After one week of ownership. Just trying to be honest.

 

My Car History

I will begin by saying that I have absolutely no brand loyalty towards any car manufacturer.  I have owned German, French, Italian, Japanese and Swedish cars in the past, and I buy whichever car suits my needs and pocket best at the time. Prior to my new vehicle I have owned three 2.0l turbo petrol’s. The first an '87 3dr Sierra Cosworth, followed by a UK Impreza Turbo (216bhp), and then a Japanese Domestic Market Impreza STI IV (276bhp). Other cars I have owned have been far more reserved, my last car being a 320d Auto Touring.

 

New Car Requirements

My primary requirement was for sufficient space to fit a family comprising of two adults, two kids and a dog. Additionally I wanted sporty performance mated to reasonable economy, and a car which looks reasonable good. My initial preference leaned towards a strong diesel engine Estate, with it being able to accommodate an 18st 6ft 5" driver in comfort.

 

The Initial Shortlist of 3

 

   Skoda Superb 170CR Estate

Prior to driving any of these cars my preference was for the Superb. I had both read and watched reviews, and was semi-convinced that the Superb ticked all of my boxes. It was the first car of the bunch which I test drove and it was just as spacious, refined and accommodating as the reviews suggest. I was sold on the Superb until my wife waived her veto and said NO. Her opinion was that it was just too big and ugly, and that she wouldn't be seen dead in one. She did however like the look of the Blue Octavia VRS in the showroom.

 

   Mazda CX5

This was by far my wife's favourite. The car was lovely to drive and the 175bhp 2.2l diesel engine was great. She absolutely loved the looks and I found practicality very good. The only stumbling block was the price and complete lack of Dealer willingness to negotiate. I think that I would have purchased there and then if they would have knocked ~£1500 off, but instead they let me walk away.

 

   Audi A4 Avant Teknik 177CR

The current A4 is getting old, but it is still a lovely car. Of all the cars tested it was the only one which could better my 3-Series in terms of interior quality. All of the trim, switches, seat fabrics etc had the feeling they would last a life time. The car was extremely refined for a diesel, and the 177CR engine was almost as strong as the Mazda unit. The Dealer instantly offered £6K off of the asking price and a very attractive PCP deal. My wife even liked it. The two stumbling blocks were smallish boot size, and a newer A4 model being just ~12 months away. In the end I had to walk away.

 

The above tests left me in somewhat of a dilemma. I wanted the Superb, the wife wanted the Mazda, and the compromise car was the Audi. A few weeks later we went for a second look, and we both saw that Octavia VRS again....

 

Shortlist Late Additions

 

   Octavia VRS TSI

The Octavia seemed to tick all of the boxes. It certainly seemed practical enough, being bigger inside than A4 but not quite Superb spacious. It was more than fast enough in TSI form, feeling much quicker than both the Diesel Audi and Mazda, and it was also good looking enough for my wife, albeit not as "pretty" as the Mazda. On test the car rode really well and felt well put together. My overriding opinion was of what a great engine it had. However the Dealer was unwilling to negotiate due to high demand and long waiting lists so I again walked away.

 

   Octavia VRS TDI

After another week or so of indecision and after meeting a friend for lunch I occasioned across a previously unnoticed Skoda Dealership in Forest Gate East London. Within their front window was a black VRS Estate. I popped in to have a quick look, and arranged a test drive for the following Saturday. Upon test the TDI 184 engine was nice, but nowhere near as good as the TSI engine previously tested. The DSG was also very good, but my wife prefers manual and I also wanted something different after my 320d Auto. The engines and gearboxes within the VRS TDI and 3-Series had a very similar feeling to me (not a bad thing I guess). In fact, despite the 184CR being so competent it somehow made me realise exactly how much I wanted a petrol engined car again, and this eureka moment swung me away from diesels altogether. Once again I walked away and took time to ponder things.

