So, I've had my new Octavia Estate 2.0TDi SE Estate for about 3 weeks now. Is it my imagination or is Skoda cutting corners compared with the MKII (equivalent Ambiente spec)?  Where has the under-seat passenger cubby hole gone, why does the bonnet release now appear on the passenger side and why is the handbrake now biased towards the nearside of the central console (my wife thinks her luck is in every time I try to use it . . . !)  Remember right -hand drive, Skoda?!

 

As my previous car came with cruise-control I added it to this one as I found it very useful and, used sensibly, improved the fuel economy by 5 - 10%. They even provided a small foot-rest next to the accelerator, presumably for this very purpose - that's gone, too.

 

I specced-in the variable boot floor this time which I think is a good move as it masks the fact that the folding rear seats (in all versions) are hinged higher than the floor height so they never fold flat. Now I can slide in that knackered washing machine to take to the local tip. But, where have the covers gone for the recesses behind the rear wheel arches. I used to stow all sorts of stuff in there - tow-rope, spare bulbs, warning triangle, jump-leads, tyre pump etc. . . Hmmm - Ok, so new Skodas never break down and don't need any of this (!), however, all that stuff still needs a home but now it rolls around the back of the car!  Ok, someone will come along soon and point out that there is now a gap between the false floor and the (yes, full-sized) spare wheel. Give me a break, I need somewhere to smuggle the cocaine!

 

On the plus side I now have a Maxidot, in colour, my cup runneth over!  I can now turn off the annoying minimum 3 x indicator flash, stop that windscreen-smearing extra last wipe when the windsceen washer is used, and I now have the opportunity to imprison my passengers inside the car should it be locked from the outside (actually, I do like that last one . . .)

 

Sticking to the topic, I am not entirely impressed with the fuel consumption yet. The trip computer reckoned 49.8mpg for the first tankful, which on a brim to brim calculation worked out at a true 43.9mpg (the old Octy 2.0TDi managed a true 50 - 52mpg throughout its 170,000 mile ownership, with the computer claiming 16% more, circa 59 mpg). I hope it will loosen up with a few 1000 miles under it's bonnet. I have already experienced the raised idling speed, the odd smell of burning plastic and the cooling fan running for several minutes after the ony just warm engine was switched off. This occurred soon after it left the dealers forecourt, so soon for a DPF regeneration! What did they do to it??

 

Does anyone know how to turn off the stop/start function so that it doesn't come on again after a re-start? I know I can select the button to turn it off but it's only temporary. The default condition is to be active (except for the long list of conditions when it doesn't work anyway). On numerous occasions the engine has stopped when I have been waiting a while, then doesn't re-start like it should when the clutch is depressed because I've done something 'stupid' like turn the steering wheel or release my seatbelt to grab an item from the rear seat etc. It has served its purpose and got Skoda those artificially high fuel economy figures and slung the vehicle into a low VED tax band - now, can we disable it and drive the car normally, please . . .

 

Someone somewhere has got my old car, which goes like stink, wails like a banschee (turbo) and is about to go bang very soon - but I still miss it!

 

Ok, rant over - on the whole the new one is still a damned good car and is growing on me, I'll get used to its technical idiosyncrasies I suppose and will report further about the fuel consumption, which may be down to the Common Rail versus PD scenario and their relevant driving styles.

 

 - Mark T.H.

 

 

You're not going to see the best fuel economy on a brand new engine until you've put some miles on it and it's loosened up a bit. The difference between 49 and 43 mpg is a bit annoying though.

I've done 2500 miles on my HB and achieved 58mpg with steady, but not slow, driving. I got this from the first tank and hasn't improved yet - how long does it take?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I've done 2500 miles on my HB and achieved 58mpg with steady, but not slow, driving. I got this from the first tank and hasn't improved yet - how long does it take?Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

A lot's down to driving style. The first tank out of my VRS was a 54mpg, 5000 miles later I've just done another 54mpg.

To the OP, did you not test drive the car before buying it? Presumably you checked the car thoroughly before handing over your hard earned? Were these issues not present on the demo car you viewed?

Way too early to tell on my car, only 150 miles old, but in these first few miles the computer was saying about 43mpg.  It's a long climb to the claimed 67mpg which I guess will be achieved at a steady 56mph, with a tail wind and downhill :think: .

 

I'm not particularly bothered, way too early to tell and love the car in other ways that I can live with a lower mpg than advertised. So long as it loosens and I get ~55mpg avg which is 5 more than my old Zafira1.9CDTi, then I will be happy.

 

As for stop/start, mine never did - the idle was at 1000 rpm from the moment I first turned the key until it ended up in the local dealer trying to be fixed. I've been wondering if this is a design issue to clear and clean internal engine laquer's etc for the first 500 miles or so, dunno...

Done 1700 miles in my MK3 and the trip computer says 49 mpg (mostly city driving.) 

 

Did a 100 mile motorway driving recently, drove constantly between 60-65 mph and the trip computer said 59 mpg for that trip. 

 

My MK2 greenline with same 1.6tdi engine and used to give me almost 70 mpg.

Edited 3 November, 201312 yr by dellfan

Hi just put the first 1000 miles on the vRS 2.0my Tis DSG and its second tank. An average of 47mpg with a motorway trip of 230miles at 56mpg. Very happy. 

Hi just put the first 1000 miles on the vRS 2.0my Tis DSG and its second tank. An average of 47mpg with a motorway trip of 230miles at 56mpg. Very happy.

56mph for 230 miles..... I'm surprised you haven't died of old age!

Almost done 1000 miles on my vrs and mixed driving (nothing long) have averaged around the 50mpg mark which im happy enough with

... To the OP, did you not test drive the car before buying it? Presumably you checked the car thoroughly before handing over your hard earned? Were these issues not present on the demo car you viewed?

.

Which issues are we talikng about here?

I don't think the OP was suggesting that there were any specific faults with his car - he was complaining (justifyably, as far as I can see) about some of the minor design deficiencies of the Mk3 compared with the Mk2.  It does not seem sensible for an intending purchaser to examine his new car in a showroom and say "Ooh, I see that the handbrake is on the wrong side!  I don't want he car after all."  What can the dealer do about that?  He can't re-position the handbrake!  Any other Mk3 Octavia will presumably be the same, that's just the way it is.

That does not stop it from being a stupid / penny-pinching design feature, and I think tho OP is right to say so.  Shame on you Skoda - you got it right once, why screw it up now on this new model?  I would not regard the handbrake issue as major but to omit the covers for the recesses behind the rear wheels and the under-seat storage is not "simply clever" at all - it is really dumb. 

Edited 4 November, 201312 yr by Stuarted

I guess the OP didn't read the thread that highlighted all these issues when the good people on here went to have a look at it before launch.  The cheaper quality materials, the handbrake and bonnet release issues are just some of the reasons I'll not be replacing my vRS with another. Sadly.