This is an edited version of a post I've put on another forum. It may interest Skoda owners considering buying a car from another manufacturer. I have had twenty years of Skoda ownership and have had excellent service from both the cars and the dealerships. However our last Skoda was a disappointment, being a mix of the best car I've ever owned and the worst from a reliability stance. So it's a reluctant farewell to Skoda but a delight to find a car in which everything works as it should.

 

For the last 20 years, I’ve driven or owned 6 Skoda models and have enjoyed them all, as well as receiving excellent service from the dealers. Unfortunately, our last Skoda, an Octavia PHEV estate, was a disappointment. Everything was good: acceleration, comfort, style and economy: the real-world mpg over 11600 miles was 78mpg. However, it was plagued by software issues: numerous error warnings, Skoda Connect never worked and most seriously, the 12-volt Battery dropped below 10 volts several times, meaning that nothing worked, including the door key, so I had to use the emergency key, open the bonnet and recharge the 12-volt Battery. We liked the car so much that we put up with the failings, until I was due to go out urgently and the car would not start. I’d been looking at CarWow for offers on a Toyota Corolla and found exactly the model we wanted, a 2-litre Hybrid Touring Sport 5-door Excel 5 door CVT, at a dealership 40 miles from home. I contacted them on December 6th, inspected the car on the 7th and collected it on the 9th.

The CarWow price was more than £3500 below list and the offer for our Octavia was £1500 more than WBAC and as I’ve never wanted the hassle of a private sale, I accepted the deal. The car is the top of the range and as well as the usual features, it has a panoramic sunroof. My first Skoda had a sunroof and despite aircon, it’s lovely on a warm day to have the roof open to fresh air, so it’s a bonus.

 

The car has many good points. The head-up display (HUD) is brilliant: it displays speed, the current speed limit and when the excellent satnav is in use, it projects details of the next junction. The primary controls are assessed by buttons or knobs, so for example, setting the temperature is done without the distraction of searching for an icon on a screen. The virtual instrumentation is good, because the display can be changed according to preference. Our last three cars have had a DSG, but the Toyota’s CVT is extremely smooth in operation and I am unaware of any disadvantages.  The fuel gauge shows both the tank level and the remaining range. The auto headlight option automatically dips the headlights. The collision warning is a bonus,when I park the car in the garage. I’ve put a soft buffer on the central brick column, but when the HUD shows ‘BRAKE’ and stops the car, I’m just touching the buffer, so preventing damage. The satnav is brilliant: the head up display gives details of the next junction and the spoken instructions are both clear and well in advance of the junction. Other favourable comments include the led strip lights either side of the boot, which provide good illumination and the fact that door sill guards and floor mats are included at no extra cost. The automatic rear hatch opener concerned me slightly as our greyhound (the gorgeous Rosie) travels in there, but it’s not an issue because I open the door with the key fob, press on the hatch to stop it moving, grab her collar and then push the door the rest of the way up. I like having a 12-volt socket in the front of the car as well as the boot. The other main reasons for buying the Toyota are the company’s reputation for reliability and the 10-year warranty, as long as the vehicle is serviced by a Toyota dealer. I’ve taken out a service plan as it’s approximately equivalent to the cost of three years servicing and extends the roadside assistance from one year to three. The fuel consumption is about 40 mpg overall, but most of our recent journeys have been short runs to and from the supermarket. On a long run, we have averaged between 52 and 58mpg. After the first refuel, the real world mpg was almost identical to the car’s stated overall mpg, so it seems to be accurate.

 

Conclusions: I was reluctant to leave Skoda, but their current range of vehicles are unsuitable for us and the software glitches with the Octy were infuriating. . Another Octavia PHEV might have been an option, assuming software glitches had been sorted, but it’s not available. The all-electric options are not acceptable as I like the option of refuelling quickly and I don’t like their clunky designs. The Toyota meets all our expectations, the design is lovely,  everything has worked as it should right from the start and I can highly recommend the Corolla as being a wonderful car.

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Enjoy your new car @Jim2015 After 15 years of Skoda ownership, I too shall look to other manufacturers for my next car for all the reasons you mention. Corolla will certainly be on my list.

Edited 24 January, 20242 yr by Robjon