 

The Decision

Having driven four similarly powered diesel engined cars and one considerably more pokey and refined petrol, my path had been turned fully towards petrol. I considered other 2.0l turbo alternatives, but decided the Octavia was really the only one that measured up fully to my needs. The Focus ST was too small, as were the Golf GTI, Megane RS and 328i. Most of these were also significantly more expensive. Further analysis of the available Finance deals really made the decision up for me, with Skoda's 2013 offer of "42 month 0% PCP" and "3 years free servicing" making it no-brainer. The Dealer (Lee @ Preston Motors – highly rated) was also willing to negotiate a little, offering what I considered a great overall deal. The wife also agreed insofar that I ordered a manual transmission and Race Blue. I conceded these unwinnable points and placed the order for a Race Blue VRS TSI Manual near the start of Octoble 2013. My only options were Black Pack, Sunset Glass, and Spare Wheel.

 

The Wait

Having waited 12 months for my original UK Impreza Turbo, the 5 month Octavia wait passed pretty quickly. My Dealer gave regular updates, confirming provisional and confirmed manufacture dates along with likely delivery estimates. He also promptly answered any questions I had. I was initially quoted 4-5 months for delivery, and final collection date was March 3rd, fully in-line with the estimation.

 

Collection & Inspection

Having had 5 months to read about other owner’s delivery problems, I was fully armed with a list of things to check before accepting handover. After arrival at the showroom I took a good 45 minutes to inspect the bodywork, panel gaps, paint finish, seals, interior trim, and switches etc. Fortunately everything was perfect. After a further 45 minutes completing the documentation and niceties I was ready to roll. The keys were handed over and I took control of my VRS for the first time.

 

One Week of Ownership

Octavia ownership is still very new to me, but I feel that the first week of living with a new partner is critical to determining how the long-term relationship will progress. My first week has been smooth sailing. The car does feel quite large on the road, but part of this may be my over-cautiousness and reluctance to place it within harm’s way. The handling is very safe and predictable, with the front tires hanging on well around corners. There is definitely much more grip at the rear than at the front, making it all but impossible to snap the back out, either by mistake or deliberately. This can make the VRS feel a little dull compared to my BMW or past Subaru's, but with my wife driving the car and my kids in the back I prefer it this way. It has more than sufficient grip and road handling for its size and performance. The brakes are also very good, having great feedback and stronger stooping power than any former car I have owned.

 

The interior trim quality is generally good, but there are some weak points. The door bins, lower centre console and drivers side storage compartment are made from pretty cheap and hard plastics. You certainly would not find items like these within an Audi or BMW, but they are functional, and do not rattle yet. The 12v (lighter) socket seems to be in the wrong place. It sits behind the gear stick making it difficult to run cables from my dash-cam effectively, and I would have much preferred it sitting higher up within the centre console. The lowest quality item within car is definitely the standard boot floor. It is made of 6mm MDF type material covered in a further 4mm of the world's lowest quality carpet. My 12 year old daughter kneeled on it and managed to buckle it immediately. This could be expected if I purchased a £6K Dacia, but on a £24K Estate car it is completely unacceptable. All other items within the car seem solid with good textures, so I really have just the few listed items to moan about.

 

Performance-wise the VRS is excellent. It cannot match the traction and 0-60 times of my old Subaru's, but once rolling the car feels faster than a stock UK Impreza through the gears, and surprisingly close to my old STI IV (which pulled 276bhp at stock). The torque of the TSI engine is excellent, and it is available from much lower down the rev range than older petrol turbo’s I have driven. The engine is also extremely refined for a 4 cylinder, feeling almost like a straight-6. It really is creamy and all but inaudible at idle. The sound generator attempts to make the car sound like a Subaru boxer engine, albeit with mixed success. My opinion is that the default sound/vibration settings are too loud, especially within Sport mode where the drone can soon become tiresome. In Normal mode things are okay, but it still cannot quite match the musical notes of a true Subaru boxer.

