Has anyone got a Octavia 4x4 vrs diesel dsg 200bhp estate car.can I ask there opinion of there experience.

I'm keen to hear about this as well.  Might have to expand my thinking beyond petrol due to the current shortages in cars, and do think 4x4 would be good and diesel prob plenty real world quick enough .

 

I had a few Merc leased diesels a few years ago, before there was any chat about DPFs, although they had DPFs fitted .  low mileage but leased from new with no DPF issues. I reckon the DPF could be fine if newish, and would prob get away with it for a short lease 

Still think whether petrol or diesel, each would benefit from DCC.  That's the one option I'm holding out for 

I have diesel cars with PDF and never had any problems at all.they just need a robust run out and it sorts it self out.

I now have a Golf Alltrack (replacing a 4x4 Octavia which I loved) which is a 4x4 DSG with the 200PS engine. Basically the same vehicle but with a higher ride height. The engine gives great beefy performance but the car still manages 55mpg easily on a run (or sometimes just under 30mpg if I really hoof it on twisty roads!).

 

I don't really like the DSG but then I have always preferred a manual gearbox. The problems with a DSG in my experience (if you enjoy driving and like to be in control of what the car is doing) are that

 

1. You never know exactly what it is going to do - it will change gear whenever it feels like it. If you press just a little bit too hard on the throttle it drops down the gears and the engine revs increase vastly, so setting off from a standstill is often a case of creeping slowly away or racing off like a rocket, with the difference between the two a mere few mm of accelerator pedal travel.

 

2. It is very variable how long it will take for drive to engage, so sometimes you come to a halt at a roundabout and then press the accelerator and nothing happens for a second, and when coupled with (1) above it is really difficult to control what will happen and when. Turning out onto a main road (even in the wet) which used to be really predictable and satisfying with my Octavia 4x4 manual is much less predictable now. The uneven throttle response means that you either crawl away from the junction or rocket away with the tyres scrabbling for grip.

 

3. It can be a bit jerky at low speeds.

 

Altogether I would always prefer a manual gearbox. The only time a DSG is better is in heavy traffic where you are continually starting and stopping. But personally I would much rather have the hassle of using a manual gearbox in this situation than make the sacrifice in drivability that you get with a DSG the rest of the time.

 

Unfortunately it is not possible to get that lovely creamy 200PS engine with a manual gearbox so I am having to accept that I am stuck with it. 

 

I would be very interested to try an Octavia VRS with the same drivetrain as the Alltrack, although there are things I don't really like about the external looks of the VRS, and I find the interior very dark and unwelcoming with its black headlining. And I really prefer the upholstery of the Alltrack which is more subtle than the VRS with its flashy logo on the seat back.

 

The Alltrack grips pretty well if you push it, but it is a bit floaty until you load up the suspension in corners. The faster you go the better it feels but this is not really practical on public roads most of the time!

 

The DCC helps somewhat when in Sport mode (or higher on the scale) but the ride comfort deteriorates and it becomes very pattery. I don't think the suspension is that well tuned and I think that the springs are probably too soft during the first part of their travel, and this is coupled with damper settings that are over-firm in bounce but underdamped in rebound (again when in Sport mode). The VRS springs and suspension generally would probably be much better in this respect.

 

I would try a test-drive but you can never drive the car enthusiastically enough to feel the difference until you own it, by which time it is too late!

 

One final comment on something which is incredibly annoying, although it seems unavoidable - the Lane Assist is an absolutely terrible feature. It affects the steering at exactly the times you don't want it to. We have lots of narrow twisty country lanes around here and if I don't remember to switch it off the instant I set off I can guarantee that it will be nudging the steering when I am going down a narrow two lane road and there is a car coming the other way. It is absolutely horrible to feel it kicking in and trying to steer the car when you are trying to control it so that you don't crash into something. It is somewhere between distracting and downright dangerous. You really should be able to disable it permanently if you choose. It MAY be of value on a motorway or suchlike road (I have never seen the value of it personally), but it is an extreme annoyance on narrow roads.

Edited 31 August, 20214 yr by nickcoll

Ive had a couple of cars with DPF filters and never had an issue. My understanding is as long as the engine gets to temperature you wont have any issues. Even if its been a problem while leased, as long as you do enough miles it wont be an issue as it will clear the filter. If you only drive 1/2 mile down the road and the engine is still warming up don't touch them.

 

I agree with the comments about the auto box being a little annoying, you go to overtake or going up a small incline and it drops down a gear but from my limited experience of autos, that's an issue with with any auto. Having said that, if you drive in a city and have a lot of queues and stop starts it makes driving easier.