At the end of the day if you want a hot hatch that does what you expect then why buy a diesel, any petrolhead knows that the only true hot hatch is petrol one!

In standard guise of course. If its remapped it would be a different story. Ask those that have had it done

In standard guise of course. If its remapped it would be a different story. Ask those that have had it done

That just makes it faster in a straight line (assuming you can get the power down onto the tarmac) :P:rofl:

Chris

In standard guise of course. If its remapped it would be a different story. Ask those that have had it done

And a petrol hot hatch driver would never modify their car. Or would they?

Remember the old maxim; power is nothing without control.

I think you bought the wrong car TBH. Should have bought a clio cup, CTR or any of the hot hatches that do handle - the vRS is a quick diesel car that is comfortable and quick over long distances.

It is not, and will never be without significant investment, a sports car - if you want one, buy something else.

No compaints handling wise about my Fabia VRs. Think you should have brought a rally car if you want "rally car handling". The phrase "utter tosh" is a bit over the top, you should try a Fiat Uno!

Let's not forget... this car is described as a vRS... a moniker indicating performance. .

Someone stuck GTI on the back of a Golf.Didn't turn it into a car that handled or went fast though:)

Understeer? Fun?

Understeer is a pain in the proverbial' date=' oversteer is "fun". Neutral with a whiff of oversteer is my favourite [/quote']

Well said that man.

4 words - Jabba Anti Roll Bar.

Job done.

As for torque steer, never, in the 28k that i've kicked my Fabia's head in, on all manner of surfaces, have I experienced torque steer.

Maybe adapt your driving style to suit the car? Not expect the car to suit your driving style.

As said, eibachs, strut brace, ARB will sort the handling. Tyres too, I suspect you may be on the Continentals, which really don't suit the car at all. If you are on the Bridgestone Turanzas, then leave those on.

On the recent Cat and Fiddle drive, I was out paced by the Fabia's on a really twisty bumpy "C" road. My Octavia on it's standard suspension was not up to the agility of the Fabia.

Horses for course etc.

Sadly, all modern cars are designed to crash forwards, hence "built in" understeer.

Interesting.

I have found my VRS handles very well and I own several Mini's, an MG and have access to various other "tight" cars.

The handling is way ahead of the mk4 Golf it replaced and even the mk 4 Atsra it replaced.

There is a certain amount of unwanted roll if pushed and an almost funny amount of torque steer (With 171bhp/360nm there is but these are all controllable and frankly acceptable in a

I'm surprised at the level of criticism aimed at the vRS. Why do people expect so much from it? It's a very small car, with a big heavy diesel lump of an engine in the front. It's bound to have some issues with handling!

That said, I think mine is fine - provides a good ride on motorways and A roads, and puts a smile on my face through the lanes. I know it won't corner or grip like an Impreza, but I don't expect it to.

Let's face it, the car is a compromise basically. If you were concerned about tremendous performance, and not cost, you'd get a Civic Type R. If you want fantastic handling, then perhaps a Cooper S would be better. Fact is, you wanted a quick car, with reasonable road manners which won't break the bank.

The Impreza is a fine handling car (well, it grips very well) but I can lose that if I try hard enough. I could say that the handling of that is poor, but it's all comparative.

You pays your money, you takes your choice. If you don't like it, sell it.

The Impreza is a fine handling car but I can lose that if I try hard enough.

Night on the beers with Wode and Rich could lead to you doing that

As you say, for the money it is a jolly good compromise. You could spend the same and get something which is quicker and handles better (Clio Trophy springs to mind) but you lose on refinement and economy. What do you want most?

I'm surprised at the level of criticism aimed at the vRS. Why do people expect so much from it? It's a very small car' date=' with a big heavy diesel lump of an engine in the front. It's bound to have some issues with handling!

That said, I think mine is fine - provides a good ride on motorways and A roads, and puts a smile on my face through the lanes. I know it won't corner or grip like an Impreza, but I don't expect it to.

Let's face it, the car is a compromise basically. If you were concerned about tremendous performance, and not cost, you'd get a Civic Type R. If you want fantastic handling, then perhaps a Cooper S would be better. Fact is, you wanted a quick car, with reasonable road manners which won't break the bank.

The Impreza is a fine handling car (well, it grips very well) but I can lose that if I try hard enough. I could say that the handling of that is poor, but it's all comparative.

You pays your money, you takes your choice. If you don't like it, sell it. [/quote']

Well said! I currently own a CTR and have had it nearly 3 years. But in about 4 weeks time i will be placing an order for a fabia vRS. I think its a fantastic car and can't wait for the change, while its not as fast and doesn't handle a well as my CTR but imo it does exactly what its supposed to do.

IMO some people expect far too much from the vRS and think as it as a proper hot hatch when it isn't, its more luke warm.

The Impreza is a fine handling car (well, it grips very well) but I can lose that if I try hard enough. I could say that the handling of that is poor, but it's all comparative.

The handling on the Impreza is poor but as you say it has huge amounts of grip which get you round corners. Still nothing a set of Eibachs, anti-lift kit and thicker ARBs wouldn't sort Damn this modding lark is expensive

Chris

Fine handling car = Ford racing puma Proof that front wheel drive cars can handle supremely well.

I don't know about "utter tosh" but certainly, mine wasn't the best drive if trying to find the 10/10ths limits. Wasn't even very happy around 7/10ths.

I didn't mind a bit of body roll as on the road it can be a useful indicator and limiter. My main gripes were the dive under braking and an appalling inconsistency at the back end in cornering transitions.