 

Steering is very fast and responsive, but does feel a little dull around the centre position. Lane Assist is a gimmick which I have used once and will never bother with again. I can certainly keep you within clearly marked lanes, but it is rather unnerving and can jerk the car slightly if it wonders off track. I prefer full manual control over such things.

 

The Bi-Xenon headlights are very impressive. I have never seen such clarity whilst driving down unlit lanes at night, and he cornering function works very well. After the lovely engine and Xenon’s, the next most impressive thing for me is the manual gearbox. It is very precise, well weighted, and the gear ratios are well spaced. Gearing is quite long compared to my former Subaru's, but the engines massive torque makes for good progress within higher gears. In first it is extremely easy to spin the front wheels even on very grippy tarmac, so full-throttle is a no-no when pulling away. You also need to be careful when flooring it within 2nd, where the car can just about handle full throttle on good roads. Third is the cars best gear, whereupon the car will rocket from 30-90mph in no time whatsoever. Fourth also pulls strongly, and fith/sixth are more than adequate for motorway overtaking. My opinion is that the car could cope with an extra 30-40bhp, as long as you mind full-throttle within the lowest two gears.

 

Interior space and practicality are superb. I am 6ft 5", but can comfortably sit behind my driving position with adequate leg and head room front and back. The boot is huge, and barring the crap boot floor material is an excellent place to store the kitchen sink. I find I am growing to like the stock Bolero Infotainment system. The sound is good enough for my use, but cannot match premium systems. Bass is okay rather than good, but in reality it is better than all of my previous built-in sound systems barring the BMW unit. The car also looks lovely in Race Blue with black pack, sunset glass and anthracite Gemini’s. I personally would have ordered Recession White or Primer Grey, but I am now growing fonder of the wife's Boy Racer Blue choice. After 250 miles of spirited driving I am averaging 27mpg.

 

High Points

*TSI Engine - It is a superbly refined and pleasantly powerful unit.

*Practicality - Awesome interior occupant and load space.

*Bi-Xenons - In the future, all cars will have lights like these. At night they are trully awesome.

*Gearbox - Manual gearbox is excellent. I do not miss my BMW Auto at all. 

 

Low Points

*Standard Boot Floor material - It is really poor.

*Some cheap plastics used - door bins, lowe centre console, drivers side storage comparment

*Poor placement of front 12v socket - need to run long cables aroung the gearbox.

 

Regrets

My biggest regret is not ordering the variable boot floor. I have not yet seen one in action, but it surely must be an improvement over the mushy standard boot floor. Part of me also regrets not ordering DSG, but that would have caused big problems with my wife as she would have refused to drive it. This may sound like a good thing, but I would have to run the kids everywhere.... Nevertheless, the manual gearbox is great.

 

Overall Verdict

I am very happy. The car is almost perfect and I am really surprised at how close it comes to my old Subaru's in terms of in-gear performance. Whilst it cannot match them for ultimate grip, handling and sound it slaughters them for practicality, build quality, safety and mpg.

 

Pictures

Some photos here if anyone is interested.

So overall it does exactly what it promises, comfortable, quick, family with dog transport.

 

Is not brilliant at anything particular, but not bad in any area.

 

I had same thought as you about the 12v socket in my FL vRS, i had a very simple solution, hard wire it to a switched live, i can still take the camera out if i want & the power is simple to put back on re location of the unit.  The 12v i think is really only for charging phones & kids in the back can access it easily to play on phones or tablets.

I am very happy with the car, and rate it above the 320D it replaced (due mostly to the TSI engine). My overall favorite car list is:-

1. Impreza STI IV

2. Impreza UK Turbo

3. Octavia VRS

4. 3dr Cossy

5. 320D

 

The Octavia beats the Subaru's in so many areas, but it lacks the raw feel and sound of the old Impreza's. I never expected it to feel as special as my Scoobs, but I am genuinely  surprised how close it it runs them. The VRS is kind of a grown-ups practical Impreza, without the 4WD.

