1.4 ACT DSG or 2.0 TDI (150) DSG

[firebits]

Struggling to decide on the Engine Spec.  I have a 170BHP with DSG Superb II currently and I am configuring a new car now.  I am between either the 1.4 ACT DSG in SE-L trim or 2.0 TDI DSG in SE Business Trim (Leather seats & 18" Alloy additionals).  I cannot however make up my mind between the two engines though.  Anyone with any experience of the two?

[thinline1]

Hi

I went from the same engine as you, the 170 cr in my old superb

I have also driven the 1.4tsi and the 2.0tdi, although they were both manual

I settled on the diesel in the end as I found the 1.4tsi although a great engine just lacked the torque I was used too in my old superb

Picked up mine on last Saturday and up till that point I had not driven the diesel 150

Fair to say I was not disappointed and feels just a s quick and torquey as the old car, not been able to really stretch it as running it in.

imo is is a great engine and the dsg will really compliment it and suits the tech of the car. I did get a manual as I don't do massive miles and just like driving a manual, but the technology like the adaptive cruise control etc really pushes you to a dsg as it works a lot better and get more benefit

Although I will say the manual box is excellent so not regretting my choice

Hope that helps

[firebits]

It's torque that is worrying me though the 1.4 ACT is an intriguing little engine.  Kerb weight is also only 1355kg.  NOx emissions is bothering me however and I can't help think that Gov's will need to tackle this in the near future.  SE-L is a nicer spec but you can get the SE Business very near to it for a good bit less.

 

God this is tough.

[firebits]

What's the real world MPG like on the 2.0 TDI 150?

[thinline1]

I ended up going for the se l as it is a great spec, you don't feel to robbed and you have most of the nice toys

I chose the manual as adding the dsg was just a bit more than I wanted to spend, also I thought I would get bored tbh as the car pretty much drives itself lol

Only covered 300 miles so far and car is indicating in the low 50's most of the time. I should imagine that will improve but it's already better than the old car.

The thing that has amazed me is how well it rides compared to my old elegance, both on 18 rims but pretty sure the tyres on the new superb have a thicker side wall. It is really comfortable and so quite

Colour maxi dot is also worth the cash as it really lifts the dash

[thinline1]

Sorry forgot to add the 1.4 tsi is more than capable and was silky smooth.

On the test drive I remember it being mid 45's mpg and that was around town. The cylinder deactivation is seamless as well

I did feel the dsg was the better option as it wanted you to change gear all the time so dsg with that engine is defo the way forward imo

[philbes]

An interesting thread as I am also trying to decide between the 1.4tsi and 2.0 CR(150) for my next car which will be Leon FR / Golf GT / A3 Sport Sportsback (not yet decided). It will definite have DSG.

[firebits]

i have DSG currently, would definitely miss this a lot.  Though I feel ancient admitting this.

[firebits]

I get around mid 40's from my current Superb.

[Rainmaker]

What are you buying the car for, OP? It's hard to advise blind. Business or personal? Doing 5,000 town miles or 40,000 motorway miles each year?

In absence of knowing the answers to those I'd say 1.4 TSI for town/light work and if torque is a concern get the 220 or 280 2.0 TSI instead. :p

I test drove two of the diesel units (manual and DSG) and found them lacking and insipid. The DSG suits the petrols better too imo, and real world economy isn't poles apart. No NOx, DPF, DMF or EGR worries with petrol either.

That said, ask ten people and you'll get 12 different answers.

[Rainmaker]

i have DSG currently, would definitely miss this a lot. Though I feel ancient admitting this.

Sorry to post twice but I'm on my phone and this only just popped up. The 2.0 TSI with paddle shift is far from old and stuffy... *prod* *prod*

[firebits]

I currently do around 17,000 miles a year.  Very mixed driving I'm afraid.

[Rainmaker]

I currently do around 17,000 miles a year. Very mixed driving I'm afraid.

Out of your two choices I'd still go petrol. You do the same mileage as us, give or take, and we ordered the 220 2.0 TSI. It's only 10 to 15 quid a week extra on fuel and a nicer drive for me. Maybe test drive both again and see if that helps.

We were in a similar boat a few years ago, having driven diesels for 10+ years. Switching to the green pump was the best thing I ever did. If your 17k is mostly motorway and/or you don't care for actual drive dynamics too much then the diesel is still in with a shout.

In my eyes though, even looking around on here there's a lot of diesel buyers complaining about low power, poor economy etc. Us petrol heads are a grinning happy bunch overall. </tongue> </cheek>

Don't forget to factor in AdBlue, servicing and resale in your TCO sums. Is this a purely financial decision or heart v head? Go with your gut either way... you only live once.

