Having just spent the last 6 hours with a brand new Black Octavia vRS, here is my review.

Exterior

Looks nice on the drive.

Just to add to the review....

It sounds blimmin awesome! a nice deep burble when pottering around, building to a crecendo as you approach the limiter VW have out-done themselfs in making this cracking engine!

if i needed a bigger car, and didnt have to travel 70 miles a day, id definately consider one..

That's a great review shifty

But of course the key question is - is the Octavia good enough for you to consider changing from your Fabia ???

Although Mitchell's have there demo - I've been too busy to get over there and look, think I'll wait untill they have it registered so I can get a good roadtest,rather than a quick spin on tradeplates.

That's a great review shifty

But of course the key question is - is the Octavia good enough for you to consider changing from your Fabia ???

Although Mitchell's have there demo - I've been too busy to get over there and look' date=' think I'll wait untill they have it registered so I can get a good roadtest,rather than a quick spin on tradeplates.[/quote']

Thanks

Simple answer - no.

Reason - it didnt make me smile as much as my Fabia does. It's alot more refined, and a damned nice car, but the Furby wins hands down on smiles per mile, and indeed, miles per gallon.

nice review... any more pics?

Thanks

Simple answer - no.

Reason - it didnt make me smile as much as my Fabia does. It's alot more refined' date=' and a damned nice car, but the Furby wins hands down on smiles per mile, and indeed, miles per gallon.[/quote']

I guess that's to be expected really - The Fabia is smaller and a good amount of poke for it's size.

I thought for quite a while before going for the Octavia, I like the Fabia a lot -- but I've always preffered larger cars, and I prefer a more comfortable ride but with a bit of poke.

Just have to change the gear k-nob, IIRC it's the same Silvery thing on the non-vRS versions of the Octavia II, and I didnt like it either :(

What's the ICE like, to complete the picture, is it up to a decent level now, similar to say the Fabia vRS standard stuff?

Also, it's interesting to see you didnt find the ESP (2) too intrusive, you got ASR on yours or ESP?

I liked the Octavia II I saw at the dealers though, might try and blag a test drive, just to see what the differences are.

Yet another question then - has someone who's got an Octavia 'Series 1' vRS driven the 'Series 2' and how did you feel it compared, performance and otherwise.

Very complete review Shifty and is that your home then

Just have to change the gear k-nob' date=' IIRC it's the same Silvery thing on the non-vRS versions of the Octavia II, and I didnt like it either :(

What's the ICE like, to complete the picture, is it up to a decent level now, similar to say the Fabia vRS standard stuff?

Also, it's interesting to see you didnt find the ESP (2) too intrusive, you got ASR on yours or ESP?

I liked the Octavia II I saw at the dealers though, might try and blag a test drive, just to see what the differences are.

Yet another question then - has someone who's got an Octavia 'Series 1' vRS driven the 'Series 2' and how did you feel it compared, performance and otherwise.

Very complete review Shifty and is that your home then [/quote']

i thought the sound system was good... standard stream hu setup from the range... not really loud but not as pathetic as previous models.

the ESP and abs wasnt intrusive at all... and the chassis handled full power with minimal fuss, only lighting the wheels in 1st gear.. the ABS was particuarly good.. only a slight vibration through the pedal... a million times better than the system in the fabia/old octy

i thought the sound system was good... standard stream hu setup from the range... not really loud but not as pathetic as previous models.

the ESP and abs wasnt intrusive at all... and the chassis handled full power with minimal fuss' date=' only lighting the wheels in 1st gear.. the ABS was particuarly good.. only a slight vibration through the pedal... a million times better than the system in the fabia/old octy[/quote']

I agree, hu and speakers seemed much better than previous octy, much better. But then it needed to be. Better too imo, than the symphony unit in the Fabia.

One more thing to add (having met up briefly with the Shifty, NeoVR, Loz and Eddy test-drive convoy), I think it looked better in Black Magic than the Race Blue one I saw previously.

Having said that both were dirty - I might change my mind when I see them in the showroom!

It's a very nice car, feels huge to be in compared to fabbie, which doesn't feel small either really. I like big cars though!

I agree about the gear stick, the old RS one was nicer, it's a bit like the new sport one, I don't like that one much either! just reminded me of one of the quotes of the day 'get off me kn0b!!' hehehe! along with 'you torqueless *******!' and 'I can't see **** out of this car' lol! (sorry dave! had to make those little additions to an otherwise good review!!)

felt very guilty when we handed it back absolutely filthy....it's a good job it was black to start with....

Good review Shifty

How did the performance compare to your Fabia? I take it the "you torqueless b*****d" was one of your quotes

As for the visibility - "I can't see **** out of this car" - I see a feature of the mk1 vRS has not been lost then . I can see sod all out the back of mine (probably because I have the seat adjusted as low to the floor as it can go) - but I do have some parking sensors to fit when I get round to it.

How far did you drive on your test?

they were all his quotes! hehe! I had a few of my own but I thought I'd save them! haha!

as for the visibility, the rear windscreen isn't massive to start with and the addition of a spoiler right across the bottom of it doesn't improve the situation!!

Good review Shifty

How did the performance compare to your Fabia? I take it the "you torqueless b*****d" was one of your quotes

As for the visibility - "I can't see **** out of this car" - I see a feature of the mk1 vRS has not been lost then . I can see sod all out the back of mine (probably because I have the seat adjusted as low to the floor as it can go) - but I do have some parking sensors to fit when I get round to it.

How far did you drive on your test?

Answer to first question is here---->http://www.briskoda.net/forums/general-car-chat/44392-new-octy-vrs-vs-my-modded-fabia-vrs.html

Visibility was pretty poor at the rear, but so is the case with many hatchbacks with spoilers, so i didnt comment on that in my review. My drive covered 200 miles or so.

they were all his quotes! hehe! I had a few of my own but I thought I'd save them! haha!

Loz quote of the day - referring to my mate behind - " i didnt see him indicating because of the spoiler"

Loz quote of the day - referring to my mate behind - " i didnt see him indicating because of the spoiler"

:P shhh!!

it's true though!! then I got into trouble for being a 'woman driver'!! My apologies for being female!!

I said 'is he flashing me??' and Dave said 'just carry on' ... so I did! and then I thought I saw an indicator that I hadn't seen before as the spoiler was obscuring it from my vision until after I'd passed the turn off!!! :P

:P shhh!!

it's true though!! then I got into trouble for being a 'woman driver'!! My apologies for being female!!

I said 'is he flashing me??' and Dave said 'just carry on' ... so I did! and then I thought I saw an indicator that I hadn't seen before as the spoiler was obscuring it from my vision until after I'd passed the turn off!!! :P

so it wasnt my fault afterall :P

so it wasnt my fault afterall :P

Of course it was, you were rear look out.

Thanks for the write-up - great review!

Of course it was, you were rear look out.

haha! yeah, why look myself when I can get you to do it for me!!!

haha! yeah, why look myself when I can get you to do it for me!!!

I couldnt watch the trail of destruction you were leaving behind

Great review Shifty. A nice reminder to myself that I will never buy an ex-demo!

I do love the 2.0T FSI engine - when is the Fabia version released!

I couldnt watch the trail of destruction you were leaving behind

:eek:

I resent that!!!

Felt very guilty when we handed it back absolutely filthy....it's a good job it was black to start with....

Was there any fuel in it when you handed it back though?