Octavia 2 v. Octavia 3

[BhPea]

Would any helpful persons comment please on the ways in which the Octavia 3 is better than the Octavia2.  What does it do better or worse.   I know it has that super VW platform (MQB ???)

 

I once owned an Octavia 2 and am more and more thinking of returning to the fold or club.

Money is a factor and I need to get plenty of bang for my bucks.

 

All views very  gratefully received.  Thank you.  

[Keith64]

I had a Mk2 FL model 2011. Now got a Mk3 2014. Mk3 is miles better in ride and quality in my opinion when compared to the Mk2. The finish seems to be better, though now having owned it for a while... if the windows are half down and you open and shut the door the glass seems to really rattle, like its not thick enough. 

 

If I had a choice of Mk2 or Mk3...Mk3 all the way. It so much a better car then the Mk2.

[HotRod]

I owned the Mk2 Tdi Elegance.  Nice motor, very economical, sweet drive..   I didn't want to get rid of it..

 

Until....

 

I drove the Mk3 vRS..  OK - I didn't buy it for it's fuel economy.  But it is a lovely motor.

 

The only things I'm missing on the vRS over the Elegance are.

 

Rain Closing Windows.

Cornering Lights

 

I'm doing very short journeys now (about 3.5 miles a day) as opposed to the 40+ miles a day when I had the Tdi Elegance.

 

 

You need to define "bang for buck".  What do you want in a car?  Performance, Fuel Economy, The ability to carry large dogs safely..

 

I originally ordered the vRS Tdi - but changed it before production for the Tsi because I worked out I could afford the difference in fuel and could not be bothered doing the occasional runs to regen the DPF.  Was this the right decision?   I would say so - I'm loving the Tsi..

[Bullit]

I am the opposite, wanted the MK3 Vrs as I currently have a MK2 Vrs Tsi but when I test drove it, it was no more than 10% better in any area compared to what I drove into the garage. I didn't even get the 'new' car rush when I sat in it as it felt very very familiar and that's not what I want if spending another 20K.

So in the end my car is paid off and I have just went and ordered a fiesta ST2 for the Mrs until something comes out that I want, I will go back and consider the Vrs if they bring out the 280bhp version.

[kristianRS]

I originally ordered the vRS Tdi - but changed it before production for the Tsi because I worked out I could afford the difference in fuel and could not be bothered doing the occasional runs to regen the DPF.  Was this the right decision?   I would say so - I'm loving the Tsi..

 

Could you just change from TDI to TSI without any delays? My dealer says if I want to make this change (current planned BW is 39), I will have to restart the whole 6 months wait and make a new order.

[Auric Goldfinger]

The only things I'm missing on the vRS

Cornering Lights

 

 

Can be sorted with a VCDS + Other things

 

www.briskoda.-vcds-adaptations-tried-and-tested

[littleade]

What sort of budget do you have and which model are you looking at as this may play a part in your decision. For example your budget might only allow you to afford a low spec/small engine mk3 but would get you a larger engine/better spec mk2. You've not said whay you intend to use it for/how many miles you'll be doing a year either so it's difficult to come to a conclusion other than to say in general terms the mk3 will be better, but more expensive to buy. Whether you want to pay the extra or not is then your choice.

[pipsyp]

Its a better car all-round though there are some clear areas where VAG have made cost savings.....to be fair its the primary reason the MQB platform exists. For example the interior had v good percieved quality bit the actual quality when you really start looking closely at it is a little mixed....its not bad by any means but I wouldnt classify it as fantastic either.

Engines are improved, TSi's are great and the TDi's a definite improvement on the 1st gen CR's. My 2.0 150 Elegance is significantly punchier than the Mk6 Golf 2.0 TDi 140 I had sometime prior and as quick if not a little quicker than the Mk2 vRS TDi I had before it.

Handling with standard suspension is competent if far from exciting but again an improvement on the Mk2, particularly on 225 section rubber. I expect the vRS is not a revolution over the Mk2 but its better in the same way the Mk7 GTi Golf is an improvement over the Mk6.

Overall prefer my Mk3 over the Mk2 vRS though am starting to kick myself a little that I didnt hold out for a bit, ignored the pleas from my wife about getting another car with firm suspension and bought a manual vRS TSi as for the money its alot of motor.

[HotRod]

Could you just change from TDI to TSI without any delays? My dealer says if I want to make this change (current planned BW is 39), I will have to restart the whole 6 months wait and make a new order.

I bought mine last year. Delivered in October.

I changed my mind after only a few weeks after order.

[HotRod]

Can be sorted with a VCDS + Other things

www.briskoda.-vcds-adaptations-tried-and-tested

Really. Now I just need vcds

[Crogers]

Can be sorted with a VCDS + Other things

 

www.briskoda.-vcds-adaptations-tried-and-tested

My vrs has cornering lights!

