I am considering getting rid of my sporty bmw and move to a more family friendly car since I have a small child now and the bimmer is awful in terms of boot space and practicality. I am considering viewing the Karoq and Kodiaq (2017 - 2018). I also have some japanese ones on the list but I was wondering if people here have any suggestions in term of engine size for the Kodiaq. Is the 1.5 engine enough to pull that big car? Also, I've always had manual cars but now we are considering to go for the DSG. I heard that the gearbox can be jerky and unreliable. Any advice on that?

 

Thank you!

20 minutes ago, sorin1987 said:

.. but now we are considering to go for the DSG. I heard that the gearbox can be jerky and unreliable. Any advice on that?

 

Hello Sorin

 

Not in my experience on either count.  I've had DSG's over the last seven years (two DQ250's and one DQ200) and all three have behaved impeccably. 

 

Gaz

 

Edited 26 July, 20223 yr by Gaz

You've just got to ring round the dealers,  find some i stock and go and drive them...

 

Over the years we've gone from Japanese  hatchback to Fabia Estate when offspring 1 was in the offing to Octavia Estate when offspring 2 turned up and last year we changed that to a Kodiaq.

 

Before we bought the Kodiaq we has two pretty specific requirements - one was 4x4 given where we live and the other was a big boot no smaller than the Octavia as we regularly filled the boot for the Octavia on trips to relatives in Northern Ireland, largely due to offspring 2's medical conditions meaning we needed to take all her food and meds with us and because we'd recently finished up with a wheelchair for her as well.

 

We looked at both Octavia Estates (too many issues with the mk4 and not enough 4x4 Mk3s around to choose from), Superb Estates (too big according to SWMBO and not many 4x4s around), Karoq's (very tempting but the boot was smaller than our existing Octavia), and Kodiaq's (decent boot, bigger than the Octavia, SWMBO liked them and we found we could just sling the wheelchair in without dismantling it.

 

That therefore settled us on the Kodiaq so we then tried the 150 diesel 4x4 DSG and 1.4 TSi petrol 4x4 in both DSG and Manual.  SWMBO simply couldn't get on with the DSG - it's very smooth but she felt she just wasn't in control of it.  I thought it was OK and reckoned she would have got used to it but, in all honesty, I also preferred the manual.  That  pretty much limited out choices.

 

In actual fact we're really pleased with the 1.4TSI.  It's no rocket ship but is quick enough as the little engine pulls the big Kodiaq along well with a surprising turn of speed if needed, and it suits the car well being very quiet.  Fuel economy is high 30s low 40s generally, so not as good as the diesel but still OK for the mileage we do.  I'd like a 2.0 TSI for the extra pull but the 1.4 has done well dragging us fully loaded over the Pennines from Sheffield to Birkenhead for the ferry and on to Belfast.  Ideally I'd have liked a higher spec than the SE we've got but looking at prices now we got an absolute bargain so we're pretty happy with what we've got and don't really feel like either would be worth the muich higher cost.

 

If you are looking at a 2017 /2018 car the chances are you'll be looking at 2.0 TDi's, a 2.0 TSi, or a 1.4TSi, as opposed to the 1,5TSi.

5 hours ago, sorin1987 said:

I am considering getting rid of my sporty bmw and move to a more family friendly car since I have a small child now and the bimmer is awful in terms of boot space and practicality. I am considering viewing the Karoq and Kodiaq (2017 - 2018). I also have some japanese ones on the list but I was wondering if people here have any suggestions in term of engine size for the Kodiaq. Is the 1.5 engine enough to pull that big car? Also, I've always had manual cars but now we are considering to go for the DSG. I heard that the gearbox can be jerky and unreliable. Any advice on that?

 

Thank you!

Early DSGs could be a bit dodgy, especially the dry clutch ones, but later ones are reliable.

My Octavia is my first automatic/DSG car, having previously driven manuals since the 1980's. I have the DQ381 and it's excellent.

The only time I can wrong-foot it is if I stop, put it in neutral, and then back into drive without delay and sometimes it's a whisker (and I mean a whisker) slow to put me in gear and my throttle input makes the revs rise, and then the clutch can drop in and the car lurch forward. This has more to do with odd driving conditions (and my input) than the gearbox, though.

Would definitely have another DSG-equipped car.

