Topic says it all really, and maybe I've answered my own question ie when it's not on a road eg across a field or along a muddy track. But... some nominally metalled roads are full of potholes, loose gravel etc. And what about snow and ice?

Definitely use on snow and ice

Snow and ice use should be fine with the OR system on.

Not sure I'd be bothering with it on a pot-holed road.

Continuous gravel roads, yes, but roads with patches of gravel, no.

 

I'm guessing you are new to 4x4's. The handbook has some excellent advice of it's use, so it might be worth reading that.

Also controlled hill descent below 20mph with off road button on.

Re pot holed roads - we take daughter to horse riding and the access is quite pot holed but is quite steep too... i use the OR button as it maintains a nice steady speed uphill with less chance of riding the clutch and stalling the car. 

From the manual. I think this is copied correctly, please say if there are any problems with it and I'll correct or delete it.

We recommend that you activate the OFF ROAD mode for every trip on non-paved roads.
Activating › Press the button
The symbol in the button comes on.
Deactivate › Press the button or turn the ignition off.
The symbol in the button is no longer illuminated.
So that an engagement of the OFF ROAD mode can take place, the following conditions must be met.
The OFF ROAD mode is enabled.
The vehicle is moving at a speed of less than 30 km/h.
The warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster.
The following functions are integrated in the OFF ROAD mode.
› Downhill Drive Support
› TCS OFF ROAD
› EDL OFF ROAD
› ABS OFF ROAD
› Start-Off Assistant
Note
If the engine stalls while driving and is started again within 30 seconds, then OFF ROAD mode will be automatically activated.
Hill Descent Assistant
The hill descent assistant (hereinafter referred to as assistant), with its automatic braking action on all wheels, ensures a constant speed on a steep slope
when driving forwards and reversing.
The assistant is automatically engaged under the following conditions.
The vehicle engine is running. 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear, reverse gear or no gear is engaged and the selector lever is in position R, N, D, S or Tiptronic.
The downhill gradient is at least 10 % (when driving over sleepers, the limit can briefly drop to 8 %).
Neither the accelerator nor the brake pedal is operated.
During an intervention of the Assistants, the warning light  flashes in the instrument cluster.
The assistant holds the vehicle speed at which the vehicle was travelling when it entered the slope.
By pressing the accelerator or brake pedal, the speed can be increased or reduced.
This is true even if the shift lever is in the neutral position and the selector lever in the N position.
The engagement of the assistant is resumed after the pedal is released.
For vehicles with manual transmission, the speed is maintained as follows.
› 1 gear - approx - 30 km/h
› 2 gear - approx. - 30 km/h
› 3 gear - approx. - 30 km/h
› Reverse gear - approx. - 30 km/h
› Neutral for driving forwards - as well as driving backwards - approx. 2 - 30 km/h
On vehicles with automatic transmission, the speed is maintained as follows.
› Position D, S, R or Tiptronic (for 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear) - approx. 2 - 30 km / h;
› Neutral for driving forwards - as well as reversing - approx. 2 - 30 km/h
WARNING
For the correct operation of the assistant the road surface must be sufficiently adherent.

The assistant cannot properly fulfil its function on slushy soil due to physical reasons (e.g. ice or mud). - there is a risk of an accident!
Note
During an active intervention of the assistant, the brake lights do not light up.
TCSOFF ROAD

The ASR OFF ROAD makes starting and driving on an unpaved surface easier as it partially allows wheel-spin.
Note
When disabled, the TCS  OFF ROAD mode works without the support of the TCS OFF ROAD.
EDS OFF ROAD
The EDS supports OFF ROAD vehicle traction when driving on a surface with different grip under the drive wheels or when driving over bumps.
A spinning wheel or wheels are braked earlier and with more force than with the intervention of the standard EDS system.
ABS OFF ROAD
The ABS OFF ROAD supports the driver when braking on an unpaved surface such as gravel, snow, etc.
The system generated by a controlled locking of the wheels braked wheel before a “wedge” of piled material, which shortens the braking distance.
The system is only available, if the front wheels are in the straight-ahead position.
The system operates at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
Start-Off Assistant
The Start-Off assistant assists the driver when setting off, such as on a steep slope or on a slippery surface. When the driver presses the accelerator, the
maximum engine speed is electronically limited so that a gentle approach is possible.

