I have a vRS combi on it's way any time soon. Throughout the long wait I have worried I should have ordered the hatch. But.. sometimes I look at the hatch and I think something does not quite 'Hang together'. It seems to go slightly wayward towards the back of the car, but I can't quite put my finger where though, whilst the estate/combi has a more cohesive line. It's almost as if they designed the car in estate form first and then added the hatch afterwards. Can't say I would be unhappy with the hatch though. Does anyone think the same?

I might be a bit bias as I have the combi on order but I tend to agree with you.  I think the hatch looks a little bit akward to me.  Maybe because it rises up a bit at the back and makes it look heavy, not sure.

 

I think it's the upwards "fighter jet tail" thing going on in the back doors.... It makes the car look heavy compared to the estate when it's side on. The estate just gets a we "flick" upwards in the rearmost window so it's not as noticeable.

 

 

I am biased as went for the hatch, I've had several estates and fancied a change without losing the space, which even in hatch guise is good.

 

I have to disagree though and feel the proportions are very good for the hatch, looks a lovely motor from the side, most angles actually,..

Yes agree, Estate looks more streamlined, gives it a lower look and as its the same length may as well have that bit of "outside" space inside the car!!! Only one question, how clean does the rear of the Estate keep in dirty weather.Is it like most estates, sucks the muck onto the back window. Still waiting for build info on mine. Try to email my Sales "executive" with regular with questions so he knows I am still there. Last build estimate 15 as of last 2 weeks ago.

I went hatch also and personally love the high back boot, think is looks the bees knees., on top of the rear end shunt safety factor.

 

Depends on the pictures you see as there are so many, sometimes it's great and other times not so.

 

I think you can safely say that in real life up close they both look fantastic.

Only one question, how clean does the rear of the Estate keep in dirty weather.Is it like most estates, sucks the muck onto the back window. 

 

Unfortunately the muck tends to stick to the back of the car:(

I don't think there is a lot between the two, i think the hatch looks chunkier and looks better viewed from the front and the back, and the estate is sleeker and looks better from the side.

 

It was a simple choice for me, the wife hated the hatch for some irrational reason.

Unfortunately the muck tends to stick to the back of the car:(

Yep, the back gets dirtier than a dirty thing.

 

Having the top edge of the bumper so flat doesn't help either as the crud runs of the boot and just sits there - waiting to scratch the paint when you're not looking! 

Personally I prefer the estate - there is just a bit too much metal in the rear three quarter / C-pillar area for me on the hatch.  And experience tells me that visibility on the hatch will be worse as well.

 

Having said that it is still a good looking car (less so in white as posted though - no offence to those with white cars - they're just not my taste)

Combi every day of the week for me. Better proportioned at the rear and that bit more practical.

The looks of the combi sold itself to me

 

I had not actually been looking for an estate, but I could not resist it's better looks coupled with the bonus of the luggage carrying capability.

Totally agree with OP, was actually talking about the same thing with a mate not too far back.

At a first glance, the hatch looks somewhat oddly proportioned from the side to me whereas the estate is somehow more.... cohesive, yes.

 

I'd say the same thing about the Superb - I think the facelifted Superb estate is definitely one of the nicest estates on the road today (if not the prettiest), even more so than the Octavia. But again, the Superb hatch from the side... there's something a bit off to me.

 

I don't think it's about the height of the boot per se, it's something to do with how and where the boot line and the rear window/ceiling lines meet. Well, to me, anyway.

Edited 14 March, 201412 yr by johh

Oh well I shall just live with a "muky backside" if I ever actually get it delivered. I wash my current Octy hatch every week anyway.

I needed the estate for practicality and while I vastly preferred the look of the mk1 and mk2 hatches, this time round I dont. Its definitely something to do with the rear end but again I cant quite put my finger on what it is?

 

Yes the rear of the estate is constantly dirty im afraid. The addition of mudflaps to mine has definitely helped though

Forgot to mention, hatch is quicker, more economical and handles better,....  

 

Ducks behind sofa and hides for cover....

I like the way both look, particularly when in VRS trim with black pack and sunset glass. I went for the estate because I needed an estate, but would have been equally happy with the hatch if I didn't have need for the extra boot space.

Forgot to mention, hatch is quicker, more economical and handles better,....  

 

Ducks behind sofa and hides for cover....

Hmmm, as much as I trust everything that Skoda puts into print are you sure they know their numbers?

 

http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/new-octavia-vrs-hatch/performance

 

http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/new-octavia-vrs-estate/performance

 

Have a look at the links and compare both engines - on the petrol both estate and hatch are identical in economy (despite the estate being a whole 0.1s slower to 60 and dropping 2mph in top speed and putting on a huge 17kg) but... the diesel estate manages to gain 6.1mpg extra urban over the hatch while other mpg figures remain the same - and (as if by a miracle) it's also 0.1s slower to 60 but only manages to drop 1mph in top speed yet manages to put on 19kg over the hatch this time - hmmm. 

 

I smell something and it isn't perfume!

 

As for handling.... I've got a diesel so thats knacked anyway!  

 

i changed from hatch to estate when i swapped my mk2 for mk3, there was something about the back end design, also i found the road muck tends to land on the top edge of the bumper, so rear screen not to bad

I think the estate looks more flowing than the hatch but if the mk3 is anything like the mk2 you'll get dirty fingers every time you open the estate boot, hence if I get to order one it's def going to have the auto boot.

Agree, agree!!! I was not brave enough to mention this on this forum, but when I shared my excitement about my "on order" New VRS Estate MIII with a colleague, he was interested to have a look. He is not into his estate and when I showed him the hatch, first thing he said is that the back does not look "right"! I was thinking that all along as it seems "very heavy" rear end makes the 18" wheels look small -almost like 15" wheels.

 

I must admit that I felt the darker anthracite alloys also looked the same on the estate and therefore I decided to go for the silver Pictoris alloys that displayed bigger on the car! Obviously this is only my humble opinion, but think the hatch MII was better looking car than the MIII hatch.

 

However, the MIII, in either hatch or estate, still makes my head turn for a second glance when the pass me on the road!

 

Cant wait for mine to turn up!

 

Regards

Personally think the hatch just looks more like a cut-down European version of a Mustang and more balanced front and back. The Combi looks back heavy in my opinion. I also like the hatch rear side window upward flick giving the sensation of speed. Combi a bit too much glass. In any case they look exactly the same from behind the wheel

 

Edited 15 March, 201412 yr by Steveh3

Hatch looks much better i think...

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Hatch looks good dead side on; its from rear 3/4 angle and dead on rear it starts looking not quite right IMHO.

I see what you are saying, but happy with my choice of the hatch. The rear lights are wider from the back for the hatch and higher from the side on the Combi - just noticed that. I thought they where the same.