What are opinions on the 1.6TDi?

[karlbar2k]

SWMBO's RX needs to be replaced and considering a 1.6TDI in octavia guise (possibly A3,Golf,Rapid,Fabia Estate depending on what she takes a shine too)  I know the old PD 1.9TDI was good in the passat but is it a good engine?

 

looking for maximum economy but in a newer car package to keep her happy so she has looked at the Auris/Yaris Hybrid the other day so economy to match but would prefer to stay VAG

[DougL]

I quite like my 1.6. It's certainly smoother than the 2.0l and I'm getting over 60mpg indicated on the long term readout. Rows the car along at a fairly surprising rate, probably equal in performance terms to the old 1.9 pd engine.

[io1901]

I like mine too. Plenty fast enough and averages mid 60s mpg with a 35mile motorway commute. 

[Callum]

What sort of miles do you get from a tank just out of interest?

[pipsyp]

A good motor. Id imagine the 110ps unit with 6 speed box in the Greenline model would take some beating as a reasonably quick but v economical diesel car.

That said its notably down on power compared to the 2.0 150 and real world I doubt it is way more efficient...but then the 2.0 150 costs quite a bit more ans as others have said is a bit more agricultural due to its bigger capacity, injectors etc.

[xpower]

I have a Mk3 vRS with a DTUK tuning box etc and that is amazing for what it is. Today I spent all day in the pool car which is a 1.6tdi fabia estate and it is truly awful. The engine power and delivery isnt "to" bad but it's noticeably louder and harsher than the 2.0, doesn't help that the car feels a bit naff as well :-(

For me the 1.6 (in the fabia at least) feels like going back in time in terms of engine refinement, theoretically should be better in the octy

[DougL]

The 1.6 engine in the Mk2 Fabia is not the same. 

[Bristolf2b]

The 1.6 TDi Octavia I had as a loan car was OK, but I did find the 5 speed 'box was a bit clunky with big gaps in the ratios. ( but I have been driving 6 speed manuals for 14 years)

The motor itself was smooth and reasonably quiet

[Callum]

I test drove a Black Edition 1.6TDI DSG the other day and was impressed with it, it was brand new (had less than 100 miles on the clock) but felt smooth, refined and quiet, when I got back into my Monte Carlo it seemed a lot louder rougher in comparison, which is a 1.6TDI 105bhp.

Big difference between the two engines, I didn't realise they were different engines till the other day, I thought they were the same, it is a noticable difference.

Edited 10 March, 2015 by Callum

[airscool]

Having now driven mine since last July I have adapted to the 5 speed box and the economy is creeping slowly up to 60 mpg. I have only done just short of 8K so far so I hope that will improve over time.

 

I find the engine is more than punchy enough for me as I don't feel the urge to race around anymore. The factors (other than economy) for purchasing the 1.6TDi was the zero charge for VED and cheaper insurance - as well as the lower initial purchase price.

 

I would suggest though that you buy petrol if SWMBO is just running short journeys in built up areas. I have had to use mine temporarily as a runaround and the economy has dropped right off and it has regen'ed itself a few times on the drive after returning home.

[AllanDJ]

It only makes sense if you are doing a fairly high mileage, I bought it as my last three cars have all been diesels but for my current situation the 1.4 Tsi would have been better.

On the road the engine is pretty good on motorways but can be a bit flat in town driving situations where it barely seems to have any revs at all for much of the time and as I've pointed out elsewhere, the five speed box has issues about the spacing of its gear ratios. The Greenline version with higher power and a 6 speed box has to make more sense.

[JockMac]

Hi,

 

New here so hopefully not offend anyone by asking if anyone has remapped their 1.6TDI and if so what improvement did you see?

[Gabbo]

I normally have a a vRS TDi & average ~52mpg during normal daily use.

I had a 1.6 Octy for a week as a hirecar & averaged ~62mph for the same driving & conditions.

 

Great engine (it took me 3 hours to realise it was the 1.6 not the 2L).

Performance is more than adequate & its very comfortable on the highway at normal speed.

I was driving alone so it may feel a little less punchy fully loaded with 5 people but I'm sure it will cope no problem in this situation.

 

If you are a relaxed driver & economy interests you more than performance, the 1.6 is a great choice.

[pipsyp]

Perfectly decent, arguably smoother/more refined than the 2.0.