[Leeboy]

Think you really should consider the 1.4act despite not having the obvious torque of a diesel. Done about 2600 miles in mine so far with a manual box. Economy is easily on par with my old diesel Insignia and is improving. Best run so far was over 60 mpg. Easily comfortable at speeds well above national speed limit if the need calls.

Yes, compared to a diesel it won't accelerate say from 60 to 70 like a diesel will if you want to pull into the next lane on a motorway and overtake, but that approach makes us lazy drivers who don't plan ahead, I was the same.

So you need plan ahead a bit more, even so I've never been stuck going nowhere in the outside lane while some 3 litre Audi tdi sits up my rear bumper. It's a big car so your not going to be pushed out of the way, drivers seem to respect your bit of road in the Superb.

And the best bit is the engine is vibration free at idle; it's hard to know whether it's still running or shut down through the stop start function.

It's cheaper than the diesel which I guess is why you can consider the SE L model with the petrol? And you get full LED tail lights with the SE L which add to road presence, plus full sized Columbus screen.

[tisca]

I have a Leon FR ST 1.4Eco TSI 150PS 6 SPEED MANUAL. The engine is quiet, smooth & 2 cylinder mode change you would not notice. However i recently test drove a Superb 150 TDi & wish i had waited & ordered one. After 20 years of driving diesels, 3 of which Octavia VRS 170 TDi 's, i would go for the 150 Diesel if my choice all over again. Also fuel economy is way off official figures, driving locally round Town etc. it averages 40mpg, the best i have achieved on long runs is 53mpg only once. I do not have a heavy foot, all steady driving, this in either ECO or Sport mode.

[Rainmaker]

Think you really should consider the 1.4act despite not having the obvious torque of a diesel. Done about 2600 miles in mine so far with a manual box. Economy is easily on par with my old diesel Insignia and is improving. Best run so far was over 60 mpg. Easily comfortable at speeds well above national speed limit if the need calls.

Yes, compared to a diesel it won't accelerate say from 60 to 70 like a diesel will if you want to pull into the next lane on a motorway and overtake, but that approach makes us lazy drivers who don't plan ahead, I was the same.

So you need plan ahead a bit more, even so I've never been stuck going nowhere in the outside lane while some 3 litre Audi tdi sits up my rear bumper. It's a big car so your not going to be pushed out of the way, drivers seem to respect your bit of road in the Superb.

And the best bit is the engine is vibration free at idle; it's hard to know whether it's still running or shut down through the stop start function.

It's cheaper than the diesel which I guess is why you can consider the SE L model with the petrol? And you get full LED tail lights with the SE L which add to road presence, plus full sized Columbus screen.

To be fair also, one has to compare like with like. The 1.4 TSI has exactly the same torque as the 1.6 diesel and likewise the 2.0 TSIs are around the same torque as the equivalent diesels, but with MANY more of the more important horses (eg 280 v 190).

[Rainmaker]

I have a Leon FR ST 1.4Eco TSI 150PS 6 SPEED MANUAL. The engine is quiet, smooth & 2 cylinder mode change you would not notice. However i recently test drove a Superb 150 TDi & wish i had waited & ordered one. After 20 years of driving diesels, 3 of which Octavia VRS 170 TDi 's, i would go for the 150 Diesel if my choice all over again. Also fuel economy is way off official figures, driving locally round Town etc. it averages 40mpg, the best i have achieved on long runs is 53mpg only once. I do not have a heavy foot, all steady driving, this in either ECO or Sport mode.

Yeah but the 150 diesel is only giving around those figures anyway, and the petrol is much nicer to drive as well as cheaper to buy. Getting 40mpg around town and 50+ on a run in a smooth, torquey revvy petrol sounds like a win/win to me. Best of both worlds, and I may be wrong but I suspect a lot of the perceived difference was a Superb v Leon rather than petrol v diesel issue.

Edited 17 February, 2016 by Derv

[woody3537]

I would agree with Leeboy, I have the 1.4 tsi SEL and the spec is great, you might want to ready around the forum about the lights and things like that cos some people are not happy with the lights on the SE business (halogen lamps and no LED's on the back) but it depends on what you want. I have come from 15 years of Diesels and couldn't wait to get back into a petrol, I had so much trouble with the DPF in my laguna. I only do 10k per year so not really suited to a diesel car (was getting 37mpg for my commute). But I would say the petrol is more than capable quick responsive quite and as Leeboy says you can hardly hear the engine and smooth its unbelievable. I love my new car not getting great MPG at the minute but only done 500 miles so far and its coming up all the time. My run is very start stop with slow roads and some quick roads  so you can end up going from 30mph to 70 mph and then back down to 30 again within 5 mins. Currently getting 38 mpg long term and its climbing all the time really happy with my choice. 