 

It's funny because my head tells me that the VRS is the better overall car, but my heart cannot put it above the Impreza's.  

After one week of ownership. Just trying to be honest.

 

My Car History

I will begin by saying that I have absolutely no brand loyalty towards any car manufacturer.  I have owned German, French, Italian, Japanese and Swedish cars in the past, and I buy whichever car suits my needs and pocket best at the time. Prior to my new vehicle I have owned three 2.0l turbo petrol’s. The first an '87 3dr Sierra Cosworth, followed by a UK Impreza Turbo (216bhp), and then a Japanese Domestic Market Impreza STI IV (276bhp). Other cars I have owned have been far more reserved, my last car being a 320d Auto Touring.

 

New Car Requirements

My primary requirement was for sufficient space to fit a family comprising of two adults, two kids and a dog. Additionally I wanted sporty performance mated to reasonable economy, and a car which looks reasonable good. My initial preference leaned towards a strong diesel engine Estate, with it being able to accommodate an 18st 6ft 5" driver in comfort.

 

The Initial Shortlist of 3

 

   Skoda Superb 170CR Estate

Prior to driving any of these cars my preference was for the Superb. I had both read and watched reviews, and was semi-convinced that the Superb ticked all of my boxes. It was the first car of the bunch which I test drove and it was just as spacious, refined and accommodating as the reviews suggest. I was sold on the Superb until my wife waived her veto and said NO. Her opinion was that it was just too big and ugly, and that she wouldn't be seen dead in one. She did however like the look of the Blue Octavia VRS in the showroom.

 

   Mazda CX5

This was by far my wife's favourite. The car was lovely to drive and the 175bhp 2.2l diesel engine was great. She absolutely loved the looks and I found practicality very good. The only stumbling block was the price and complete lack of Dealer willingness to negotiate. I think that I would have purchased there and then if they would have knocked ~£1500 off, but instead they let me walk away.

 

   Audi A4 Avant Teknik 177CR

The current A4 is getting old, but it is still a lovely car. Of all the cars tested it was the only one which could better my 3-Series in terms of interior quality. All of the trim, switches, seat fabrics etc had the feeling they would last a life time. The car was extremely refined for a diesel, and the 177CR engine was almost as strong as the Mazda unit. The Dealer instantly offered £6K off of the asking price and a very attractive PCP deal. My wife even liked it. The two stumbling blocks were smallish boot size, and a newer A4 model being just ~12 months away. In the end I had to walk away.

 

The above tests left me in somewhat of a dilemma. I wanted the Superb, the wife wanted the Mazda, and the compromise car was the Audi. A few weeks later we went for a second look, and we both saw that Octavia VRS again....

 

Shortlist Late Additions

 

   Octavia VRS TSI

The Octavia seemed to tick all of the boxes. It certainly seemed practical enough, being bigger inside than A4 but not quite Superb spacious. It was more than fast enough in TSI form, feeling much quicker than both the Diesel Audi and Mazda, and it was also good looking enough for my wife, albeit not as "pretty" as the Mazda. On test the car rode really well and felt well put together. My overriding opinion was of what a great engine it had. However the Dealer was unwilling to negotiate due to high demand and long waiting lists so I again walked away.

 

   Octavia VRS TDI

After another week or so of indecision and after meeting a friend for lunch I occasioned across a previously unnoticed Skoda Dealership in Forest Gate East London. Within their front window was a black VRS Estate. I popped in to have a quick look, and arranged a test drive for the following Saturday. Upon test the TDI 184 engine was nice, but nowhere near as good as the TSI engine previously tested. The DSG was also very good, but my wife prefers manual and I also wanted something different after my 320d Auto. The engines and gearboxes within the VRS TDI and 3-Series had a very similar feeling to me (not a bad thing I guess). In fact, despite the 184CR being so competent it somehow made me realise exactly how much I wanted a petrol engined car again, and this eureka moment swung me away from diesels altogether. Once again I walked away and took time to ponder things.

