Best Skoda for mostly short drives & occasional longer trip?

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Hi all, I'm probably asking for a lot here but here goes.

 

I'd like advice on the best model & engine type for mainly short drives & the occasional longer trip. I currently have an old astra hatch, so need an upgrade to something more practical & have my heart set on a Skoda.

 

Main mileage breakdown:

 

Average 50miles a week, longest single journey about 12 miles. 

 

Longer trips 200 miles+ maybe 10 times a year on average. 

 

I'm thinking an Octavia or Superb, as they seem the best for my budget. But I'm not the most mechanically sound so when it comes to engines & stuff it all goes over my head, no matter how much I research. 

 

Also needs to be Automatic.

 

Babied my Astra since its last fill up and averaged 27mpg locally. It's a 1.8 & the best I've got out of it was 40.8 on a run up to Scotland averaging 50mph. So I'd like to get better than those figure if possible.

 

Thanks

[BTandSid]

Hi, I was forced to sell our beloved Freelander thanks to Khan and his 🤬 ULEZ expansion. I was looking for an SUV or similar, mainly as I have problems with my knees, I weighed up numerous options having read no end of motoring magazines and reviews and eventually decided on a Karoq which gave me the access and driving position I needed. To be honest I’d have preferred to have stayed with the LR badge and bought a Discovery but really couldn’t justify the running costs and Significant Other wasn’t keen for something that big again 😏

Any way, we bought a 2020 plate 1.5 dsg Sportline and have been very pleased with it. Returns an average of 40mpg, which is mainly local runs with perhaps a weekly A road run of maybe 60-70 miles. Which is obviously a considerable saving over a Discovery!  Small issue with the infotainment, satnav etc in the beginning which dealer dealt with by way of a software update. My only other grouse was with the 19in Bridgestones which were standard on the Sportline but we’d feel the slightest bump, pot hole, speed bump, a nightmare. Advice on the forum was to swap the wheels for 17in but I decided to go against that and fit Michelin CrossClimates which have proved an absolute revelation by comparison. 

Edited 7 September, 2023 by BTandSid

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9 minutes ago, BTandSid said:

Hi, I was forced to sell our beloved Freelander thanks to Khan and his 🤬 ULEZ expansion. I was looking for an SUV or similar, mainly as I have problems with my knees, I weighed up numerous options having read no end of motoring magazines and reviews and eventually decided on a Karoq which gave me the access and driving position I needed. To be honest I’d have preferred to have stayed with the LR badge and bought a Discovery but really couldn’t justify the running costs and Significant Other wasn’t keen for something that big again 😏

Any way, we bought a 2020 plate 1.5 dsg Sportline and have been very pleased with it. Returns an average of 40mpg, which is mainly local runs with perhaps a weekly A road run of maybe 60-70 miles. Which is obviously a considerable saving over a Discovery!  Small issue with the infotainment, satnav etc in the beginning which dealer dealt with by way of a software update. My only other grouse was with the 19in Bridgestones which were standard on the Sportline but we’d feel the slightest bump, pot hole, speed bump, a nightmare. Advice on the forum was to swap the wheels for 17in but I decided to go against that and fit Michelin CrossClimates which have proved an absolute revelation by comparison. 

My dad has a 1.5 Karoq SE, I love driving that but struggled to fit 2 large suitcases in it along with hand luggage cases (I may well have been loading them wrong, it was 4am!) Locally I average about 35mpg in that but as it's not mine I don't exactly baby it, I have to test out the acceleration every now and again haha. That's a 2020 plate also so will be pretty similar to yours apart from the trim level. 

 

I have considered the Karoq but personally would prefer an estate car, even though the Karoq is classed as one at our Skoda dealer, as I'm trying to plan ahead for the future as well as now. Whatever car I decide to get I'll be keeping until it dies unless I'm lucky enough to win the lottery then it might have to go!

 

Thanks for your reply. 

[Phoenixboy]

Well it also depends how much you want to spend & the spec of car you are after. 

I own a 19 plate Octavia 1.5tsi dsg SE ACT dsg, I've averaged 48mpg long term from it on e10 fuel, very happy with that. I went for a lower spec car as I wanted smaller wheels (16"), less tech, no lane assist, auto lights or auto brake assist either. So for me I bought the right car for once. Also the boot his huge, also a bonus. I'd say it's a slightly longer car than average, width about average. I've mainly also owned vauxhalls prior to this & I'm not disappointed with my Skoda. It may also be worth while you test driving a 1.0tsi dsg, too. as you'll get a newer car for your money, it certainly won't feel underpowered, compared to your normally aspirated 1.8 Astra engine. 

Also the 1.5tsi ACT engine drops two cylinders when you don't need them to save fuel, my car has ran on 2 cylinders for around 30% of the time, not that you'd really notice that apart from a dash light informing you of it, does so automatically to save fuel.