[james_19742000]

Personally I would say its 'evolution' not 'revolution', I had a Mk2 VRS CR diesel DSG and it was a lovely car, done everything I wanted it to, however, when I saw the Mk3 initially I was underwhelmed, then the vRS came out, and it had everything on it that I considered essential for a car in the sporty class except cruise control, in my Mk2 I had to add things like Bluetooth, auto wipers etc, but in the Mk3 it was standard, however, there were other nice options to add instead, but because the car was better equipped in the first place the options were generally things I 'wanted' as opposed to things I felt were needed to make the car better.

 

So I ended up with a well equipped nice looking Mk3 VRS Estate with the Diesel engine and DSG box, with a few nice options as well.

 

How do I find it compared to the Mk2?

 

The Mk2 was lovely car, it was quick, comfortable, looked good and had loads of boot space etc, it never left me feeling underwhelmed, overall, it done everything I wanted it to, however, the Mk3 took a car that was already very good and took it to the next level, the car has evolved.

 

It comes with things that I consider are 'must haves' like I said earlier, Bluetooth, auto wipers etc so it immediately feels a better car, the vRS seats are immediately more comfortable and 'hug' you like they should, the space in the car is fantastic for the size of it, the leg room in the back is excellent, no one has ever complained, the boot space is fantastic, the carrier bag hooks are used daily, the feel of the dash board, steering wheel, buttons and switches etc all feel like good quality, the colour maxi dot is nice, not a full on colour screen but highlights certain things in colour which helps when looking at it quickly, the media stuff is good even at a basic level, USB charging etc all things that any modern car must have these days.

 

As for driving it, I can't complain, it does what it says on the tin, and in my opinion does it well, its fast enough for me without being too fast, for a family sized car it has enough poke, the DSG gearbox is lovely and smooth if slightly notchy at times, but if you stick it in drive and decide to do some relaxed driving it does it all very well, the ride I can't complain about, its obviously harder than cars without 'lowered' suspension, but it isn't uncomfortable, my wife is disabled and is in constant pain and feels all the bumps in the road and she says its no worse than any other car.

 

There are obvious cost savings in the car, some of the materials feel slightly cheaper than other cars, some of the storage bins have disappeared which isn't a deal breaker for me, but is annoying, however one thing they have done which makes a huge difference to me is carpet lined the door bins, my wife and kids would constantly leave odds and sods in the mk2 door bins and when on the move on my own in the car I would hear them roll around etc and it drove me nuts, now, things don't roll around and its all peaceful in the cabin.

 

Overall, the car has evolved, yes it could of had other things done differently on it, it could of had X Y Z added etc, but its a Skoda at the end of the day, VW and Audi like to keep certain things to themselves etc!

 

I find it a good upgrade on the Mk2 if not overwhelming.

 

The main reason I bought it was that it worked out cheaper on the monthly than my Mk2, that was with a whopping discount, 0%, free servicing plus a boat load of freebies thrown in, it made it much more appealing, however, would I of changed had it not been for those incentives?  Probably not.

[HotVRs]

I had a Octavia II L&K 2.0 TDI 140 (PD), and now have an Octavia III Elegance 2.0 Tdi CR 150.

 

The III is better in that it drives and handles better, the seats are a lot more comfortable, and the extra rear legroom is good for the children. It's also about 10% better on fuel economy.

 

But it is worse in that a lot of the technology does not work properly. I find it stalls easily pulling away in 1st, seems to dump the power and bog down. The 'intelligent light assist' only works on perfectly straight roads, so I stopped using it. Mine has 'driver assist' and has done two emergency stops when there were no cars (or anything) in front of the car. The rear seats are meant to tumble down when you pull the release levers in the boot - they don't, they just flop forward an inch and stay there, and if you have the split rear seats in use, you cannot access the seat belt retainer without lifting back up the folded seat. Not unique to the Octavia, but irritating all the same.

 

In short, the III is better to drive, but (in my opinion) the technology is hit and miss and lets it down. If it worked better it would be a 10/10 car. Back in it's day I think the Octy II was the better car for its time. 

[PUFPAF]

Had an Octy 2 TDI Elegance before ordering the Mark 3 with TSI engine - mainly because I wanted a 4x4 estate and didn't find anything better

 

I think james_19742000 has summarized it somewhat.

 

Generally the new model has gone up a level due to the quality of materials, the space, the engines and the ride - all of which you will feel immediately. Of course there is a cost to all this, as you will pay more for a car, which has lost some of its practical features.

 

There are many topics here of what we don't like in the new model, like for example the thin paint, some interior frailties (hope they are  gone in current production), water retention under the doors, windscreen reflections etc.

 

But overall I strongly recommend the O3 over the O2 now, also because the design is much sharper and classier IMO. Although very good bargains on late O2 FL from 2012 should be taken into account!