I was reading a test on the Autocar website earlier of a new Audi A4 with the 1.4 TSi engine, the first time Audi has used a small-capacity motor in the A4.

It's appearance in the Audi is probably one of the reasons why the engine has now been cranked up to around 150bhp from the 138bhp in my Octy.

Anyway, Autocar gave it good marks ('unexpected real world ground covering abilty'), which I wasn't surprised by because it's got a decent amount of mid-range grunt even in my (less powerful) Octy. What I was surprised by is the fact that in the Audi this engine isn't available with the DSG (S Tronic, as Audi call it). You can only get it with a manual box, which I find bizarre when you consider Audi's market position and asking price.

I have got a DSG in my Octy. And I'm going to laugh in the face of any A4 drivers with a 1.4...

Mrs Domus has the DSG in her 1.4 TSI Golf, 4 years old 32,000 miles and it goes very well.  Took some friends down to Devon a couple of years ago, we were cruising at a high velocity down the M5 when I was asked if it was a 2.0.

He was gobsmacked when I said it's a 1.4.

Always good to laugh at Audi drivers. ...and how much more they pay for the badge and a bit better interior.

Always good to laugh at Audi drivers. ...and how much more they pay for the badge and a bit better interior.

For a badge I agree, but for the rest it's a bit better everything.

That'll be the ACT engine that you can also get in the Seat Ibiza - It has Active Cylinder Technology which means that it can turn in to a two cylinder 750cc when it doesn't require the power and will instantaneously fire up the other 2 Cylinders when it is required. Seat, Audi and VW use this engine - but as of yet it hasn't found its way in to any Skoda models - it's an eco engine

I was reading a test on the Autocar website earlier of a new Audi A4 with the 1.4 TSi engine, the first time Audi has used a small-capacity motor in the A4.

It's appearance in the Audi is probably one of the reasons why the engine has now been cranked up to around 150bhp from the 138bhp in my Octy.

Anyway, Autocar gave it good marks ('unexpected real world ground covering abilty'), which I wasn't surprised by because it's got a decent amount of mid-range grunt even in my (less powerful) Octy. What I was surprised by is the fact that in the Audi this engine isn't available with the DSG (S Tronic, as Audi call it). You can only get it with a manual box, which I find bizarre when you consider Audi's market position and asking price.

I have got a DSG in my Octy. And I'm going to laugh in the face of any A4 drivers with a 1.4...

But that's only an entry level model. You get a much better choice of engines above that. Someone buying an entry level Audi A4 most likely isn't going to be speccing it up.

You can get dsg on the A3 though which is the Octavia equivalent.

the A3 though which is the Octavia equivalent.

In theory but not in practice for car buyers, for people wanting the space of the octavia the A3 is completely unsuitable and the A4 is the equivalent, being the same overall size (but still a smaller boot than the octavia)

In theory but not in practice for car buyers, for people wanting the space of the octavia the A3 is completely unsuitable and the A4 is the equivalent, being the same overall size (but still a smaller boot than the octavia)

No, the Octavia is an A3 with a bit of sheet metal stuck on the back. This size thing is used consistently to compare to much better cars from higher classes when in reality its just a small car with a big boot.

It's usually not a patch on the cars its compared to. By that logic a Rapid is an A3 competitor and a Superb an A6. They aren't, even though the Superb comes closest to pulling it off.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

I suspect the 1.0TFSI will be rolled out to Octavia soon (110/115PS) - given Ford have their 1.0 Ecoboost engine in the Mondeo?  It's already in the Golf.  Saying that, I walked past a Mondeo last night (dragged - I had the dog assisting me) and they're huge!

 

A low emission petrol is something that's been absent from the A4 range, and with the (possible) backlash against diesels, there isn't much "company car friendly" in the A4 petrol line-up currently.

Well you're right that that is audi's rhetoric, but i tested both when I bought my octavia and apart from the slightly classier trim I couldn't find any reasons to buy the a4. But thats just me, my personal top priority is space, so like I said no point in even considering the A3 for me.

But that's only an entry level model. You get a much better choice of engines above that. Someone buying an entry level Audi A4 most likely isn't going to be speccing it up.

You can get dsg on the A3 though which is the Octavia equivalent.

Not sure that's right on either count. The A4 1.4TSi which Autocar tested was in Sport trim, which isn't entry-level. Similarly, the Octavia isn't an A3 with a boot on - VW doesn't organise its chassis platforms like that anymore. It's built on the MQB platform, which is a set of interchangeable components rather than a standard chassis pressing. So while the Octavia shares the MQB platform with the current Golf, for example, the Skoda version has a longer wheelbase - and, therefore, noticeably more room in the back than either Golf or A3.