Whilst I can’t comment on the reliability of the DSG personally as I have only covered 17k with mine in 3 years and in that time (touch wood) it’s been faultless. It’s a Kodiaq 2.0tsi 190, what I can say is, it was the first auto I have owned and hand on heart can say I will likely never go back to a manual again. It’s very smooth and effortless and 99% of the time does exactly what I want it to do. You quickly get used to where to position the accelerator pedal in order to get the degree of of kick down you want with the level of acceleration you need. I have yet to come across any sort of situation where it feels out of control. Normal mode does best for me but it’s simple to flick between drive modes to suit what you are doing. About the only time I manually shift the gears is when descending a steep hill, particularly if towing and a low gear requires to be held in order to hold back the car. 
But as others have said, take an extensive test drive before you buy. Don’t be fobbed of with a-once-around-the-block with the fuel light on as some dealers do.

Good luck.

I have had 4 DSG car's,  Octavia estates and now the Karoq, all have been 2ltr TDi with 4 wheel drive, 

No problems with any and the DSG is quick to shift and unlike a French auto I had I can rely on it to get away and feel confident at roundabouts.

I and the wife don't want any other kind of box. The flex seating is worth the extra, turns the car into a van!!

Edited 26 July, 20223 yr by Gomezz
spellings

I am now on my second Karoq, both have had the 1.0 litre 3 cylinder engine.  I test drove the 1.5 and 1.0 back to back, and whilst there was a noticeable difference, the 1.0 litre suited me as I mainly just drive around town.  If you're coming from a BMW, the 1.5 litre will probably suit you better.  I regularly carry a wheelchair which fits in the boot very comfortably.  The thing to do is go to a dealer with all the equipment you would normally carry and see if it will all go in.

My first Karoq had the DSG gearbox, which I absolutely hated, so I've gone back to the manual transmission on my second one.  If I pulled up to a junction and the stop/start cut in, there was a delay of half to three-quarters of a second when I pulled away while the car restarted the engine, selected first gear and engaged the clutch, by which time the gap I was aiming for had disappeared.  I also found the car difficult to manouevre into tight parking spaces because the transmission creep wasn't particularly predictable, particularly on hills.  Unusually for an automatic, it will roll with the clutch disengaged if you've just changed from drive to reverse or vice versa.  Not something you want when parking close to a brick wall.  By contrast, I find the manual gearbox an absolute delight to use.

 

 

Changing from Drive to Reverse through N should be done with a foot on the brake obviously. 

 

Stop / start can be switched OFF if wanted at some points while on a journey. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 28 July, 20223 yr by roottoot

The lever won't move out of neutral without the footbrake pressed.  It's when the footbrake is released that it sometimes rolled away.

There is something wrong with a manual an auto or a semi auto if in Neutral with no brake applied and it does not roll.  That is what Neutral is, out of gear. 

Edited 28 July, 20223 yr by roottoot

I have both dry clutch DSG on our1.5tsi karoq and the wet clutch on our 1.5tsi Kodiaq. The way I drive, I really find no difference between the two engines in either car. The biggest difference is economy so if you don't need a Kodiaq then the Karoq is the cheaper car to run. I'm seeing around 8mpg avg difference in the real world.  Yes a 1.5 is quite small but the only place I find there's an issue is kickdown ( rapid overtaking ). Just flick the DSG in to 'SPORT' and the car will take off, but the power isn't available for very long, so If you're overtaking one car, no problem, but if you're overtaking a line of cars then the 1.5tsi isn't for you. As I say for my style of driving, then engine is great in either car. TBH I'd have taken the 1.0 Karoq if they'd offered it with a DSG.

 

Another consideration is noise. I find the Kodiaq notably quieter than the karoq. Better soundproofing no doubt.

 

Hope than helps. 

 

PS - as for differences in gearboxes, I agree with the above comment, I find the dry clutch in the Kaorq is slightly more hesitant at very low speed ( parking ).  I don't however have any problems with hesitation. Then again my margins of error are much greater than half a second b4 entering traffic. 

Edited 29 July, 20223 yr by kodiaqsportline

On 28/07/2022 at 11:27, JollyGardener said:

If I pulled up to a junction and the stop/start cut in, there was a delay of half to three-quarters of a second when I pulled away while the car restarted the engine, selected first gear and engaged the clutch, by which time the gap I was aiming for had disappeared.  I also found the car difficult to manouevre into tight parking spaces because the transmission creep wasn't particularly predictable, particularly on hills.  Unusually for an automatic, it will roll with the clutch disengaged if you've just changed from drive to reverse or vice versa.  Not something you want when parking close to a brick wall.  By contrast, I find the manual gearbox an absolute delight to use.

I can't really relate to this experience of the DSG, and I wonder if there's a bit of antagonism between the driver and the car, that stopped the driver working cooperatively with the car and gearbox for the best driving experience. I have a mental image of JG pulling away from the lights angrily muttering "Stupid car!". (Though I agree, the Skoda manual gearboxes are a delight to use.)