 

I would get a test drive in both if you can if you can.

 

On the DSG vs manual I have not noticed needing to change gear more or less than with my old car, but it depends on your driving style. Ive not had any moments where I've thought god I need more torque the car is so much quicker than my 61 plate laguna (1.5 dci 110bhp 290nm torque)

 

Good luck with you choice either way your going to love the car you choose they are truly SUPERB.

[woody3537]

Think you really should consider the 1.4act despite not having the obvious torque of a diesel. Done about 2600 miles in mine so far with a manual box. Economy is easily on par with my old diesel Insignia and is improving. Best run so far was over 60 mpg. Easily comfortable at speeds well above national speed limit if the need calls.

Yes, compared to a diesel it won't accelerate say from 60 to 70 like a diesel will if you want to pull into the next lane on a motorway and overtake, but that approach makes us lazy drivers who don't plan ahead, I was the same.

So you need plan ahead a bit more, even so I've never been stuck going nowhere in the outside lane while some 3 litre Audi tdi sits up my rear bumper. It's a big car so your not going to be pushed out of the way, drivers seem to respect your bit of road in the Superb.

And the best bit is the engine is vibration free at idle; it's hard to know whether it's still running or shut down through the stop start function.

It's cheaper than the diesel which I guess is why you can consider the SE L model with the petrol? And you get full LED tail lights with the SE L which add to road presence, plus full sized Columbus screen.

Just a quick question what was your MPG like in the beginning first couple of fill ups, Just wondering was hoping for better with mine, but it is still running in so it will improve over the time and miles. only done just over 500-600 ish miles.

[Gizmo]

To be fair also, one has to compare like with like. The 1.4 TSI has exactly the same torque as the 1.6 diesel and likewise the 2.0 TSIs are around the same torque as the equivalent diesels, but with MANY more of the more important horses (eg 280 v 190).

 

The 220 & 280 have 350 Nm which is very close to the 150 TDi, but a fair bit down on the 190 (400 Nm)

 

The 1.4 TSi (150 PS) has 250 Nm which is identical to the 1.6 TDi (but that has just 120 PS)

 

You really need to drive them both to work out what suits your driving style, as whilst the 1.4 TSi and the 150 TDi both produce the same power there is 100 Nm of torque difference, the 0 - 62 however is almost identical.

 

So far I have done 4K miles and my long term MPG is 47 which whilst I will be the 1st to admit is not great it’s a lot better than I would get out of any of the Tsi’s though

[Rainmaker]

The 220 & 280 have 350 Nm which is very close to the 150 TDi, but a fair bit down on the 190 (400 Nm)

The 1.4 TSi (150 PS) has 250 Nm which is identical to the 1.6 TDi (but that has just 120 PS)

You really need to drive them both to work out what suits your driving style, as whilst the 1.4 TSi and the 150 TDi both produce the same power there is 100 Nm of torque difference, the 0 - 62 however is almost identical.

So far I have done 4K miles and my long term MPG is 47 which whilst I will be the 1st to admit is not great it’s a lot better than I would get out of any of the Tsi’s though

Yeah as I said the bigger TSIs are down just 50Nm of torque compared to the 190 diesel but they have so many extra horses it's irrelevant. Torque makes things *feel* faster but ultimately the horses are doing the work (hence the 0-60 times of the 150cr and 150TSI despite the diesel having more torque).

The 280ps 4x4 might have 50Nm less than the 190 diesel but its performance is a different league, yet ample low down grunt to be suitable for towing or load lugging in place of a diesel (which is what I was getting at with the comparison when the OP mentioned torque).

We both agree though, only decent test drives can give the OP the answer that works for him.

[firebits]

At 350Nm I find I still get wheel spin in 3rd gear. Perhaps the FWD don't need this much already :-)

[firebits]

Tested a 1.4 TSI Octavia with DSG yesterday. It's smooth, quite quick but does not make your belly flutter. I missed the torque instantly but it was capable enough on the motorway. Tbh, it's not making this any clearer. I wasn't wowed but it wasn't slow either.

My head is saying petrol, I must have a black heart

[RickTT]

Dont forget at present Diesel is around 3p per litre cheaper than petrol plus higher MPG.... however 24 months ago diesel was upto 20p per litre more!

 

Are the 17k miles expenses funded or wallet ?

[firebits]

Mileage allowance. A mid 40 MPG is fine for me