Decided to take a look nearly 12 months on and do a general comparative test drive against the aforementioned car. Thought that I might be tempted to change.

 

Both cars NEARLY std spec when sold ,Sept 2013 REG and similar mileage at 10,000. 

 

Mine retailing now at Skoda main dealer approx. £19500 -21000. SIMILARLY VW main dealer Golf£ 23500- £25000.

 

As tested not a great deal between them in performance , fit and finish, rattles, if any etc,  in my view the Skoda still wins the day - value for money

 

and driveability /practicality .

 

These were main reason for buying what I did and they still hold up strongly today.

 

Anybody else done a similar trial and would be interesting to hear from Golf owner that might have done the reverse?

I'd agree with comments - particularly the interior, after all the hype of how much better the Golf interior is I simply don't agree. Quality on a par, but the Golf is much duller and the instrument graphics much clearer in the Octavia. Ride and handling is better in the 150bhp diesel Golf as the VW has the multi-link suspension, tidier and less barge-like than my Elegance.

The only serious drawback to the Octavia is the dreadful rear visibility when manoeuvring making parking sensors essential, the shorter rear of the Golf and more vertical rear window makes visibility much better - at the price of a smaller boot of course. I've not driven the Octavia estate, maybe the visibility is better than the hatch?

Edited 13 July, 201411 yr by Timoctav

Only difference in would say is the golf came with better discounts at the start so might claw back more at trade in

Octy is a great package IMO