Well at 1pm today i picked the said car up from Sherlodge Garage (now Motorline).

To start with i wasnt expecting much. reveiws have been average, mostly many praising its value for money more than anything, some question the quality of dash plastic its lack of being a "drivers" car etc etc.

Considering i currently have a Fabia monte carlo with 1.2tSI and really enjoy the way it handles i was expecting to leave feeling a little empty.

But instead ive found it appealing to age side of my self rather then my more imature side so to speak.

First impression of the demo i had where under wheliming main due to the demo being a stright forward elegance from the putside, standard wheels and not style pack, finished in rio red, so firstly it would disappear in to the background of your average car park imo. Now considering the showroom has a white one finished with the style pack its clear the £1100ish option alonost changes the car complety from something average to something that sticks out a little more. (Then again i saw the Rapid Sport also in the showroom as i was getting drawn to that.)

Anyways back to the spaceback.

After sitting in it while my papers were processed etc, i was quited impressed woth the interior. Its a nice place to sit even more so with the aliminum effect trim across the dash (if that was just plastic i could see being annoying dull). Despite its not all "soft touch" matrieals (as all car reveiews seem to bang on about) . It did feel really solid and well built (ok we expect this from Skodas nowadays), but this is more important to me then it feeling soft lol.

As for ghe drive, yes its very uninspiring to drive at speed and doesnt put the same smile on my face the Monte does, but its feels so better to crusie around it in, feels comfy and rides well over the majority of roads, and shown just how bigger difference the sport suspension the fabia effects the ride, (both postivily and negatively).

Now the big question would i buy one??

At the moment i just couldnt tell :/,

I love thats it comfy when cruisi the bigger boot space and the better rear leg room.

The dash looks nicer etc etc.

But deep down i know it wont put quite the same smile on my face as the monte does.

Anyways those are my thoughts if anyone has moved from a RS or a Monte Carlo Fabia please let me know on your thoughts on your move

I think you should try and test a TSI version.. engine is more free revving (as you know) and also lighter so it should sharpen up the handling too.

 

I agree on the looks front, although I think a Spaceback without the style pack can still look good provided it's on 17in wheels.

I think you should try and test a TSI version.. engine is more free revving (as you know) and also lighter so it should sharpen up the handling too.

 

I agree on the looks front, although I think a Spaceback without the style pack can still look good provided it's on 17in wheels.

Quite possibly and in the right colour. Im not that fussed about a panoramice roof, jus a blackroof extended glass and tinted lights would do

I think a Spaceback without the style pack can still look good provided it's on 17in wheels.

 

For example:

 

For example:

 

I could live with that, the wheels have made a difference, think the rio red this demo in makes it look very average too.

Would be a case of ordering the smoked rear lamps job done

That Spaceback in white looks fantastic.

Well a quick sum up after handing the car back.

I really enjoyed my time with, the voice command system worked a treats even reading my texts pretty the only exception being those that still use text speak haha.

Nice comfy driving posistion a if in honest i was impressed with it than i expected. I do feel the reviews that ive seen have been harsh on the Rapid. And it makes an ideal middle ground between fabia and Octavia.

I would love to see a monte-esque version and/or a VRS version.

I drove a Spaceback TSi and found it a bit uninspiring! Glad I did drive it as it has influenced me to hang on to my Fabia for a bit longer than I had planned to do!

 

I am used to a 1.6TDi and didnt like the TSi so much. I guess it is what you are used too?

 

 

Edited 18 February, 201412 yr by threadbear

For example:

 

thats the one that they have on display at Carrs 

I drove a Spaceback TSi and found it a bit uninspiring! Glad I did drive it as it has influenced me to hang on to my Fabia for a bit longer than I had planned to do!

 

I am used to a 1.6TDi and didnt like the TSi so much. I guess it is what you are used too?

my fabia has the 1.2TSI 86PS engine and i love. IM not a huge fan of the 1.6 TDI anyway. And i did like you fine the rapid uninspiring. But it was a lovely drive, nice around town good on the motorway too. If i got one it would be the TSI unit for me.

 

but really i need to decide wether i want a comfy drive or good handling. When i dropped the rapid and jumped right back in the Monte, the first thing that was apparent was difference in Quality the rapid feels more upmarket. But the Fabia is so much fun to chuck in to corners. So im still undecided, but after seeing my current settlement figure, i cant see the rapid suiting my budget, so Il either be looking to Keep my Monte Carlo or find a used VRS (max of a year old.