Only issue (if performance does bother you) is that the 150 TDI is considerably punchier and real world probably not a great deal worse on fuel....the 184 is like a dragster comparitively.

My one big critisism of the O3, having had a Mk7 Golf as a daily drive for a while is that NVH on the O3 is considerably worse.....if you want something more refined I do think a smaller diesel or TSI probably works better in the O3.

My Golf 184 TDI is considerably quieter than the 150 O3 I have, despite the fact the 184 motor itself is inherrently more noisy.

[kevberlin]

I have a 1.6 Greenline Superb with the 6 speed box. It is surprisingly perky but suits the relaxed and the economical driving style as mentioned above by Gabbo. Fuel economy is amazing when driven sympathetically.

If I buy another diesel VAG, it will be the 1.6 engine again.

[Mckenzie1971]

I bought my 1.6 elegance last August done 10000 miles it has the dsg gearbox 7 speed best car I've had the size of the car and engine is smooth and I average 52-56 mpg and when I put it in sport mode it can shift along

[webweasel]

The 1.6 TDi Octavia I had as a loan car was OK, but I did find the 5 speed 'box was a bit clunky with big gaps in the ratios. ( but I have been driving 6 speed manuals for 14 years)

The motor itself was smooth and reasonably quiet

I think the car mags said something similar. The greenline (as AllanDJ says) comes with a six speed box which is better. Edited 21 March, 2016 by webweasel

[old newbie2]

I'd agree with the comments re. 5-speed manual, not enough ratios = never sure which is the right gear for roundabouts!

 

My opinion is based on 2 weeks in a 1.6D rental in the Costa Blanca (Spain....) last summer, different trim levels to the UK but searching through

the Skoda Spain website, I think it was No. 2 out of the 4 levels, & probably the lowest powered engine.

.Good economy, app. 55 mpg, plenty of room for luggage & shopping, (we rented an apartment, so we shopped for food, etc..), nice enough on the back roads,

but no performance at all!

 

Spain discovered roundabouts about 10 years back, so we were forever in 2nd, (too low) or 3rd (too high) everywhere. 

Even on motorways, especially through the local mountains, 5th was usually too high to cope with the gradients.

 

Our thoughts at the time that a 6-speed manual would better suit the engine, but the 7-speed DSG would reduce the driver's workload

& add some fun to the whole, I'm on vacation & enjoying the driving, experience.

 

FWIW, we didn't spend much time on beaches, this was a fact-finding trip to look for a vacation property, (nothing we wanted,) & to peek at

the expact (?) life-style, so we put 2K+ klicks on the car, it wasn't just to & from the airport!

 

If your car is to be a low-mileage run-about, then maybe a 1.4 petrol would be more suitable, it's not just about the fuel economy.

 

SWMBO has just sold her vRS 2.0 TSi DSG Octy, she had it for 3 years & covered 11,359 miles in that time, using 1556 litres of petrol,

= 33 mpg.  

 

At todays prices, that's under £1600. If she had been a using diesel Octy, she might have managed 45/50 mpg, so assuming 50 mpg & £1 litre for  

diesel fuel, that's about 1030 litres, just over £1000.

 

That's a saving of app £200 per year, which is, IMVHO, peanuts, especially given the difference in performance & fun between the two engines.

 

DC

[timbox]

I got a new 1.6 4x4 back in December and have now done 8000 miles.  Being the 4x4 its got the 6 speed box. I was worried at first that I might find it really underpowered, but I dont. Very smooth engine and  Fuel economy is getting better by the week, at first I was struggling to get high 40's, now high 50's are fairly easy, the non 4x4 should easily better that. Im sure the 2.0l is quicker, but now Ive got used to the engine it does me, its quite revvy for an oil burner.

[Croat]

1.6 TDI is great for fuel economy but would recommend it with DSG and driving options.

[TheWanderer]

I think I read that the engine does struggle a bit when the car is fully loaded with people and luggage, but I can't remember where I saw that article.

 

I'd still go with the 2.0 because it gives you that extra grunt that you occasionally need when one of the muppets out on the road leaves you in a unwanted position and you need to do a swift overtake to get out of it.

 

To me the 1.6 is probably more of a town car and more suitable for an area where the terrain is relatively flat, I don't think it would be that good if you lived up in the Dales, Exmoor/Dartmoor, Peak District where you encounter some significant hills. I maybe wrong, but I most certainly wouldn't have the 1.6 as it's too weak.