The Mk2 Octavia had the 7 speed dry but the new Mk 3 Octy 1.8 TSI, which we do not get in the UK yet, hopefully soon. UK press did test and Autocar said it used the six speed box though the torque was OK for the 7 speed. Difficult to find the facts on this I have found.

Skoda Octavia 1.8TSi DSG SE Plus

Price: £17,995 (est); 0-62mph: 7.5sec (est); Top speed: 139mph (est); Economy: 49.5mpg; Co2: 132g/km; Kerb weight: 1200kg (est); Engine type: 4 cyls in line, turbocharged, petrol, 1798cc; Installation: Front, transverse, FWD; Power: 177bhp at 4500-6200rpm; Torque: 184lb ft at 1500-4500rpm); Gearbox: 6-spd dual-clutch automatic; Fuel tank: 50 litres; Boot: 590 litres; Wheels: 7Jx17in, alloy; Tyres: 225/45 17

The Mk2 Octavia had the 7 speed dry but the new Mk 3 Octy 1.8 TSI, which we do not get in the UK yet, hopefully soon. UK press did test and Autocar said it used the six speed box though the torque was OK for the 7 speed. Difficult to find the facts on this I have found.

Skoda Octavia 1.8TSi DSG SE Plus

Price: £17,995 (est); 0-62mph: 7.5sec (est); Top speed: 139mph (est); Economy: 49.5mpg; Co2: 132g/km; Kerb weight: 1200kg (est); Engine type: 4 cyls in line, turbocharged, petrol, 1798cc; Installation: Front, transverse, FWD; Power: 177bhp at 4500-6200rpm; Torque: 184lb ft at 1500-4500rpm); Gearbox: 6-spd dual-clutch automatic; Fuel tank: 50 litres; Boot: 590 litres; Wheels: 7Jx17in, alloy; Tyres: 225/45 17

I highly doubt that, everywhere you look the 1.8 TSI FWD comes with the 7 speed dry clutch. Only the 4x4 model comes with the 6 speed wet clutch DSG. It has slightly more torque (280Nm as opposed to 250Nm) and I'm guessing it's the one that has the add-on for 4WD. I haven't heard of any 4x4 application for the 7 speed dry box.

A few factors make the 7 speed wet more appealing than the six speed wet DSG

• The six speed does not even fit in the Polo/Fabia chassis
• 6 speed worsens fuel consumption (and by inference power at wheels) where as the 7 speed in cases is better than the manual option.
• The 6 speed cost about £100 every 40K miles to change is 6 litres or so of oil whereas the 7 speed has no such costs
• The six speed is 20 Kgs or so heavier than the manual, the seven speed is about the same as the manual
• To me the six speed feels more solid but also slower to change, seems to suit the diesels, the 7 speed seems faster to change and suits the petrol engines.
• The very high 7th gear makes for very relaxed cruising. On the 1.8 TSI and 1.4 twin charge in 7th and at 75 mph the revs are only 40% or so of the maximum. Both engines revs to 7K rpm and at motorway speeds are revving well below 3K.
• With more gears it is easier for the box to pick an optimum gear.

Both the 1.8 TSI and 1.4 twin charge produce good torque for their weight from 1500 rpm through to 6500 when the power starts to tail and the box going from 7th to 4th ie a cog in the other cluster seems to work very well where the pairing in the six speed does not work so well IMHO.

Agree with some of what you say, however by its very nature the wet box is stronger and will likely have a longer service life if well maintained.

Also as its plates are lubricated and much more resilient to clutch slip than the DQ200 (I on a number of occasions smelt the clutch pack burning on my Fabia when it was asked to do anything much at low speed on a gradient), it actually I think allows for considerably more electronically controlled slip without risk of overheating or wearing the clutch pack which IMO makes it alot smoother (but not perfect) than the DQ200. One of the major complaints i had about the DQ200 was its very on-off nature at low speeds became frustrating when in stop start traffic.

I do agree about the 7th cog, even compared to the Fabia vRS I had my Octavia vRS CR does get quite busy at higher motorway speeds ans a 7th cog would help quieten it down at a cruse and improve MPG, however I suspect the ratios are near enough the same as the 6 speed manuals and it is probably of benefit to the car beinf a vRS having lower fairly close ratios; it drives with considerably more verve than my old MK6 2.0 TDi 140 Golf and a big part of that (as well as the power and torque increases) are its considerably lower gear ratios.

Shame theyve not been allowed to use the DQ500 box on the new Octy vRS in particular.

Talking about the DSG6 in the VRS, at least the one for O3, it has shorter 1-2-3 gear ratios than the manual but longer 4-5-6 gear ratios (considerably so for the 6th gear).

 

At 125km/h you get ~2000rpm in the DSG and ~2500rpm in the manual and the difference gets progressively higher the faster you go. The DSG has a theoretical top speed of >350km/h, haha!

Edited 4 July, 201312 yr by TudorM