 

Yesterday I was visiting a loved one and I found myself on a slope at a set of traffic lights.

As usual, I put my DSG gearbox into neutral when stopped, applied the handbrake, and the engine cut out with the stop/start system and I took my foot off the pedals.

Watching the lights, as I saw the lights preparing to change, I put my foot on the brake, put the DSG into drive, released the handbrake, and a moment before I wanted to move off, I released the footbrake.

The engine promptly started,  and as soon as I felt the clutch connect and the car move slightly, I applied the throttle. There wasn't so much as a hint of the car rolling back.

It's not entirely dissimilar to driving a manual, only the clutch is controlled through the brake, rather than the clutch pedal. It's all effortless and drama-free, but you do have to work with the car.

 

Years ago, I had a Ford Orion with a carburettor. When I swapped that for my Rover 420 with fuel injection, I noticed that, unlike the Orion, there was a distinct lag between applying the throttle and the fuel injection system responding.

It wasn't a big delay, but it was noticeable, and so I adapted my driving accordingly. If I hadn't adapted, I would always have misjudged my exits at junctions.

It was much the same when I swapped from my normally aspirated petrol Rover, to a turbo diesel. The car did not respond to throttle in the same way as the petrol car did, so I had to adapt my driving style accordingly.

Moving the shifter back from D to S just has it holding the gears longer before shifting up.  When off the accelerator moving the shifter back from D to S is good for dropping a gear or 2 and decelerating without using the brakes or shifting down with paddles or moving the shifter across to manual.  Especially so with the less powerful engines with a DQ200 DSG.  Great on icy / winter roads maybe in town. 

On 28/07/2022 at 11:27, JollyGardener said:

My first Karoq had the DSG gearbox, which I absolutely hated, so I've gone back to the manual transmission on my second one.  If I pulled up to a junction and the stop/start cut in, there was a delay of half to three-quarters of a second when I pulled away while the car restarted the engine, selected first gear and engaged the clutch, by which time the gap I was aiming for had disappeared.

 

Times passed now I know… but for anyone else, if you twitch the steering wheel as you see a gap approaching the start stop will, start. All ready to go loud as the gap arrives.

 

I’ve almost hit a few things while parking, as it can go from creep to go go go, more so if auto hold is engaged, as that requires a tap of pedal to move.

 

I hardly ever put it into neutral at lights, the auto hold, and foot off, or on the brake. I guess if I got hit and ended up stepping on the accelerator I’d be in a world of pain.  

 

I see Karoq as smaller than Oct and Kodak as big, if not bigger than a superb. 

 

The modern petrol turbos are a bit of a mind bender. SWMBO 1.0l focus estate pootles along quite nicely and with a bit of planning even over takes hints on a roads.  I know it bends you mind seeing a kodiaq with a 1.5l engine… how, what…  

 

Give it a big hill, 4 up and the boot full, you might notice it, although probably not in the DSG form as it will keep the chug chugging

10 minutes ago, ColinD said:

I hardly ever put it into neutral at lights, the auto hold, and foot off, or on the brake. I guess if I got hit and ended up stepping on the accelerator I’d be in a world of pain.  

When I put mine into neutral, I can feel the car relax back as the clutch biting point is lifted off.

Not sure if this is a fault or not, but it's always been like it.

I usually put my car into neutral as I approach a junction I will stop at, to allow a perfectly smooth stop on the brakes alone as I coast in.

With auto hold, and stop start, I also rarely go into neutral at lights as the car switches off, but wakes up with either an input from me, or if a car in front moves.  I've never really got the 'delay' comments, as once you know how to play with the DSG's options, it shouldn't be a factor.  Once the lights go green or a junction/roundabout clears, I'm off like a scalded cat.  Auto hold does take a bit of getting used to, but three years on, I really like it now.

 

Gaz

Edited 1 August, 20223 yr by Gaz
walkabout apostrophe

3 hours ago, Gaz said:

With auto hold, and stop start, I also rarely go into neutral at lights as the car switches off, but wakes up with either an input from me, or if a car in front moves.  I've never really got the 'delay' comments, as once you know how to play with the DSG's options, it shouldn't be a factor.  Once the lights go green or a junction/roundabout clears, I'm off like a scalded cat.  Auto hold does take a bit of getting used to, but three years on, I really like it now.

 

Gaz

I think of it as "riding the clutch" and it bothers me, perhaps irrationally.

Not riding the clutches when my car’s stationary and the engine is off.

 

Gaz

Nor when stationary and in D or S and autohold is activated and functioning and the engine is still running.