Don't worry, this isn't a racing thread.

I went to the BTCC on Sunday and drove my mate's Civic Type R on the way there. I hadn't been in it for a while and forgot how different it is to by beloved Ocatvia RS. I found it frustrating that there wasn't the low down grunt that I'm used to and that when I wanted to overtake, I had to fish around for an appropriate gear to get into Vtec mode.

Once there, the power band is so slim, I was having to change gear very quickly or risk hitting the rev limiter mid-overtake. I know it is a quick car, quicker than my standard Octavia, but not as nice to drive. The ride is harsh, it is loud and quite tiring after two and a half hours. Even my friend is now looking at a Skoda after driving my Octavia.

I just wondered if any of you out there thought the same, or am I talking rubbish?

Cheers.

Not a Civic, but been out in a Teg Type-R and quite enjoyed it. Didn't seem too loud - in fact it was quite sedate when driving off VTEC. I guess it's a case of adapting how you drive to use the VTEC and knowing how the car will perform If you think the VTEC power band is narrow, try driving a TDI

Chris

I owned an Integra Type R which, has th esame engine characteristics as the Civic. Once you learn how to use it the VTEC is very good indeed. It does need to have the nuts revved off it though which, can make getting off the line quickly a bit of a pain.

The othe rplace to watch it is exiting roundabouts.

However, it is really no worse than the turbo'd Octavia - you just have to use the higher revs.

The sound is amazing when approaching the red line and it certainly shifts at this point. However, I found that once the novelty had worn off it was a bit of a chore to rev the nuts off the car every time I wanted to make progress. Below 5000rpm it didn't have much go really.

One area that impressed me was the handling, it cornered so much better than the Octavia. The trade off though was the harsh bobbly ride. I must be getting old, a couple of years ago I thought it was great. I have just got used to the comfort of the Skoda now.

A turbo petrol car has a much more useable, broad powerband. In a repeated scientific experiment on a hot day (~25degC) a re-mapped Octavia vRS pulls away from an Integra Type R intially in each gear. The Integra pulls closer as the revs rise (and the noise is Fantastic!), but is ultimately not enough as speed increases. I'm not sure if the difference would be more or less on a cold, damp day. Allegedly.

I do like the flexibility of the (re-mapped) 1.8T. Gear down-shifting is optional for most manoevures (2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th will all accelerate well at A-road speeds) which makes driving it quite relaxed.

As soon as corners are encountered the advantage may be lost... 4 passengers wanting to travel in comfort with a boot full of shopping would probably prefer the Octavia though

my brother had a CTR and i was going to get one until i got taken out in a vRS, then there was only 1 car for me. i dont regret buying a vRS either, my brother actually prefers to travel in my car if we're going to shows or long distance.

i do like the type r but its not nearly as easy or relaxing to drive as the vRS. on the motorway i know which i prefer.

at the end of the day the 2 cars were never designed to compare against each other though, something like a leon cupra r would be more like the CTR.

I agree. They are two different pieces of machinery and can't really be compared as if they are in the same category. I was just surprised after getting used to the Skoda how hardcore the CTR is.

This returns us back to a previous thread about can you call the Octavia a hot hatch? The CTR definitely is, the Octavia...?

Some say because it is a quick car with a hatchback it is a "hot-hatch". Other's say it is a fast family hatchback. The latter, whilst less exciting, is probably more accurate.

TDI power bands aren't that narrow Chris... well, ok.. mine's pretty wide.

I love the Type-Rs, all of them. But they are a totally different beast. I wouldn't give up on my "power from 1500rpm" though.

The Octavia is a quick mid-sized hatch

i like to think of the vRS as a "sports" hatch rather than a hot hatch... sounds more mature for a start which obviously the octavia is.

2 things the CTR does have that i'd like in the vRS though, decent supportive seats as standard and a very slick gearbox.

I don't think my standard Octavia can be called quick. I've owned a few quick cars, this one is a couple of notches down on quick. I'm not sure what word to use - rapid? nippy? - whatever. I would like to have a ride in a remapped Octavia one day to see how much of a difference there is.

I don't think my standard Octavia can be called quick. I've owned a few quick cars, this one is a couple of notches down on quick. I'm not sure what word to use - rapid? nippy? - whatever. I would like to have a ride in a remapped Octavia one day to see how much of a difference there is.

It's all relative. What were the quick cars?

For a 14K (when new) small family car, it's quick

Compared to a 911 GT2, it's a slug

Good point MrkyMrk. Considering what I paid for it new, I have to concede it is a lot of car for the money.

TDI power bands aren't that narrow Chris... well, ok.. mine's pretty wide.

Standard TDI is 2k rpm tops. That's pretty narrow

Chris

Yes, but the gearing on a TDI is such that 2k rpm equates to a decent increase in MPH.

Yes, but the gearing on a TDI is such that 2k rpm equates to a decent increase in MPH.

Does it?! I've always found in TDI's that the gearing is shorter so you need more gear changes to get a decent increase in MPH compared to a petrol with a wider power band

Chris

Lets compare a 6 speed petrol with 8k RPM (say, Honda S2000) with a TDI 6 speed (say Fabia VRS)

If the gearing on the Fabia was shorter than the S2000, and the engine only did 4k RPM how would you ever get to 100mph ?

In a very rough, off-the-top-of-my-head kind of way, say 4000 RPM in the Fabia in 6th gives 125 MPH and 7000 RPM in the Honda gives 125MPH, which has the longer gearing ?

Ah I see what you're saying! I'd still take the Honda (with the larger power band) over the TDI though

Chris

I would like to have a ride in a remapped Octavia one day to see how much of a difference there is.

The difference is very significant.

Even more significant if the Octavia started life as a 150bhp Elegance

but at least the brakes are better if it started off as a vRS

I figure I'll have to go to one of the Yorkshire meets and ask nicely if someone could take me out for a spin in a re-mapped Octavia.

i 've just had mine loaded with REVO software stage 1 it's the best

How is it different then Mr Chorsley? Is it a 150bhp or a 180 bhp remap? Could you choose any perameters, or was it a basic download? I'm keen to find out as I would really like to have mine done.