Auto express did an article couple of weeks back about the new octavia vrs diesel. In today's issue, they have tested the new golf gtd. so both these cars have the same Diesel engine and they both have the same dsg gearbox. In the skoda they slated the dsg box and the golf they had nothing but praise for it, apart for it effecting the co% a bit. How do they come to this conclusion, or is it the fact they are the most VW biased car mag I have ever read. The price is something special to.

I take what these magazines say with a pinch of salt.

I read the article differently on the the VW Golf GTD.

 

Funny how people read the same thing and see different things being said.

 

"Yet despite being stuffed with clever tech, the new GTD runs the risk of feeling

too polished for buyers searching for real dynamic thrills- just as the new GTI does.

This is exacebrated by the DSG , which is far from perfect, In automatic mode the changes

aren't quite as smooth as with the eight -speed self shifter that's fitted to the new BMW's and

occasional clunky downshifts make you lurch forward in stop-start traffic,

 

It also has negative impact on fuel efficiency "...& on, 

 

Golf GTD DSG  £27,335

Octavia III TDI CR DSG £24,650

"                 "           " Estate £25,450

Higher CO/2  g/km on the Skodas.

But thats nothing new with VAG and how they chose cars to be tested and the VED

 

*** Skoda Octavia III hatch Unladen 1350 kg,***

*** VW Golf mk7 hatch Unladen 1377 kg***!!!

 

Never do these testers ever consider the box that settles to the drivers style.

They drive Press cars, write something & sometimes  that gets repeated for years and the public remember that.

(or not if they never noticed what was actually written.)

 

Auto Express are anti Auto on one car, pro on another, 'not involved driving', then something else on another.

 

You need just in this edition to see what they say about the Renault RS 200 Turbo box, them the A45 or BMW M135i

 

george

As I said, take what they say with a pinch of salt.

On one of the car websites there is a comparison of the VW Polo and Golf.  The 1.6TDi in the Polo is rough and unrefined but smooth and silky in the Golf. Might be a bit more sound insulation in the Golf but they are the same engine. :wonder:

On one of the car websites there is a comparison of the VW Polo and Golf.  The 1.6TDi in the Polo is rough and unrefined but smooth and silky in the Golf. Might be a bit more sound insulation in the Golf but they are the same engine. :wonder:

Different platforms, maybe different engine mounts, and just the fact that the bonnet, bulkhead and inner wings are different shapes and sizes could affect resonances.

Auto Express hardly slated the Octavia vRS TDI, they gave it a 4 star review and closed by saying "as a true all-rounder, the vRS is had to beat"!

 

There has been an across the board acknowledgement from all of the media that the new MQB platform makes for a very refined drive, but could be a little more involving.  

 

I read Auto Express and AutoCar all the time (have done for over 15 years) and I find their reviews to be pretty good.  They're interesting and well written, and are generally the opinion of an experienced motor journalist.  They're certainly a good starting point for me, when it comes to thinking about buying a new car.

 

My 2013 vRS TDI estate is on order, looking forward to delivery some time Oct/Nov.

Looking back through the article (again, although I've read it to death), the main criticism is with the DSG gear box which in the diesel differs from that in the petrol version.  

 

They say "Because of the engine's 380Nm of torque, the car has to use the heaviest beefed-up twin-clutch gearbox available, which harms economy and gives jerkier shifts.  The slick manual is better."

 

I've ordered the manual, better drive, lower emmissions, better economy & £30 a year road tax.

Sorry OP, I was a bit quick to jump to AE's defense back then, you didn't say that AE slated the vRS, just the DSG configuration.... Apologies!  

I've usually found AE to be pro Skoda, they were giving good reviews when others were very anti.

On a slightly different note, I found it highly amusing how TG has changed it's bias of late. The magazine became massively pro Skoda  approx. a year ago. Rating the out going Octy as 'the best car in the world' The Superb and Yeti  became  'editors choice'.  The on line version was still very anti though............ until now it seems! Editorial shake up maybe?

The thing with AE is that they've never got to grips with driving an auto. Being based in London, that really surprises me as I've been a few times now this year and due to the traffic crawl, auto is the only option. There are ways and means of driving an auto and AE has yet to find it, preferring a manual every time.

I don't blame them.  I hate automatic cars, despite driving in stop start traffic every day.

Its good to know im not the only one that finds theses write ups a bit strange.

I've got to grips with some aspects of "driving a slushbox", but AIUI DSG isn't a slushbox?

 

What I've disliked about every slushbox I've driven has been the same things; the slight jerk on every gearchange at any throttle setting (look, I aim for gear changes that my passengers can't hear, never mind feel so I want a self-shifter to match that) and the impossibility of forcing a full throttle upshift when you actually want one.

 

My Mum's Honda Jazz with the CVT has a rather "crashy" ride compared with my Octy, but at least the CVT does what I want in gear selection!

I read one comparing the golf to the A3 to the Others in the segment.

 

The A3 was praised for it seat adjustment on the SE, only there is no lumbar as standard on any of them and the seats in there were the super sport seats not the standard SE seats

Load of tosh IMHO.

I don't blame them. I hate automatic cars, despite driving in stop start traffic every day.

I was never a fan typically due to lower mpg.

But our next car we want DSG.