After a month and just about 1350 miles, I thought I’d share with you my thoughts… but first the background.  I’m coming from driving a BMW 120d (F20) M Sport in Estoril Blue, which was acquired through a salary sacrifice company car scheme.  The only options I added to it were cruise control, rear PDC, heated seats and the black panel display (which isn’t at all like the oh so cool dashboard on the 5 series, it’s just an extended display screen under the rev counter).  I now have an Octavia vRS TDi (Mk3) estate in Black Magic with red stitching.  As it’s a personal purchase, I was a little more exuberant with the options this time around… it has the black pack, Columbus with colour maxidot, Canton, Park Assist, powered boot, variable boot floor, heated seats, heated washer nozzles, sunset glass and KESSY.  For what it’s worth, list price of both when new was roughly the same (£27.5k).  I ordered in the last week of March and picked it up on 1st September (although it arrived in the UK in the second week of July).  To cut a long story short, and to enable those of you who want to stop reading sooner rather than later, it’s simply awesome (every pun intended!).  For those who are interested in a more detailed review, read on…

 

Right, let’s deal with the elephant in the room straight up.  It’s not a fast car.  I’m not saying it’s slow by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly isn’t fast.  Apologies if that offends anyone else who has one, but there’s no getting away from the fact that it isn’t a performance car.  I’m not for one minute saying I’m in any way disappointed with this – I bought the car knowing this and having test driven it as well as the TSi, which is somewhat quicker, and I stuck with diesel because of the mileage I do.  Having said all that, it is a perfectly capable car… anyone from around these parts should know Frocester Hill (if not, it’s 1.5 miles of twisty b-road at an average of about 15%, with 20% in parts), and overtaking the trucks that somehow think it’s a main road isn’t exactly difficult (you have one spot halfway up the hill to make a move, and it has to be decisive).  So, no complaints from me on this front, just don’t buy one thinking you’re getting a supercar.  If I’m honest, I bought the vRS for the looks and for everything else it offers.

 

What makes the Octavia awesome is the combination of that capability together with the comfort and space that it offers, as well as the economy that (unlike others) I can get from it.  Whilst the BMW offered the more sporty drive (and I still prefer RWD) and had more sensation of speed (and, to be fair, it was faster), the driving position was not comfortable, the suspension was too firm (yes, I’m an old fart), and there was just no room in it, especially not if you want to fit someone in the middle of the back seat with two kids on booster seats.  The Octavia, in total contrast, is far more comfortable, the ride is softer (yet still firm enough for spirited driving), there is acres of room for everyone, and fitting 3 up in the back is easy – in fact, I’m pretty sure you’d get 3 booster seats in the back if you needed to.  Of course, unless there is 6ft between the front and back seats, you’re still going to end up with the kids putting their muddy feet all over the seat backs though!

 

As for the options, there isn’t a single one I regret ordering.  The only superfluous one was Park Assist, which was ordered because at the time it was the only way of getting front parking sensors.  Having said that, having the side sensors is also good, and freaking the kids out by letting the car park itself is always good fun.  In fact, if they’d been available at the time and budget had allowed, electric memory leather seats and folding mirrors would have been ticked (mainly for the folding mirrors, but also because it would have made the KESSY system even more useful).  The power boot is cool, although it would be even better if you could kick under the tail of the car (like you can on the Ford Kuga) for true hands-free opening.  The Columbus system is excellent, and in my opinion well worth the money – a few minor gremlins with it but if you’re lazy and don’t want to mess around with portable SatNavs or SD cards and the like, it’s perfect.  And the Canton system sounds brilliant – I’m no audiophile, but with the sub and surround turned right up, the car is really a very nice sounding place to be.

 

I may be in the minority with my next opinion, but I like the sound generator.  Yes, it’s fake and gimmicky, but if you spend most of your time pottering around in eco/normal, then switching to sport for a brief moment of overtaking really does make you smile, both for the sudden sportiness and for the growl it lets out as you plant your right foot.  And as I haven’t mentioned economy (as I don’t want to start another debate), let’s just say I’ve managed to get 55mpg out of it on a motorway journey – which I’m happy enough with, and although I’m hopeful that will improve further as everything runs it.  However, it’s still a long way off the 70+mpg I could get from the 120d.

