After a month and a half and 2,000 miles with the Octavia, time for some first impressions which I hope might be of interest.

 

This is my third vRS estate, the first being a diesel manual (blue) and the second a petrol DSG (white). This one's a petrol manual (red). Not (quite) as capricious as it sounds: I'm now doing between 10,000 and 15,000 miles a year rather than 20-25,000, and although the DSG works well and was totally reliable (wet-clutch), I always got the feeing that it was holding the car back just a bit.

 

I did wonder during the (quite reasonable for a new model) 16-week wait for delivery whether I'd miss the DSG. But no, I don't. There's none of the holding back with the manual, and as it loosens up I'm enjoying this superb engine more and more. In terms of torque and smoothness, the 2.0 TSI really is the next best thing to a straight six.

I had the extra expense of winter tyres: the old 16" steel wheels with the excellent Kleber Quadraxer all-weather tyres won't fit over the brake calipers of the mark 3 vRS. But at least that's two new sets of tyres bought upfront. Both sets of tyres are Continentals. Ride and handling are fine, and the steering on this vRS is much quicker and more direct than the old one. And it's been very sure-footed in the torrential rain.

 

I was very tempted by a Golf GTI. There's a very fair comment in the current issue of CAR where the Golf and vRS are tested together - the vRS is a bigger car and just slightly more ponderous. But it is only slightly, and we still need the space of an estate, so this and the lower cost price, the 0% finance, the proper handbrake and the excellent dealer I use (Jewsons of Oxford, shortly to be rechristened Ridgeway Skoda) swayed it in favour of the Octavia.

 

The icing on the cake is 40 mpg on a long run. I'm no boy-racer but I like to get a move on (or I wouldn't have had the vRS in the first place).

 

I didn't need many extras - cruise control, variable boot floor, spare wheel, silver roof rails (to set off the black rubber window surrounds) and Amundsen sat-nav which was a surprisingly reasonably £550, and far better than the feeble old TomTom that I used to have to rely on. The seats are excellent and the new dash gives a good feeling of space. So far my only criticism is that for some reason Skoda have deleted the separate section of the driver's door mirror which avoided a momentary blind spot. I must see if there's any after-market substitute.

 

Changes from the mark 2 (apart from the mirror) that are noticeable:

 

 - I expected to miss the space for my right foot when cruise control is on: actually it tucks quite comfortably under the

   accelerator pedal, which is pendant rather than organ-type.

 

 - I do appreciate the compass built into the maxidot, telling me which direction I'm going in.  Very useful when it's dark

   or the sun isn't out (i.e. most of the time).

 

 - Damped grab handles - I never minded the old ones but they'll please some people who value these things.

 

 - Rear seats - mine has tougher release levers in the boot than the demonstrators - good.  the seats no longer fold

   quite flat, which I can live with but may worry others.

 

 - DAB radio - I was sceptical but music is definitely clearer.  Worthwhile.

 

 - Modes - this feature was standard although I don't think I'd have bothered with it if it hadn't been. Normal is fine.

   Sport should be called Alfa Romeo Mode - lots of extra frenetic noise but very little extra performance.  Eco makes

   the engine note quieter but so far gives only about 1 mpg more.  I have it on Individual for town work - engine set to

   Eco but everything else on Normal.

 

So in general, so far so very good. I look forward to every journey - not something you could say about every large estate car.

Thanks for the review, I am glad to read you are enjoying your third vRS, I will be taking delivery of mine sometime this year, so it is nice to read positive comments from existing owners.

Edited 13 January, 201412 yr by JS6

Having done about 3000miles over 2 months it's strange.  I was sat in it this evening at it struck me quite how good quality the interior is - weird how things come to you.

 

Love my diesel vRS - it even stood up a lorry on the motorway, hopefully it's war wounds will get sorted soon.

4000 miles on and still love my Vin Diesel too

2000 miles down and love my Race Blue VRS Estate, really comfortable and eats up the motorway mileage. Canton is the bees knees.

Tonight boy racer in Candy White Corsa Sport sat next to us at lights, tought him not to mess lol.