Maintained speeds in above have missed the minimum speeds

They are as below.

 

For vehicles with manual transmission, the speed is maintained as follows.
› 1 gear - approx 8 - 30 km/h
› 2 gear - approx. 13 - 30 km/h
› 3 gear - approx. 22 - 30 km/h
› Reverse gear - approx. 9 - 30 km/h

From the manual. I think this is copied correctly, please say if there are any problems with it and I'll correct or delete it.

We recommend that you activate the OFF ROAD mode for every trip on non-paved roads.

Activating › Press the button

The symbol in the button comes on.

Deactivate › Press the button or turn the ignition off.

The symbol in the button is no longer illuminated.

So that an engagement of the OFF ROAD mode can take place, the following conditions must be met.

The OFF ROAD mode is enabled.

The vehicle is moving at a speed of less than 30 km/h.

The warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster.

The following functions are integrated in the OFF ROAD mode.

› Downhill Drive Support

› TCS OFF ROAD

› EDL OFF ROAD

› ABS OFF ROAD

› Start-Off Assistant

Note

If the engine stalls while driving and is started again within 30 seconds, then OFF ROAD mode will be automatically activated.

Hill Descent Assistant

The hill descent assistant (hereinafter referred to as assistant), with its automatic braking action on all wheels, ensures a constant speed on a steep slope

when driving forwards and reversing.

The assistant is automatically engaged under the following conditions.

The vehicle engine is running. 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear, reverse gear or no gear is engaged and the selector lever is in position R, N, D, S or Tiptronic.

The downhill gradient is at least 10 % (when driving over sleepers, the limit can briefly drop to 8 %).

Neither the accelerator nor the brake pedal is operated.

During an intervention of the Assistants, the warning light  flashes in the instrument cluster.

The assistant holds the vehicle speed at which the vehicle was travelling when it entered the slope.

By pressing the accelerator or brake pedal, the speed can be increased or reduced.

This is true even if the shift lever is in the neutral position and the selector lever in the N position.

The engagement of the assistant is resumed after the pedal is released.

For vehicles with manual transmission, the speed is maintained as follows.

› 1 gear - approx - 30 km/h

› 2 gear - approx. - 30 km/h

› 3 gear - approx. - 30 km/h

› Reverse gear - approx. - 30 km/h

› Neutral for driving forwards - as well as driving backwards - approx. 2 - 30 km/h

On vehicles with automatic transmission, the speed is maintained as follows.

› Position D, S, R or Tiptronic (for 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear) - approx. 2 - 30 km / h;

› Neutral for driving forwards - as well as reversing - approx. 2 - 30 km/h

WARNING

For the correct operation of the assistant the road surface must be sufficiently adherent.

The assistant cannot properly fulfil its function on slushy soil due to physical reasons (e.g. ice or mud). - there is a risk of an accident!

Note

During an active intervention of the assistant, the brake lights do not light up.

TCSOFF ROAD

The ASR OFF ROAD makes starting and driving on an unpaved surface easier as it partially allows wheel-spin.

Note

When disabled, the TCS  OFF ROAD mode works without the support of the TCS OFF ROAD.

EDS OFF ROAD

The EDS supports OFF ROAD vehicle traction when driving on a surface with different grip under the drive wheels or when driving over bumps.

A spinning wheel or wheels are braked earlier and with more force than with the intervention of the standard EDS system.

ABS OFF ROAD

The ABS OFF ROAD supports the driver when braking on an unpaved surface such as gravel, snow, etc.

The system generated by a controlled locking of the wheels braked wheel before a “wedge” of piled material, which shortens the braking distance.

The system is only available, if the front wheels are in the straight-ahead position.

The system operates at speeds of up to 50 km/h.

Start-Off Assistant

The Start-Off assistant assists the driver when setting off, such as on a steep slope or on a slippery surface. When the driver presses the accelerator, the

maximum engine speed is electronically limited so that a gentle approach is possible.

Cheers for that. I find that as useful as....most of the Skoda handbook.

 

Fred

Holy Cow!

I've survived thousands of kms on 'unpaved' roads WITHOUT an OFF-ROAD BUTTON !

PHEW !

How lucky can you be!