 

The Decision

Having driven four similarly powered diesel engined cars and one considerably more pokey and refined petrol, my path had been turned fully towards petrol. I considered other 2.0l turbo alternatives, but decided the Octavia was really the only one that measured up fully to my needs. The Focus ST was too small, as were the Golf GTI, Megane RS and 328i. Most of these were also significantly more expensive. Further analysis of the available Finance deals really made the decision up for me, with Skoda's 2013 offer of "42 month 0% PCP" and "3 years free servicing" making it no-brainer. The Dealer (Lee @ Preston Motors – highly rated) was also willing to negotiate a little, offering what I considered a great overall deal. The wife also agreed insofar that I ordered a manual transmission and Race Blue. I conceded these unwinnable points and placed the order for a Race Blue VRS TSI Manual near the start of Octoble 2013. My only options were Black Pack, Sunset Glass, and Spare Wheel.

 

The Wait

Having waited 12 months for my original UK Impreza Turbo, the 5 month Octavia wait passed pretty quickly. My Dealer gave regular updates, confirming provisional and confirmed manufacture dates along with likely delivery estimates. He also promptly answered any questions I had. I was initially quoted 4-5 months for delivery, and final collection date was March 3rd, fully in-line with the estimation.

 

Collection & Inspection

Having had 5 months to read about other owner’s delivery problems, I was fully armed with a list of things to check before accepting handover. After arrival at the showroom I took a good 45 minutes to inspect the bodywork, panel gaps, paint finish, seals, interior trim, and switches etc. Fortunately everything was perfect. After a further 45 minutes completing the documentation and niceties I was ready to roll. The keys were handed over and I took control of my VRS for the first time.

 

One Week of Ownership

Octavia ownership is still very new to me, but I feel that the first week of living with a new partner is critical to determining how the long-term relationship will progress. My first week has been smooth sailing. The car does feel quite large on the road, but part of this may be my over-cautiousness and reluctance to place it within harm’s way. The handling is very safe and predictable, with the front tires hanging on well around corners. There is definitely much more grip at the rear than at the front, making it all but impossible to snap the back out, either by mistake or deliberately. This can make the VRS feel a little dull compared to my BMW or past Subaru's, but with my wife driving the car and my kids in the back I prefer it this way. It has more than sufficient grip and road handling for its size and performance. The brakes are also very good, having great feedback and stronger stooping power than any former car I have owned.

 

The interior trim quality is generally good, but there are some weak points. The door bins, lower centre console and drivers side storage compartment are made from pretty cheap and hard plastics. You certainly would not find items like these within an Audi or BMW, but they are functional, and do not rattle yet. The 12v (lighter) socket seems to be in the wrong place. It sits behind the gear stick making it difficult to run cables from my dash-cam effectively, and I would have much preferred it sitting higher up within the centre console. The lowest quality item within car is definitely the standard boot floor. It is made of 6mm MDF type material covered in a further 4mm of the world's lowest quality carpet. My 12 year old daughter kneeled on it and managed to buckle it immediately. This could be expected if I purchased a £6K Dacia, but on a £24K Estate car it is completely unacceptable. All other items within the car seem solid with good textures, so I really have just the few listed items to moan about.

 

Performance-wise the VRS is excellent. It cannot match the traction and 0-60 times of my old Subaru's, but once rolling the car feels faster than a stock UK Impreza through the gears, and surprisingly close to my old STI IV (which pulled 276bhp at stock). The torque of the TSI engine is excellent, and it is available from much lower down the rev range than older petrol turbo’s I have driven. The engine is also extremely refined for a 4 cylinder, feeling almost like a straight-6. It really is creamy and all but inaudible at idle. The sound generator attempts to make the car sound like a Subaru boxer engine, albeit with mixed success. My opinion is that the default sound/vibration settings are too loud, especially within Sport mode where the drone can soon become tiresome. In Normal mode things are okay, but it still cannot quite match the musical notes of a true Subaru boxer.

