I've just test driven the Fabia vrs. What a great car! I currently drive a xsara vts coupe(167 bhp) and the fabia wasn't that much slower. The car actually felt faster than a seat 130 tdi sport I'd also test driven.My wife thought it was great,especially when I told her insurance was

Gord,

Did you find that the backend was a bit keen to move around on corners like others have reported?

Welcome to Briskoda. Yet another satisfied vRS tester! I never really pushed it that hard when I tested one, so not sure if the back end steps out at all. If it does though, I'll like it even more! :p

I was very impressed with the vRS when I took one out. Thought it was better than the ibiza TDi Sport.

Cant wait to get mine now

The one I test drove handled very well I thought, without any back sliding. It was very responsive, and seemed to be on rails..even when pushed around some tight roundabouts.

Having said that, the car did seem to encourage you to push harder than you might, and the engine pull/rev/speed relationship definately belies the actually speed you are doing.

Andy

Originally posted by Techie in this post

I was very impressed with the vRS when I took one out. Thought it was better than the ibiza TDi Sport.

Cant wait to get mine now

Oooo, dont post that on SeatCupra... youll upset them

Originally posted by Stimps in this post

Gord,

Did you find that the backend was a bit keen to move around on corners like others have reported?

I'd say that is a recommendation... Watch out Beemers, here's a FWD diesel drifting into oversteer - sounds like huge fun to me!

That is, if it's planned, of course.

I wasn't suggesting it was a bad thing, Mattijs! But wondered if it was an actual characteristic of the design, or just something that affected the odd car...

Does sound like a lot of fun, although sliding the back around with a RWD is probably even better

Techie,

you got PM.

Cheers.

Adrian.

hmm oversteer sounds like fun!

my fabia has done this in the wet sometimes too. Can be quite sudden though!

Yeh the back end slid out on a small roundabout,didn't feel nearly as stable as my xsara,front drivers sually understeer....

Hmm. interesting.. and suprising that none of the magazine reviews picked up on it!

Originally posted by Stimps in this post

I wasn't suggesting it was a bad thing, Mattijs! But wondered if it was an actual characteristic of the design, or just something that affected the odd car...

Then we are in agreement!

If it's inherent, it bodes well for an eventual 1.8T Fab RS, if it ever arrives...

Originally posted by Dutch4x4 in this post

Then we are in agreement!

If it's inherent, it bodes well for an eventual 1.8T Fab RS, if it ever arrives...

Maybe Skoda will go nuts and make the 1.8T Fab RWD?

:dreaming smilie:

Front wheel drive oversteer? Surely you could only get that by either handbraking, or if your rear tyres were like bicycle wheels smeared liberally with margarine.

Originally posted by Witchfinder in this post

Front wheel drive oversteer? Surely you could only get that by either handbraking, or if your rear tyres were like bicycle wheels smeared liberally with margarine.

now THATS a good idea

Pug 205 was notorious for lift-off oversteer.........a big no no to lifting-off the throttle when mid corner....apparently it would break away quite quickly.

Having owned three 205s i can vouch for that.

Twitchy handling to say the least but so much fun.

Its not oversteer as such in my fabia - more like the rear can suddenly step out of line (though not by much) and it just wakes you up a bit! Only happens when you are really provoking the car.

nothing to worry about.

FWD oversteer - easy to provoke with a well timed lift. Actually managed it once when powering around a damp roundabout (i.e. not lifting) when I'd got new rubber up front and well worn rears. Caught me well off guard and ended up facing in the direction I'd just come from. This was not in the Octy, btw...

Regards,

Mark

Originally posted by FabiaTDi in this post

Its not oversteer as such in my fabia - more like the rear can suddenly step out of line (though not by much) and it just wakes you up a bit! Only happens when you are really provoking the car.

I have to commend the fact that I didn't see a lot of this either thru my screen, or in the rearview mirror during the run. I'm hoping the same could be said of my car as I felt it was sticking to the road pretty well, just sliding a bit when I was taking corners at a speed I wasn't really supposed to.

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

I have to commend the fact that I didn't see a lot of this either thru my screen, or in the rearview mirror during the run. I'm hoping the same could be said of my car as I felt it was sticking to the road pretty well, just sliding a bit when I was taking corners at a speed I wasn't really supposed to.

D- for effort... must try harder!!

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

I have to commend the fact that I didn't see a lot of this either thru my screen, or in the rearview mirror during the run. I'm hoping the same could be said of my car as I felt it was sticking to the road pretty well, just sliding a bit when I was taking corners at a speed I wasn't really supposed to.

ah i have great memories from that run!

it has only happened to me on very tight corners or round abouts in the wet when overcooking it (deliberatley) slightly too much!

normally its understeer all the way if your'e powering through the corners too much.

I can vouch for the Pug oversteer. Had a 106 that was great fun on roundabouts! The Furby used to do it too with standard wheels and suspension. Stuck like glue when the wheels and springs were fitted though. :(

Looking forward to seeing if the vRS can be provoked now! :p

Originally posted by Witchfinder in this post

Front wheel drive oversteer? Surely you could only get that by either handbraking, or if your rear tyres were like bicycle wheels smeared liberally with margarine.

Or get some very very bad tyres at the back! Cheap Chinese Wanli tyres are big business over here in Holland, especially for the purpose of making FWDs slide and drift during some trackday fun. (But don't tell Corner Carvers... )

Yes, 205 GTI had lethal lift-off oversteer... The 206 GTI, which I tasted recently, still has some of it - keeping the power down in corners is absolutely essential, and fun too!