No, the Octavia is an A3 with a bit of sheet metal stuck on the back. This size thing is used consistently to compare to much better cars from higher classes when in reality its just a small car with a big boot.

It's usually not a patch on the cars its compared to. By that logic a Rapid is an A3 competitor and a Superb an A6. They aren't, even though the Superb comes closest to pulling it off.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

It is probably a question of point of view.

While I would never have considered an A3, the A4 (the previous Estate one) was in my candidate list when I bought the Octavia. So as far as I am concerned, they are in the same category.

Then, for everything I really care in a car, the Octavia was better than the A4: smaller (outside), bigger (inside), bigger boot, lighter, more performant, more agile, better equipped, less expensive...

 

The Octavia indeed shares the same MQB platform as the A3. But so does the new Passat which I guess you would put in the same category as the A4...

No, the Octavia is an A3 with a bit of sheet metal stuck on the back. This size thing is used consistently to compare to much better cars from higher classes when in reality its just a small car with a big boot.

It's usually not a patch on the cars its compared to. By that logic a Rapid is an A3 competitor and a Superb an A6. They aren't, even though the Superb comes closest to pulling it off.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

Seeing as how this is a Skoda forum your words may be considered as borderline heresy, luckily flogging is generally frowned upon 

I consider Skoda as being practical, no nonsense and very good value and the Octavia is the 'Goldilocks' car of their range for me. I'll accept that equivalent Audi may have a superior 'finish' but they do not really offer me any greater functionality, in fact sometimes less.

The VAG group makes 40% of its profit from Audi, and that suggests to me they may be relatively overpriced for that better finish which I would probably not appreciate.

It is just my current opinion and I am pretty mercenary so Skoda will have to maintain standards because if someone else made what I thought was a better car for the price then I would probably buy it, even if it was an Audi.

That'll be the ACT engine that you can also get in the Seat Ibiza - It has Active Cylinder Technology which means that it can turn in to a two cylinder 750cc when it doesn't require the power and will instantaneously fire up the other 2 Cylinders when it is required. Seat, Audi and VW use this engine - but as of yet it hasn't found its way in to any Skoda models - it's an eco engine

The Superb has the 1.4 ACT

The Superb has the 1.4 ACT

In that case I stand corrected -it's taken long enough.

In that case I stand corrected -it's taken long enough.

 

On the other hand, I'm not convinced the ACT actually brings any advantage, except for the homologation cycle, and whatever associated tax depending on the countries.

It tends to be less performant, less reliable, and it's hard to see the benfit regarding fuel consumption in real life.

On the other hand, I'm not convinced the ACT actually brings any advantage, except for the homologation cycle, and whatever associated tax depending on the countries.

It tends to be less performant, less reliable, and it's hard to see the benfit regarding fuel consumption in real life.

 

Depends how the car is being driven, for example around Paris then I agree it probably won’t even shut the 2 cylinders down, but get onto the A1 etc with CC on and if there is no fuel going into 2 cylinders then it must be saving lots of fuel.

Depends how the car is being driven, for example around Paris then I agree it probably won’t even shut the 2 cylinders down, but get onto the A1 etc with CC on and if there is no fuel going into 2 cylinders then it must be saving lots of fuel.

 

You may be right; this depends on the driving profile.

 

In fact we do see some benefit. I referred to the Spritmonitor users, and took the Leon 1.4 TSI as reference.

This because the car was successively delivered with the 1.4 TSI 140hp without ACT, then with the 1.4 TSI 150 hp with ACT.

The results are as follows:

Leon 1.4 TSI 140hp: 6.79 l/100km for 68 users

(see: http://www.spritmonitor.de/fr/apercu/44-Seat/392-Leon.html?fueltype=2&vehicletype=1&constyear_s=2013&power_s=139&power_e=145&minkm=0&exactmodel=1.4&powerunit=2)

Leon 1.4 TSI 150hp ACT: 6.68l/100km for 43 users

(see: http://www.spritmonitor.de/fr/apercu/44-Seat/392-Leon.html?fueltype=2&vehicletype=1&constyear_s=2013&power_s=145&power_e=150&minkm=0&exactmodel=ACT&powerunit=2)

 

However the l/100km to mpg converter I use gives me 42mpg in both cases...

Granted, the ACT engine makes 10hp more.

But I still find the result and the low diffrence a bit disappointing.

The VW uk site says for the Polo the benefits are:

EU test improved by 0.4 l/100

1.0 l/100 in the urban phase.

At a steady 70 kph in 5th gear 0.7 l/100