 

Steering is very fast and responsive, but does feel a little dull around the centre position. Lane Assist is a gimmick which I have used once and will never bother with again. I can certainly keep you within clearly marked lanes, but it is rather unnerving and can jerk the car slightly if it wonders off track. I prefer full manual control over such things.

 

The Bi-Xenon headlights are very impressive. I have never seen such clarity whilst driving down unlit lanes at night, and he cornering function works very well. After the lovely engine and Xenon’s, the next most impressive thing for me is the manual gearbox. It is very precise, well weighted, and the gear ratios are well spaced. Gearing is quite long compared to my former Subaru's, but the engines massive torque makes for good progress within higher gears. In first it is extremely easy to spin the front wheels even on very grippy tarmac, so full-throttle is a no-no when pulling away. You also need to be careful when flooring it within 2nd, where the car can just about handle full throttle on good roads. Third is the cars best gear, whereupon the car will rocket from 30-90mph in no time whatsoever. Fourth also pulls strongly, and fith/sixth are more than adequate for motorway overtaking. My opinion is that the car could cope with an extra 30-40bhp, as long as you mind full-throttle within the lowest two gears.

 

Interior space and practicality are superb. I am 6ft 5", but can comfortably sit behind my driving position with adequate leg and head room front and back. The boot is huge, and barring the crap boot floor material is an excellent place to store the kitchen sink. I find I am growing to like the stock Bolero Infotainment system. The sound is good enough for my use, but cannot match premium systems. Bass is okay rather than good, but in reality it is better than all of my previous built-in sound systems barring the BMW unit. The car also looks lovely in Race Blue with black pack, sunset glass and anthracite Gemini’s. I personally would have ordered Recession White or Primer Grey, but I am now growing fonder of the wife's Boy Racer Blue choice. After 250 miles of spirited driving I am averaging 27mpg.

 

High Points

*TSI Engine - It is a superbly refined and pleasantly powerful unit.

*Practicality - Awesome interior occupant and load space.

*Bi-Xenons - In the future, all cars will have lights like these. At night they are trully awesome.

*Gearbox - Manual gearbox is excellent. I do not miss my BMW Auto at all. 

 

Low Points

*Standard Boot Floor material - It is really poor.

*Some cheap plastics used - door bins, lowe centre console, drivers side storage comparment

*Poor placement of front 12v socket - need to run long cables aroung the gearbox.

 

Regrets

My biggest regret is not ordering the variable boot floor. I have not yet seen one in action, but it surely must be an improvement over the mushy standard boot floor. Part of me also regrets not ordering DSG, but that would have caused big problems with my wife as she would have refused to drive it. This may sound like a good thing, but I would have to run the kids everywhere.... Nevertheless, the manual gearbox is great.

 

Overall Verdict

I am very happy. The car is almost perfect and I am really surprised at how close it comes to my old Subaru's in terms of in-gear performance. Whilst it cannot match them for ultimate grip, handling and sound it slaughters them for practicality, build quality, safety and mpg.

 

Pictures

Some photos here if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the feedback. I have almost an identical including your height. I think the low points are really not big issues at all and no car will ever be perfect. Nice comments.

As far as VRS TSI perf vs Subaru Imprezzas have you seen this video? Shows extra KW's isn't the be all and end all. AWD kind of helps though ;-)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmIdx9HXxb8

Nice write-up of your experience - glad you are pretty happy so far - and long may that continue! 

