Looking at getting an Octavia (or Superb) as my next company car. I've got £26k to spec one up - and must've plowed hours into the car configurator!

 

Looking at SE Tech or SE L as a base, has to be diesel and I definitely want a DSG box.

 

On the SE L - it comes with Alcantara leather - but then you can spec up leather upholstery. What is the difference?

 

Also, I can't figure out if getting an Octavia with lots of options or a more modestly spec'd Superb is the better route. Any advice much appreciated!

 

Have a great Christmas

Octy with options I’d say. Superb will be a lovely motor, but you might regret getting poverty spec. 

 

But, your choice might also depend on the type of driving. The Superb is likely to be a more comfortable long-distance cruiser with less road / tyre noise. 

 

Happy Christmas! 

I believe my Octavia has the Alcantara leather option. It's the Alcantara on the seat base and the seat back, but the side "supports" of the chair, both the base and back are leather trimmed. Headrest is leather also.

 

Something like this.

 

I wasn't sure when I went to see the car, but quite like it now. It just looks like a leather chair when you're sat in it!

 

Hope that helps.

 

Merry Christmas! 

Thanks, Dunc!

 

Mainly motorway miles.

 

I'm looking at the SE Tech Superb - so Alcantara, adaptive cruise, all round sensors, heated seats and park assist. Then choose between KESSY and a metallic paint (no idea what Energy Blue looks like).

 

For the Octy, I could add full leather, LED interior ambient lighting, Xenons. Would lose park assist, but won't be as useful on the smaller car (I wouldn't have thought).

Edited 25 December, 20178 yr by kirku

2 minutes ago, J_D said:

I believe my Octavia has the Alcantara leather option. It's the Alcantara on the seat base and the seat back, but the side "supports" of the chair, both the base and back are leather trimmed. Headrest is leather also.

 

Something like this.

 

I wasn't sure when I went to see the car, but quite like it now. It just looks like a leather chair when you're sat in it!

 

Hope that helps.

 

Merry Christmas! 

 

Does it have leather on the door panels etc? I test drove a Superb with quite a lot of Alcantara strewn about the cabin..

If it’s in the £26k band, you should be able to get a Superb SE L - which is far from povery-spec. Only you know what your priorities are, but the Superb has a multi-link rear axle compared to the Octavia’s more basic torsion beam, so it is noticeably more comfortable as a result.

 

Not that the Octy is in anyway small, but the Superb also has limousine-standard room in the back.

 

If kit is the priority and you’re not too bothered about the Octy’s slightly brittle ride then you should be able to get everything you want at that price.

Edited 25 December, 20178 yr by MorrisOx

1 minute ago, MorrisOx said:

If it’s in the £26k band, you should be able to get a Superb SE L - which is far from povery-spec. Onlu tou know what your priorities are, but the Superb has a multi-link rear axle compared to the Octavia’s more basic torsion beam, so it is noticeably more comfortable as a result.

 

Not that the Octy is in anyway small, but the Superb also,has limousine-standard room in the back.

 

If kit is the priority and you’re not too bothered about the Octy’s slightly brittle ride then you should be able to get everything you want at that price.

 

Thanks a lot for the advice.

 

Unfortunately, can't get the Superb SE L - have to get it in diesel and definitely want the DSG box.

 

Superb would be SE Tech with some added options. Octy could be either SE Tech or SE L - with lots of options.

Can't help with the other questions, it's up to you, but for material sake - Alcantara is the most comfortable material you can seat on, by far. Leather has the looks.

 

It is state of the art hi-tech material. Plus, no blood shed to make it.

 

Given the choice (I’ve owned an O3 and driven the S3) I’d definitely pick the Superb.

 

It rides far better, the interior is nicer and even in SE Tech form it’s far from baron...still gets ACC etc. I quite liked the leather / alcantara seat combo, thought it felt and looked really nice. I’d just option Xenons and anything else you like to get you to your £26k and you’ll have a really nice car.

I'd go for a tdi vrs estate dsg for 26k. Lots of spec, plenty of go and a brilliant all rounder.

 

 

I would go for the Superb, my usage sounds similar to yours, had mine just under 2 years done about 30k and its been great, the comfort and adaptive cruise control has been really useful, having said that just ordered a vrs 245 which will cost me about £1,500 extra a year in fuel, so I mightn't be the best one to listen too.

3 hours ago, nidza said:

Can't help with the other questions, it's up to you, but for material sake - Alcantara is the most comfortable material you can seat on, by far. Leather has the looks.

 

It is state of the art hi-tech material. Plus, no blood shed to make it.

 

Don’t think the ‘leather’ actually comes from cows.....  it’s synthetic. 

