OK so I've had "Bear" for just over a month having got her from my dealers stock with delivery in less than a week. This allowed me to take her up to the Lake District for a short break this week instead of the vRS Combi I had previously.

 

I'm going to break this down into sections as follows:

 

Luggage

Three suitcases, numerous bags, coats, a portable clothes dryer, pillows, 4 sets of hiking boots, and even a 28" computer monitor filled the boot to the brim. Nothing additional in the cabin apart from the 2 kids and the wife. The car did feel heavy but not so much as to cause issue.

 

Motorway

The wife and I took turns driving up and back from the Lakes. M4, A34, M40, M42, M6 all done with ease and comfort. I drove at a steady 70 - 75 mph and the mrs drove like she was still in her 120d!  I had opted for the 2.0 TDI 150 DSG Scout and even when full she still pulled when needed, and easily sat above the speed limit without breaking a sweat. 

 

But what does that mean in real terms?

 

Journey up - 44.8 MPG / 43 MPH Average

Journey back - 46.3 MPG / 48 MPH Average

 

Not bad for a full car with only £2k on the clock

 

Country lanes!!

OK so Bear isn't small and some of the lanes in the Lakes aren't much wider that the edges of the wing mirrors so that caused a few moments of breath holding. However even given the fact that the lanes sometimes suddenly went from straight to 90 degree right angle turns up 20% inclines didn't phase Bear. The steering was spot on and allowed me to maneuver bear along some of the tightest lanes I've driven in the UK without so much as a wobble. Steering was set to "normal" for the whole trip too. Had to laugh when I drove up over a single lane bridge, over the crest to see a BMW 5 series driver almost **** his pants and reverse in quick order ...

 

Lowest MPG I got during lane driving sessions was 36.6 MPG so still not too bad.

 

SATNAV

I wanted to try out three different SAT NAV apps whilst away. The built in SAT NAV, WAZE, and Google Maps. 

 

Each performed well, routing me around traffic as and when needed. All easy to use and all provided clear instructions. If I had to choose one it would be google maps simply because I could yell at the screen and tell it to "drive to xxxxx"

 

Interestingly enough here are the data profiles from the 3 apps after 1 weeks usage. Note that Waze only got used once during the week, google maps for most of the weeks trips within the Lake District, and the built in SAT NAV for the journey from home to the Lakes and from the Lakes back home. 

 

Google Maps - 39.34 mb

Waze - 7.23 mb

Teathering / Hotspot (used for the build in SAT NAV) - 26.17 mb.

 

Off Road!

OK I say off road, it was more like unpaved driveways. I had occasion to drive up to someone else's cottage purely by mistake. Their cottage was at the top of a steep (about 15%) hill and I had to drive up and down a rutted and stoney drive for about 1/4 mile to be able to turn around again. this is the first time Bear has been off tarmac. I decided that I'd click the "Off Road" button for sh*ts and giggles and off I went up and down this drive way. The one noticeable point was on the way down the decent assist kicked in and Bear took over the breaking making sure the car didn't simply roll off down the road. Now I'm sure some of you are laughing at this point and to be fair I have no clue about off roading but from my very limited experience gained whilst driving Jeeps in Canadian Winters, Bear did just fine

 

Overall......

 

Bear rocked  it's that simple. Did everything I asked of her without issue and swallowed up everything I throw at her. 

 

and now, as you can imagine Bear is a little messy and for those of you how have seen some of my previous posts... OCD TRIGGERED !!!!

 

 

 

 

I have a 190 Scout and i've been to The Lakes, Llandudno, Edinburgh/Glasgow and London since i bought it in March. It's been effortless, the Nav isn't the best tbh, i find it fiddly and very hit and miss with finding things, obviously compared to Google Maps its a no-brainer if you can be bothered hooking it up. The only issue i have had was yesterday after i had filled up, the Particulate Filter light came on and stayed on. Having read on the manual it said that you need to drive over 75kmph in 5/6th gear and the particles should eventually burn away after 15mins. It suggests not to drive short journeys but considering i drive nearly 1000 miles in a month  don't think its really that. Maybe i drive too SLOW!!

 

The only other thing i have noticed is there seems to maybe be some paint bleeding onto the trim when it rains or something as i can see white marks on there in locations it couldn't be a scuff, but they come out with trim restore and maybe its a new car thing (not had a new car before).

@Shevtheblue... Try a pencil eraser on the "white" marks on the trim. It could be that some polish or wax has got on there.

 

Trim restore will hide the marks but won't remove them.

Cheers, i'll try that if i can prise a rubber from one of the kids!