This month's top gear magazine arrived today (Well worth buying this month) and inside it has the results of their owner satisfaction survey (03 to 54 plate cars)

1st - Honda S2000

2nd - Honda Jazz

3rd - Skoda Octavia Mk1

4th - Skoda Fabia

5th - Lexus RX300

6th - Lexus IS200

7th - Skoda Superb

8th - Fiat Panda

9th - Mazda MX5

10th - Jaguar XJ

Skoda is the best placed manufacturer.

143 - Renault Laguna

144 - Ford C-Max

145 - Mercedes A-Class

146 - Mercedes M-Class

147 - Peugeot 407

148 - Citroen C8

149 - Renault Megane

150 - Peugeot 307

151 - Renault Espace

152 - Peugeot 807

Peugeot is the worst placed manufacturer.

The full results aren't yet on TG's website

A good result for Skoda , but I predict that they won't do as well next year when the Mk2 Octavia is eligible for inclusion.

Don't you think a lot of this is

"I've been told they are a good car, so I will forgive their little foibles, because my mate says they are a good car, and he knows a lot about cars, and he says I don't, so my car must be a good one"

Type of thing?

I forgave my Citroen CX almost everytime it broke down, and would have said it was the best car in the world, ever, but it cost me a ruddy fortune, and broke down a lot.

But I wish I still had it.

depends on the "foibles" does it not?

Breaking down or being in the garage every month would probably not be forgivable, but the odd rattle and creak would be I guess.

Good to see Skoda doing well but like Dr Zee I feel next years results will not be as good.

There might be some people who mark their cars higher than they deserve as nobody wants to admit they bought a bad car , but that could be said about any manufacturer.

I rated my Mk1 octy very highly , but I had high expectations before I bought it and was happy that it met or exceeded them.

In the 82k miles I had it , it was very reliable , drove well and didn't cost me that much.

The Mk2 has been pricier to buy and while it drives superbly it has not been as reliable so far , and the dealer service has got worse. It's not been a bad car but it's not something that I'd rate as the best car to own.

surprised the Fiat Panda is up there in the top ten

might go and road test the 100hp tomorrow

Three Skodas in the top ten. In fact every model Skoda did at the time is in the top ten.

Impressive!

I find surveys like this are mostly irrelevant as a source of usefull information as they are subjective. They don't actually tell you how good the car is, just how the respondents personally feel about it. The Fabia comes 4th in people's opinions (Top Gear opinions survey), yet it has (according to WhatCar) the highest rate of warranty claims for a supermini (45 per 100 cars). Now, I know which table I'm going to look at...

It's damn strange to have high warranty claims and a high customer satisfaction result at the same time.

skoda owners must tell porkies when they fill in questionares

its the only explanation

It's damn strange to have high warranty claims and a high customer satisfaction result at the same time.

Perhaps it's the way these claims are dealt with? I, like you, measure reliability and satisfaction in how few times I need to go to the dealers but as said above, this is asking for opinions so everyone will be looking at it from their own view and experiences!

Chris

But in my experience a car can be good and go back to the dealers a few times. It can also be better than a car that doesn't go back to the dealer at all.

I think the top gear survey, although may not be conclusive, is an all round experience not just a reliability survey.

maybe people have low expectations of skoda?

Wait for next year when the new generation diesels are eligable, the stuttering furby, the breaking down Superb 140 & the lates Octy RS Diesel.

They should all knock Skoda down a few places

Skoda, wake up to the problem cars you have designed, FIX THEM & MAKE THE CUSTOMERS HAPPY AGAIN, the attitude of "its a phenomenum & we dont care isnt really the way to go !!!

my 06 vrs with BLT is a hoot to drive, no problems with the stutter...only once in a blue moon. I can imagine a majrity of owners don't have this issue either/ or if they do, does not ruin the driving for them or it would have been a bigger deal

Lets wait for the figures to arrive.

I won't comment on my ownership, but it's been a costly experience I have no desire to repeat.

On the other hand, coming from a Zetec S TDCi, it is a world away in performance, especially with the remap. Whether it is actually much faster doesn't really bother me but the fun factor is brill. Maybe not that of other hot hatches, but far cheaper and not really comparable.