You shouldn't feel bad you didn't get the VBF. I did and I'm starting to regret it. Doesn't bring any clear utility unless you keep installing and removing a roof box (so you hide the roof bars underneath), prevents you from getting a boot cover that would fit in both positions and gets rid of the rear most hooks so you can't install your boot nets properly.

 

@Steveh3, don't you just love it when someone quotes an entire one page long post just to add a one-line reply? 

Overall I am extremely happy with the car and cannot think of another alternative which would be better for my needs. Sure there are a few minor points, but they are annoyances rather than anything which will affect my long-term enjoyment. I will fix the boot floor myself by cutting and fitting a 18mm ply-board. This will also take up less space and be more robust than the VBF option. I will try to ignore the cheaper plastics, most of which are out of my line of sight anyway, and finally I will buy a long mini-b USB lead so that I can avoid using the poorly located front 12v socket for my dash-cam.

 

One other minor niggle I have noticed is that the fuel filler cap seems to have popped open twice by itself. I am guessing this is after slamming the rear door or boot, but I cannot deliberately provoke it

 

My kids love the car, and my wife is even very pleased with it.

As far as VRS TSI perf vs Subaru Imprezzas have you seen this video? Shows extra KW's isn't the be all and end all. AWD kind of helps though ;-)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmIdx9HXxb8

That's an interesting video. The Subaru is disadvantaged due to it's much bigger turbo taking until 3,500rpm before delivering any real power. Within high-gear low-rev drags the Octy has a clear advantage . The Subaru's 50bhp power advantage is also slightly offset by losses through the 4WD system, although that 4WD provides huge gains from standing starts or when sling-shotting out of bends. It confirms my thought's that the Octy could indeed compete (once rolling) with my much older and slightly more powerful Impreza STI IV version. Shame Skoda do not offer a 4WD Octavia R.

One thing that niggles me is the Ice scraper. Good idea but when the car is all frosty in the morning the filler flap won't open as its frozen close.  

Variable boot floor is much more stable than the standard.. Covering still isn't top notch, but it's better. Bonus points for netting, anchorage, hooks and 12v socket placing in boot though!

One thing that niggles me is the Ice scraper. Good idea but when the car is all frosty in the morning the filler flap won't open as its frozen close.  

That's champion!

That's an interesting video. The Subaru is disadvantaged due to it's much bigger turbo taking until 3,500rpm before delivering any real power. Within high-gear low-rev drags the Octy has a clear advantage . The Subaru's 50bhp power advantage is also slightly offset by losses through the 4WD system, although that 4WD provides huge gains from standing starts or when sling-shotting out of bends. It confirms my thought's that the Octy could indeed compete (once rolling) with my much older and slightly more powerful Impreza STI IV version. Shame Skoda do not offer a 4WD Octavia R.

 

Yes exactly right. I reckon the Golf R if it's motor is as good but just better all over than the TSI standard one would deal to an STI Subaru now, well until we see what the new STI can do anyway.

I used to have a Subaru Legacy GT wagon before my two Skodas, AWD 2.0 Turbo manual, which you don't get over there. Was 206KW and 343Nm at 2500rpm so just a more economical dutuned STI motor. About the same spec inside as the VRS but full leather, 18's, Xenons and Bilstien shocks as standard etc. I'd say a VRS R would be similar to that if it would be in AWD. GT was 5.5 secs to 100kph. Best car I've had but at $65k + NZD its up there price wise vs $46k for non AWD VRS. Then Subaru bought out the ugly current shape new model of that car which was slower and dumber and they dropped the ball so I bought a Scout instead. Lost the acceleration but retained torque and got economy. Now I want sharper back again so went VRS.

Also had a WRX prior which was very capable and would easily deal to the gen 5 Golf GTI at the time, just interior is pretty cheap in comparison.

We don't have Seats over here so bang for buck Skoda is a no brainer and practibility wise, features and performance nothing can touch them at the price they are if you want Euro tech and quality. Good review too Orville, comprehensive and well written. Cheers.