My trusty Clio finally died just after Christmas, leaving me living out in the countryside in Roslin Glen, sharing my fiancee's Punto. I know very little about cars so read a few reviews, and saw that Octavia and Focus came out well. Test drove a Focus Econetic, quite nice but a bit underpowered (dealer told me it's a 1 lit engine, but has the power of a 1.6. Yeah, right!). Also, unable to do 0% finance deal to keep my savings intact. Test drove Octavia 1.6 TDI SE and loved it - huge storage, great trim level, uncluttered cabin but lots of good tech, zero road tax, and good fuel economy. And not bad looking either, I think. My fiancee's reaction 'a Skoda - you're kidding me - that's an embarrassment!' Old stigmas stick, huh ?! Her view changed with a visit to the dealer.

I needed a new car quickly - Seafield Skoda unable to locate one of that spec quickly so went to Western Skoda at Sighthill in Edinburgh. Dealer (Alistair) very helpful, a few phone calls, and told I could have exactly the spec and colour (pearl black) I wanted. I'm sure this is largely because I wasn't fussed about optional extras. Got the car within 6 days, have had it a week and absolutely love it. So nice to drive, and for a car so much bigger than the Clio, is going to be cheaper to run. Interior very comfortable, and loving the Bolero system, which was so easy to set up for hands free and music from my phone. One very happy new owner, and guess what, looks like the Octavia will be borrowed quite a lot by my Skoda sceptic fiancee.....

Congrats on the purchase. Most morning I drive that way on the way to work so I'll keep my eye out for you.

Edited 19 January, 201412 yr by gullyg

That's bloody rare around here. Someone buying a standard car and not loading it with options, and also getting it in a week.

It seems that most of us added two or three thousand in extras and then wait three months or more.

I suspect you are the smart one here.

Well done, enjoy!

The Ford 1.0 Ecoboost engine has won just about every award going. It was named International Engine of the Year within 2012 & 2013. With 123bhp and 148lb/ft of torque it is a match for most normally aspirated 1.6's in terms of performance, yet returns a claimed 60mpg. My parents have this engine within a Fiesta, and it is superb for such a small 999cc power plant.

Saying all of that, apart from the handling and the frugal engine the Focus is rather bland.

Edit. Ford do a lesser versions of the 1.0l engine with just 98bhp. This is not as common within the Focus but may explain why the car you drove felt underpowered. They also do a non turbo 79bhp unit but I think this is reserved for smaller cars.

The Octy 1.6tdi is also a lovely little engine, plus the car is so much more practical than the Focus. Enjoy!

Edited 19 January, 201412 yr by Orville

Impressive stats for the ecoboost, I'll admit and it seems I'm being too negative. However, having test driven both the 1 litre Focus and the 1.6TDI Octavia on more or less the same route, I was left with a clear impression of lack of power in the Focus. Nice car otherwise and can't argue with its awards

Fair shout the Octavia is a bloody good car, the 1.6 TDi SE v much being a smart money choice.

I couldnt care less about options either, the car i've ordered is better specified than the car its replacing out of the box (in other words the MK2 Octavia), went with solid paint as i resented paying nearly 500 notes for metallic and the only option i elected in the end was a spare wheel. I did go Elegance in the end as the car is replacing a newish vRS Blackline so have traded the sporty feel for a normal one with a few more toys, also wanted auto lights, nav and cruise and these all came on that spec otherwise SE would have done me. I test drove an SE and have to say didnt feel at all short changed.

enjoy!

The information contained in the post 23 PDF here;

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/300389-delivery-date-rant/

 

 

Would suggest currently the SE 1.6TDI manual is the best selling Octy III hatch and for the Estate the Elegance 2.0 TDI manual.

 

Very surprised mind to find it's suggests the SE 150 4x4 is the best selling of all the SE estate versions

 

 

TP

The 1.0 ecoboost is very good Vs a 1.6 normally aspirated engine, more economical and more powerful (most 1.6's manage 110-115hp), but 1.6's are awful things, nowhere near enough power and no torque at all.

 

At 1279Kg kerbweight it's 97 lb/ft per ton which is why it's got mediocre performance and why the 1.6 TDI Skoda with 1305Kg and 140 lb/ft per ton feels much faster real world where it's torque that throws you down the road.

 

Good choice with the Skoda but I love my options, haven't found a car yet I'm happy with off the peg... wish I could, it'd be a lot healthier for my wallet.

Edited 19 January, 201412 yr by Sheldon.Cooper

The 1.0 ecoboost is very good Vs a 1.6 normally aspirated engine, more economical and more powerful (most 1.6's manage 110-115hp), but 1.6's are awful things, nowhere near enough power and no torque at all.

 

At 1279Kg kerbweight it's 97 lb/ft per ton which is why it's got mediocre performance and why the 1.6 TDI Skoda with 1305Kg and 140 lb/ft per ton feels much faster real world where it's torque that throws you down the road.

 

Good choice with the Skoda but I love my options, haven't found a car yet I'm happy with off the peg... wish I could, it'd be a lot healthier for my wallet.

The 1.0 125 ecoboost has 148lb/ft vs 184lb/ft for the Octy 1.6tdi. The little ecoboost unit has 20 more bhp (123 vs 103) giving it the higher effective power to weight ratio. Power to weight is is usually defined by weight/bhp. Overall performance figures look pretty similar, but the tdi's longer gearing and additional torque will make it feel more relaxed and require less gear changing.

Wouldnt touch the Ford 3cyl 1l engine. 1- You are relying entirely on the turbo, and with such a small engine, the kick of the turbo im guessing is very obvious, and before it kicks in, you will be so slow.

2- Being such a small engine producing over 120hp, im guessing it must have a very very fast spinning turbo. That to me is a no no. Too much chance of something going wrong. 

Such a small engine producing so much power is not something id be touching, and those more technically minded than myself have said the same thing.   

120bhp per litre isn't that high at all these days. Look at what peugeot are doing with their 1.6 turbo in the RCZ and VAG with the 2.0 turbo in the Leon.

120bhp per litre isn't that high at all these days. Look at what peugeot are doing with their 1.6 turbo in the RCZ and VAG with the 2.0 turbo in the Leon.

Fair point.

Dont think i'll be touching it though. Much prefer Mazda's way of thinking. Larger, normally aspirated petrol engines

I too came from a clio and got a mk2 se+ off the shelf and on my drive in about a week, traded it in 12 months later for the BL and again it arrived PDQ so no faffing about for me either. Nothing wrong with stock motors IMO.

Enjoy your car Neil.

BTW when I was looking to get rid of the clio my son was learning to drive and he told his instructor I was thinking of getting either a octy or a civic. I was pleasantly surprised when he said it was a no brainer...Octy any day!