Only downside for me is when setting up the back for load carrying, the seat bench doesn't pivot up to help form a barrier when carrying a boot full.

Regards

Brian

Likewise....2 months and 2700 miles in....I LOVE IT.

 

Quality feels good, Engine getting better with miles and generally making me smile! Sometimes sit and plan my next one...... ;-) (dont tell mrs pullers.....)

5100 miles so far in my Corrida red vRS diesel hatchback. Can't believe I have racked up so many miles already - totally effortless and still brings a smile to my face every time I drive it.

 

Long term fuel economy still only in the mid 48's mpg but will get better. Most of the time I am driving in eco mode but do flick into sports mode for some quick overtakes on SC roads. Performance boost not massive but maybe bigger psychologically! Wife cannot stand sports mode 'sounds chavy' apparently.

 

I too have a sticking offside windscreen washer which is annoying, just haven't got round to taking it to Rainworth Skoda to get it sorted.

 

Don't know about the rest of you, maybe because it's a heavy car but I don't think the brakes are that good, feels like it should stop quicker than it does.

 

Love the suspension, just feels a lot more planted and sophisticated than on my MkII vRS diesel estate.

 

First car I've ever had with bi-xenon headlights and they are a big step forward, never felt confident with my 2007 MkII 2.0Tdi octavia elegance or the MkII vRS - headlights never seemed bright enough.

 

Spec'd a spacesaver wheel on current car after having a blow out in the middle of nowhere with the last one with no spare wheel of any sort- wasn't going to make that mistake again!

 

Happy Motoring!

 

NT

 

I didn't need many extras - cruise control, variable boot floor, spare wheel, silver roof rails (to set off the black rubber window surrounds) and Amundsen sat-nav which was a surprisingly reasonably £550

 

 

Cheerz mate and thanks for the review! Enjoy countless miles in your VRS

 

Did you get a discount on the Amundsen, or this is the listed price ? We have to pay approx. EUR 1800 for the Amundsen here, which is more or less double :/

How does the performance compare to the tsi mk 2 version?

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

Cheerz mate and thanks for the review! Enjoy countless miles in your VRS

Did you get a discount on the Amundsen, or this is the listed price ? We have to pay approx. EUR 1800 for the Amundsen here, which is more or less double :/

That's about right for uk pricing as an upgrade to bolero.

As for reasonable a lot of people here don't think so as a tomtom is cheaper and has move features.

4400 MILES IN MINE NOW AND I ENJOY EVERY MINUTE I'M AT THE WHEEL.

 

THE MARK OF A QUALITY , FUN SET OF WHEELS.

I thought £550 was reasonable for the Amundsen as fitted sat-nav is so often upwards of £1,200, which isn't.  My TomTom kept falling off the windscreen and then stopped charging from the socket - and I dislike the way that TomTom charge you for every upgrade.

 

If I hadn't gone for the Amundsen I'd have bought a Garmin.

Only done 1,000 in mine since delivery 20/12 but I have meetings booked to mid February which will easily add another 2-2,500.

Loving it so far

Nice review Av.sorry Zedeneck. I think that the new Octavia Vrs estate is a very handsome car indeed and the petrol manual would be my choice too (not doing the miles that justify a diesel and prefering the involvment of a manual). Nice to see the car has been reliable too (unlike the disaster that is the Fabia Vrs it seems).

 

Only think I will say is that the car is getting expensive. I see a lot of late model mark 2 Octy Vrs on the road, probably due to the generous discounting and financing offered on that car. I have not, as yet however seen many Mk 3s ( just a couple of estates).

Thanks, Matt.  List price is indeed creeping up - but with 0% finance this one was £2 cheaper per month on PCP than the last one (2011), and that was £80 per month cheaper than the first one in 2009.

 

And it's still a lot less than the Golf GTI that I'd been thinking about.

same for me 3.5k and 3 months in - still love it.

 

vRS diesel manual - 50mpg, that's with roof rails and cycle carriers on all the time.

 

Lovely place to be, comfy seats, no issues, DAB radio is superb.