 

Anyway, I think the final thing to say is that last week I was forced back into the BMW for a day whilst the Octavia went back to the dealer to get the chip it was delivered with and a scratch that appeared on day 3 repaired… and it’s safe to say that no matter how much fun the BMW is to drive (given it was my last go in it, and I had half a tank of diesel that I had no intention of returning it to the lease company with, it did get a fair hammering), I would take the Octavia any day of the week.  It is just so much more the complete family car.  And it's costing me a lot less than the BMW did each month...

Great post.

Nice, thank you for sharing.

Good to read. For what it's worth, I had a 120d M Sport back in 2009-10. Great to drive but so much went wrong on it (within warranty, thank God) that it is comfortably the worst car I have ever owned.

55mpg sounds encouraging. I drive from Bedfordshire down to Southampton every day (and back the next day) so I'm hoping to get at least 55mpg, if not more.

Edited 30 September, 201411 yr by lozza

Really good post.

 

Having the Hatch with the same mileage clocked up I would agree with just about everything you said!!

 

The only negatives I would add to the aesthetics of the Hatch are the rear wheels are too far into the arches and the false exhausts are quite noticeable from certain angles and look a bit cringe worthy.

Also cannot believe we are still designing cars that let the rain run into the boot when the hatch is opened - Arghhh!!!

 

But lovely car to drive and a great balance of performance v economy v versatility.

Very happy with mine :sun:

Great review Wiggo, interesting to see your comparisons to the F20 120d also.

I think the vRS is a very competent car, looks good, goes well enough, is vast and comparatively speaking (whilst in most people's minds still lot of money for a Skoda) is excellent value for money. I think it probably strikes just the right balance for most people wanting a half sporty family car between capability and load lugging ability.

For me I think tax outlay and size aside I'd still preference a 120d M Sport over a vRS myself but running a 1 series as a family car of course massively has its drawbacks.

I might end up having to go back to a company car in due course as my mileage has gone through the roof...would be a toss up between a GTD or a 120d M Sport manual with business nav.....have to say despite the additional expense and lack of load space the BMW is what I'm now leaning towards....also have had a few Golf's and not yet had a BMW so be nice to run something completely different.

For me I think tax outlay and size aside I'd still preference a 120d M Sport over a vRS myself but running a 1 series as a family car of course massively has its drawbacks.

 

When I got the BMW, the kids were smaller and it was practical enough.  But as a family, we've now outgrown it and the Octavia offers so much more space for everyone and everything we want to carry.  Also, being able to chuck my bike in the boot (almost literally!) rather than having to put it on the roof is much more handy for those 'need to get out with my bike right now' moments.

 

The only thing I would caution you against with the 120d - and apart from this it really is a fantastic driver's car - make sure you take it out for an extended period if at all possible and make sure you're still comfy after an hour or so of driving it (it doesn't have to be the M Sport or even a 120d, it's the same driving position on all of them).  I found that on longer journeys, I became really uncomfortable with the pedals being offset to the right, and the lack of space.  And with the cruise control on motorways, there's a distinct lack of space around the pedals to put your feet, unlike the Octavia which has bags of room.

 

Oh, and apparently the 2 series is even better to drive - but there is, of course, less room and it costs even more money!

Absolutely agree. The Octavia is vast and a brilliant family holdall.

Until recently lived approx 110 miles from nearest family so with two young kids we needed a car to cart all our carp around in when we visited family/friends...which was quite often.

We've recently moved back so the need for such a big car (whilst it is still absolutely useful) isn't so necessary as we don't have cause for the long trips away with loads of carp in the car like we did before.

Interesting about the driving position. I know BMW omit lumber supports (as they do a lot of other things) but the sports seats are quite supportive; also I believe they have inflatable side bolsters which are quote useful if not quite the same.

