I'm torn between either a vrs or a laurin and klement octavia. Also would you go hatchback or estate? They are the same age, cost etc.

Try both decide if you want comfort or sportiness.

L&K will have more equipment

VRs comes in race blue

We prefer the estate and need the space

If adults are travelling mostly a saloon car would be OK, but, + a dog then an estate would be my suggestion.

As to what model, if speed is your forte my suggestion the Octavia VRS..

Have a ride in each model to help you decide.

L&K has a comfy ride. VRS can be choppy.

VRS has really nice front seats.

L&K the brown interior is a bit marmite.

VRS has more power

My choice would be based on my requirments.

 

Do you want sporty or luxury?

Do you need the space of the estate or prefer the looks?

 

That should answer your question.

Choices like, Suitable for Mini Cab / Taxi or Airport Transfers are often made. ?

Edited 17 April, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

VRs comes in race blue

 

Race blue is now available on the L&K.

That's just wrong

I have 3 kids. One aged 10, 8 and 9 months. My needs are isofix, big boot, cruise control and safety features.

I'm off to test the dsg and manual boxes on Monday. I looked in the elegance today and it was lovely.

I would either get it in blue or charcoal grey (black is shocking for every mark)

Not fussed about looks so estate or hatchback is fine.

I have 3 kids. One aged 10, 8 and 9 months. My needs are isofix, big boot, cruise control and safety features.

I'm off to test the dsg and manual boxes on Monday. I looked in the elegance today and it was lovely.

I would either get it in blue or charcoal grey (black is shocking for every mark)

Not fussed about looks so estate or hatchback is fine.

 

If sporty looks and performance aren't the ultimate goal then suggest the Elegence estate then over the VRS (personally running a VRS with family) - but why not the superb estate if big boot is high priority but also great leg room.

I'm not keen on the superb and I think the Octavia has a big enough boot for the family needs.

Sporty doesn't bother me in a car (ride motorbikes for my kicks)

My major disappointment with my fl mk2 Octavia VRS was tyre noise and the ride over rough surfaces. It put me off low profile tyres forever.

It may be an issue worth considering. Good luck.

A lot of my daily commute is rough, potholed country roads. Definitely food for thought.

I have 3 kids. One aged 10, 8 and 9 months. My needs are isofix, big boot, cruise control and safety features.

 

Have you tried the three children in the back of the Octavia yet?  We also have three children (8yrs, 6yrs and 3yrs) and our Mk1 Octavia was just that bit too narrow in the back.  When searching for a replacement I looked at various vehicles of different classes and found out that the design of the rear seats makes a huge difference.  If the rear bench is heavily bolstered on either side then it pushes the children into the centre, so a larger car can have less room than a smaller vehicle with a flatter design. 

 

I know it sounds crazy but our second car (Suzuki Ignis) fits the three of them in quite happily, including two Britax seats either side and a booster in the middle.  The Vectra is a much larger car but doesn't have acres more room.  Yes, there's a noticeable difference but not as much as you'd expect.  I did try a MK2 Octavia 4x4 estate that belongs to my friend and I was amazed at how it didn't cope as well as I would have liked.  If it had fared better, we might have had a vRS on the drive instead.  If the child seats were pushed to the outside of the rear seat we could have squeezed our eldest in the middle, but the child seats were then leaning at a crazy angle due to the bolsters. 

 

We're fine in the Vectra for a while yet with room to spare in the back, although the boot isn't quite as big as the Octavia due to the storage bins in the side.  I'd be interested to know how you get on as I'm always on the lookout for our next car despite being more than happy with the current one.

 

Cheers,

 

Andrew.

Have you tried the three children in the back of the Octavia yet?  We also have three children (8yrs, 6yrs and 3yrs) and our Mk1 Octavia was just that bit too narrow in the back.  When searching for a replacement I looked at various vehicles of different classes and found out that the design of the rear seats makes a huge difference.  If the rear bench is heavily bolstered on either side then it pushes the children into the centre, so a larger car can have less room than a smaller vehicle with a flatter design. 

 

I know it sounds crazy but our second car (Suzuki Ignis) fits the three of them in quite happily, including two Britax seats either side and a booster in the middle.  The Vectra is a much larger car but doesn't have acres more room.  Yes, there's a noticeable difference but not as much as you'd expect.  I did try a MK2 Octavia 4x4 estate that belongs to my friend and I was amazed at how it didn't cope as well as I would have liked.  If it had fared better, we might have had a vRS on the drive instead.  If the child seats were pushed to the outside of the rear seat we could have squeezed our eldest in the middle, but the child seats were then leaning at a crazy angle due to the bolsters. 

 

We're fine in the Vectra for a while yet with room to spare in the back, although the boot isn't quite as big as the Octavia due to the storage bins in the side.  I'd be interested to know how you get on as I'm always on the lookout for our next car despite being more than happy with the current one.

 

Cheers,

 

Andrew.

Thanks for your reply Andrew.

I'm lucky to only need 1 car seat. Can't see it being an issue as we can get them all in the wife's peugeot 208.

When the oldest 2 were little and having 2 full sized car seats there was no way of having a middle seat passenger.

Glad I don't have that issue now.

I just tested the vrs with dsg and the elegance in manual. The vrs looked the part but didn't like the dsg at all.

I just tested the vrs with dsg and the elegance in manual. The vrs looked the part but didn't like the dsg at all.

I like my dsg vrs for the a roads and motorways and town, but it's not great on B roads as doesn't change / respond quick enough. My wife drives B roads to work fom here on Dartmoor hence she's getting a new oct scout soon - if you think the oct Is big enough then a scout might be worth looking at given the potholed roads your thinking about - reasonable spec as standard (obviously not quite l&k but neither is vrs without options)

It's not going well. I've sorted out my finance and everything else and I can't find a car I want. I've seen a few of the anthracite vrs (09-59) What is the difference between the standard and limited edition?

I'm not keen on the superb and I think the Octavia has a big enough boot for the family needs.

Sporty doesn't bother me in a car (ride motorbikes for my kicks)

If buying used you'll get a newer/lower milage non vRS for your money and the vRS is not so comfortable as the other options so something like an Eligance might fit your requirements and if you're after a petrol the 1.8 is a bit of a stealth car, but they are not as common as the 1.4 (which in the 122ps version is a little underpiwered in the mk2 IMO) decent test drives will help you decide. Good luck.

Sporty doesn't bother me in a car (ride motorbikes for my kicks)

 

 

A lot of my daily commute is rough, potholed country roads. Definitely food for thought.

 

No good reason to go for the vRS then.

I had a look in the Laurin and Klement though and thought it was plain. I guess I'm edging towards the sporty look as you know it's a vrs where as you don't know if it's an l&k till you open the door.

I had a look in the Laurin and Klement though and thought it was plain. I guess I'm edging towards the sporty look as you know it's a vrs where as you don't know if it's an l&k till you open the door.

 

 

Sounds like you want the look of whatever is the 'top' model - but they are different things for different reasons i guess. 

 

Bit like my old ford escort days - having a 1.6 ghia but always kicking yourself when you see an RS turbo - although the ghia probably offered more, it didn't make you feel special!

 

Depends if you have your sensible trousers on or not - but for what its worth you have to buy a car you like the look of as well as can live with - no point kicking yourself everytime you see the one you should have had.

I had a look in the Laurin and Klement though and thought it was plain. I guess I'm edging towards the sporty look as you know it's a vrs where as you don't know if it's an l&k till you open the door.

I like the anonymous look of my l&k. Only thing giving it away is the 18" rims and the logo on the side.

And with the 1.8 Tsi its a bit of a sleeper.