I'd go alcantara as the leather isn't the best.

Thanks for all the input, really helpful!

Octavia SE L has LED lights - Xenons aren’t an option.  Think about Canton speakers as an option if you enjoy your ICE.

I was in a similar situation and went for a loaded Octavia - SE L and then a load of options. I would say the panoramic roof is a great add on - makes the cabin feel really airy and special. Previous car had leather and this one alcantara - it's a much better material

I ended up going for a 2.0 TDI manual Superb SE Tech in Petrol Blue.  Put KESSY, park assist, lane assist & blind spot detection, aluminium inserts and a colour maxi dot on it.

 

SE Tech already has front and rear sensors, acc, alcantara interior and the 8" Amundsen system - so should have a nice amount of extras.

What happened to "definitely want a DSG box"?

 

7 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

What happened to "definitely want a DSG box"?

 

 

Good question - decided that it took too much out of my option budget.  To get the DSG, I'd have had to get the 1.6 engine, energy blue (which is absolutely awful, in my opinion) and lose a couple of options.

 

I felt that I'd get the benefit of the other options on every drive, but that the DSG would only really help when in traffic jams or inner city driving. At least 80% of my driving is motorway and about 15% A roads.

 

Time will tell if I made the right call or not. If I had another grand to play with, I'd have gone for it.

yep, it's all about making compromises. I agree, if 80% of your driving is on motorway then the £1400 or whatever it is for DSG could be better used elsewhere.

 

Bit pointless adding my tuppenceworth now you've ordered but just one word on KESSY which you may find helpful:

 

We have KESSY on the SEAT.  Would I have chosen it as an option? I've had keyless on my previous two cars and going back to using a key is a chore. But VW Group's execution of keyless has it's flaws - just watch you don't accidentally leave your keys in the boot because with KESSY it's possible to lock the keys inside the car.  The problem is you lock your car, go to walk away, forget there's something in the boot that you want to access, open the boot, accidentally leave your keys lying on the floor, close the boot...   VW's flaw is it can't detect when the keys are inside the car so when you close the boot, the system auto-locks and you've just locked yourself out. It's something you think you'll never do but wouldn't believe how common a fault it is.

 

Of course the other issue with KESSY, as you've probably read in the new of late, is with theft. Keyless makes it easier for scum to steal your car.

 

 

 

 

This 100% put me off KESSY. I once locked my keys inside my old Audi thanks to this stupid system of relocking the boot if you use the boot release from the fob. Luckily I was at home and could get the other key. My old Volvo and my Mercedes both came with keyless and they are so much better than the system VAG use. The Mercedes one is particularly good and that car is 14 years old. If you try and shut the key in the boot, the bootlid bounces back open because it knows the key is inside. Hope you like the Superb, they are as Superb as the name suggests

15 minutes ago, SashaGrace said:

The Mercedes one is particularly good and that car is 14 years old.

The best system I've come across is Renault. Even my cheap little Clio was able to detect when the keycard was inside the car, but also had the advantage that unlike KESSY where you have to tell the car you're leaving (by holding your hand over the door handle), with Renault you just get out and walk away. When the keyfob signal is out of reach, ( a few meters away), the car would self-lock with an acknowledging bleep.  You wouldn't believe the amount of times I've left both the SEAT and the Skoda doors unlocked simply because I've been that used to just walking away from the Renault. 

 

This is what happens when you get old :>)

Edited 3 January, 20188 yr by Guest

Believe me, you don’t even have to be old! The number of times I’ve opened the drivers side cubby on my Octy thinking it’s the handbrake release a la Mercedes is untrue  

1 hour ago, Scot5 said:

yep, it's all about making compromises. I agree, if 80% of your driving is on motorway then the £1400 or whatever it is for DSG could be better used elsewhere.

 

 

Stop start on a busy motorway is usually when I wish I had an automatic.

45 minutes ago, Scot5 said:

The best system I've come across is Renault. Even my cheap little Clio was able to detect when the keycard was inside the car, but also had the advantage that unlike KESSY where you have to tell the car you're leaving (by holding your hand over the door handle), with Renault you just get out and walk away. When the keyfob signal is out of reach, ( a few meters away), the car would self-lock with an acknowledging bleep.  You wouldn't believe the amount of times I've left both the SEAT and the Skoda doors unlocked simply because I've been that used to just walking away from the Renault. 

 

This is what happens when you get old :>)

 

That's exactly the reason I wanted KESSY - coming from a keyless Megane.

 

Shame it doesn't work exactly the same way, it is an excellent system in the Renault. Always been paranoid about accidentally leaving the keys in the car (even if the system has a fail safe), the card never strays from my pocket..