Mine's now running the Eibach springs and dampers. The rear end still isn't perfect but overall the handling is far better. The car now "sits" under braking rather and handstands, also corners a good bit flatter.

I've been pondering the rear ARB but I don't want a car that inspires me to find-the-hedge-backwards - Pug 205 style. I've seen too many smashed 205s, 106s and Saxos to want to join that club at my age.

J.

Eibachs sort out the nose dive and it helps a fair bit with general stability of the car. The rear ARB makes the car a LOT easier to drive round bends at pace, and it doesn't role anywhere near as much. Much more SWMBO friendly

modoc u cant compare the octy v fabia vrs models as both completly different cars .. price says it all m8 . but the fabia is great fun and well worth money and dont think there is a car is same league for the same money

I've been pondering the rear ARB but I don't want a car that inspires me to find-the-hedge-backwards - Pug 205 style. I've seen too many smashed 205s' date=' 106s and Saxos to want to join that club at my age.

J.[/quote']

Without the rear arb, should the back end let go, you WILL end up the wrong way around. With the arb, you wont.

I wouldn't go as far as to say the scooby's handling is poor - it does understeer when you take a tight corner at say 70mph... but most cars would be rolling into a field at the same speed It's just safe - like all AWD cars are. It has indeed got huge levels of grip from the AWD but also has a very low centre of gravity from the flat-4 boxer engine.

Out of the box it has got excellent handling - enough to cope with what (most sensible) buyers expect of it... which is the same with the vRS - it does enough. I doubt I'll mod the Skoda - bought it as a daily commute, with a bit more entertainment factor than the previous car I had.

Night on the beers with Wode and Rich could lead to you doing that

Funnily enough, one of the only times I've almost crashed the scooby was when Wode was in the back - he remembers it fondly... as the disclok smashed into his leg whilst the car snaked across a road after taking a mini-island a touch too quickly.

Rich was probably cleaning the windows of his conservatory at the time

I suppose when you malign a car, criticism will come from all corners. Nevertheless, I still stand by what I have written.

I didn't drive anything else in the VAG range so can't compare. The Octy1 I had was a very good car and I had little understeer or torque steer by comparison to the Furby. No doubt weight, 130bhp versus 110bhp and tyres all contribute to the difference between the two. Similarly, I could have chosen a different car entirely, but I wanted the Skoda badge. I didn't want a saloon, estate, rally type or sports car... I wanted a fast diesel at the right price able to sneek up upon and perhaps show a clean pair of heels to more expensive machinery.

Reading the posts, I get a distinct impression that everyone knows the car's limitations and accepts them. I now do too. I won't sell it as some wag said. I also won't stay with it like it is. No matter, it is a compromised car that shouldn't pitch and roll and tie itself in knots at the sight of some spirited driving. I had much more confidence and could do more in my Octy1 without busting a gut or ploughing the first field nearest my home.

For anyone to say this car handles OK, defies belief. If I had been intent on buying a hot hatch, I would have driven it accordingly to find out it's handling envelope. Frankly, to compare a hot hatch to the vRS is missing the point... the vRS should handle much, much better than it does... period. My partner's Fabia 1.4Tdi handles better over the same roads I drive my vRS on and so I think that says something... better damping and more relevant to front weight perhaps

Whatever. The vRS is not a car I can live with as is... to each their own. The mods are on their way, starting with the ARB from Jabba and Koni coilovers from Awesome and the AmD One Click I am waiting for

Whatever. The vRS is not a car I can live with as is... to each their own. The mods are on their way' date=' starting with the ARB from Jabba and Koni coilovers from Awesome and the AmD One Click I am waiting for [/quote']

Best just to buy a Fiesta ST.

Mind you,the thing still got round a racetrack quicker than a car that can allegedly handle.

Billy good subject for discussion though;)

The vRS is not a car I can live with as is... to each their own. The mods are on their way, starting with the ARB from Jabba and Koni coilovers from Awesome and the AmD One Click I am waiting for

All you need then is some 312mm brakes (sold by golfturbo on here) and you'll have a pretty sorted little car mate.

Why should it handle better? There seems to be a fair few people on here (myself included) who think they handle okay for a small car. Why does that defy belief? I've driven a fair array of cars in my time, including rally cars and various supercars, and if I genuinely believed that the handling on the vRS was as bad as you make it out to be, I'd agree with you. But I don't. It's fine. Stop whinging

It's aimed at the mass market remember - not hardened rally enthusiasts, wanting to throw it round lanes at breakneck speeds. If it was set up to be much harder, then no doubt the majority of owners would be complaining about it crashing over bumps in the road, etc etc.

If you want a car to show a clean pair of heels to more expensive machinery, why not get a 309 GTi and spend the

Ooooh, a 309GTI, one of my favourite cars

Much nicer than the 205, more stable

I'm surprised at the level of criticism aimed at the vRS. Why do people expect so much from it? It's a very small car' date=' with a big heavy diesel lump of an engine in the front. It's bound to have some issues with handling!

That said, I think mine is fine - provides a good ride on motorways and A roads, and puts a smile on my face through the lanes. I know it won't corner or grip like an Impreza, but I don't expect it to.

Let's face it, the car is a compromise basically. If you were concerned about tremendous performance, and not cost, you'd get a Civic Type R. If you want fantastic handling, then perhaps a Cooper S would be better. Fact is, you wanted a quick car, with reasonable road manners which won't break the bank.

The Impreza is a fine handling car (well, it grips very well) but I can lose that if I try hard enough. I could say that the handling of that is poor, but it's all comparative.

You pays your money, you takes your choice. If you don't like it, sell it. [/quote']

Spot on. Well said !!