box on whenever the boot isn't quite big enough.

You don't need roof rails to fit a load carrier.

Never had an estate car but my Octy estate and I love how its looks, very practical also, Estate please)))

Since when do you need to justify buying an estate? It's more practical, there are no downsides, and my personal opinion is that the Octavia simply looks better as an estate. The hatchback is a bit frumpy, at least in non-RS trim.

I have to agree.....I think the estate looks a bit better than the hatch.

The boot floor plan is actually identical in the estate and hatch......the extra volume in the estate is in the area above the parcel shelf. As mentioned, the retractable load cover on the estate is very convenient to use, and if you remove it to fit a large item in, you can easily store it behind the front seats on the floor......not something you could do with the big parcel shelf in the hatch. There was the option of the raised floor in the estate which gives handy underfloor storage and a completely level load surface.......although in theory you could buy the raised floor to put in a hatchback.

Edited 9 May, 201313 yr by booke23

You don't need roof rails to fit a load carrier.

You do if the roof box is bigger than the car!

We have both a hatch and estate and the dog prefers the estate - more head room and easier access. So - ask your dog!

My two pence worth:

I've had estates ever since we got dogs (two labradors), and we were looking at an Octavia estate, however when we realised just how large the hatch boot is (and still with usable "headroom" we ended up getting the hatch as it's large enough for what we need.

That said, I'd still have bought the estate but the wife vetoed it I have to say that the vRS is a lot better looking as a hatch though.

Since when do you need to justify buying an estate? It's more practical, there are no downsides, and my personal opinion is that the Octavia simply looks better as an estate. The hatchback is a bit frumpy, at least in non-RS trim.

Nothing against the hatch but I too think the estate looks better, like it was designed that way. So many estates look like the hatch/saloon version with the 'notch' filled in or a lump grafted on.

Nicer lines on the estate in my opinion, but Octy hatch has acres of carrying capacity for the class.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as ever, but if paying out a chunk of the hard earned for a car, I'd personally go for what gives biggest value for money.....the estate :yes:

Because you have the dog the van estate makes more sense if only to give it more room to move about in head wise and avoid slobber marks all over the rear window, assuming of course it's going in the boot. The free automatic hatchback shower wouldn't be much fun either cause dogs tend to shake themselves when they get wet so all the water that fell on him as you opened the hatch would soon be over the inside of the car/baby/wife/pram!

I'm sailing against the prevailing wind here but the hatch does have 2 advantages. 1 it's cheaper, 2 the boot is more secure than the rear of an estate. The vRS estate doesn't look different enough to ther Octy estates IMO- but that may be what you want. The hatch will probably be quiter too as the boot will deaden any rear road noise etc.

as Perc says the hatch is a bit frumpy UNLESS you have a vRS (head down), but the vRS hatch is easy to spot vs it's frumpy sisters, the van estate less so.

I had roof bars on my Mondy estate and put bikes on top.... it was a PITA (especially if your vertically challenged like me) all the crap off the bikes fell on the roof and it's nigh on impossible not to scratch your car at some stage putting them on or taking them off. A rear carrier is a better option IMO.

Either one has a huge boot so will serve you well, try them both and see which you prefer. Colour is key on the estate, unless you want to be called white van man or officer :rofl:

Enjoy

, and if you remove it to fit a large item in, you can easily store it behind the front seats on the floor......not something you could do with the big parcel shelf in the hatch.

Actually the parcel shelf is made to slide down the back of the rear seats. one of those 'features' you find out by accident.

I asked my dogs and they both said that they enjoyed looking out of the side windows in the estate and that the back window was easier to look through.

Being a little slow I didn't even realise it was available in hatch for sometime.....I thought the hatch was a saloon!

It won't surprise you that I have the estate!

The Octavia hatches are certainly impressively spacious but I think the estate is a much better choice if you have a dog, they can move as they want and the rear/side windows give them good visibility. Having packed my Octavia full a few times the extra space can come in handy as well.

John

Estate looks better and is more practical for exactly the same ride & handling.

I think that's the general consensus and I ain't gonna rock the boat.

Estate! As per most of the posts above, looks better AND is marginally more practical, more so if you have a woof.

Job done.

PS No chavvy spoiler issues either ;-)