Something I have to level at the Elegance....Whilst the seats look supportive enough in reality they are anything but. Have nowhere near enough side support and the squab is a bit short. Also the lumbar support isn't particularly brilliant in it.

Don't get me wrong, just to sit in they are comfortable enough but after a reasonable drive I get knee and thigh ache; my back is also really suffering from the poor side and lumbar support as well. Another reason I now regret not getting a vRS!

As it happens I can also get a 218d M Sport with auto box.....problem is I actually prefer the look of the 1, it's too small and probably slower than the Elegance as well. Also it has no gearshift paddles which is a bit of a travesty in an M Sport model (don't think you can get the sports auto in the 218d of any spec).

I came from a similar experience (Octy 2 VRS TDI  --> 320d touring M --> Octy 3 4x4 TDI) and with my growing family, I agree on pretty much everything you described in proper English (unlike mine )

 

Besides, the bimmer left to me a bad left leg ache, something never experienced even through more than 1400Km/week on the oldie Octy 2 VRS.

 

As a benefit, the pain disappeared after leaving the bimmer

Edited 30 September, 201411 yr by Genoa1893

My experience and opinions are very very similar to this. Came from a BMW 320d before the VRS, and have to day my feelings match. It's quick, comfy, far more practical as a hatch than the 320d was as an estate, and saves me about 100 per month in company car tax - plus still a car that makes you glance back at it when walking away. Winner.

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Pfff.. I'm still waiting for mine and when I get to pick it up in November I will be leaving a 320d EDE saloon behind there and then to have it returned to the lease company. 

 

I like your story and I do recognize that feeling.. I know I'm going to miss that RWD kick when you floor it going through a tight corner and that aggressive grunting for grip when hammering it on wet straits. Awesome feeling.

 

But yes, I choose to have a roomy family car now that can still give me driving pleasure. I opted not to have too many factory installed options because they bumped up the taxation up and beyond what I'm currently paying for the BMW and that would kind of defeat the purpose stepping away from it, so no sunroof for me, no Kessy (shame, I do have that on the BMW now) but I did pick Canton, Black Pack, Columbus etc. 

 

Even though I know it's a completely different car which I chose for completely different reasons, I still hope it's going to be as or even more fun than the BMW.

 

I opted not to have too many factory installed options because they bumped up the taxation up and beyond what I'm currently paying for the BMW and that would kind of defeat the purpose stepping away from it, so no sunroof for me, no Kessy (shame, I do have that on the BMW now) but I did pick Canton, Black Pack, Columbus etc. 

 

Same for me. I also went for the exact same options as you and left out the same ones!

I can live without KESSY but the demo car I had came with a pano sun roof...and it was fantastic. But it was something stupid like an extra £40 per month!

Dealer options though... Block heater, window tinting, dynaudio sound insulation in all doors, subwoofer in the spare wheel space, he's even going to try and mod the mirrors to tilt down when reversing (like I have on the BMW).

Those Skoda dealers are really friendly and willing to think with you instead of pointing at the folder and racking up prices.

 

Dealer options don't add to taxation so those were essentially free .

You, lucky man... your experience seems quite the opposite to the dumbness and incompetence of the local dealer I sadly referred to.

 

Oh well, I'll buy my next Skoda in the Netherlands!

Our company has branches in Italy as well .

 

The fleet managers negotiate a deal with certain dealerships and you are only allowed to shop with them for your car. These dealerships make it worth your time and treat you well otherwise they lose a large customer (we have 400 employees in the Netherlands alone).  Also, we are limited to a certain range of brands and models, at the moment BMW, Mercedes, VW, Seat en Skoda. No convertibles, only 4-doors or estates, etcetera. But that still leaves a lot of options.

 

In my case was given a budget of 52.200 euro to spend on any car in the approved list(s) as long as the fleet manager approves of it, so no odds things like race striping, black rims and stuff like that.

 

The company pays for all expenses so that means lease, fuel, maintenance, washing and so on. They charge me 25 euros a month for my private use (which is a steal, I drive about 15 to 20k a year privately).

The government however taxes you for this private use as it is essentially income and this being a premium fast car the taxation is pretty heavy.