Just got back from dealers having picked up new car. Looks smart in silver with its alloys. First impressions driving are that it feels quicker than figures suggest. Engine note is thrummy, but not unpleasant - 3 cylinder engine.

Interoir trim is solid but uninspiring, only little things like the door release lets it down, feels very cheap. Driving it home noticed it hasn't got a water temp gauge, just a warning light...bit odd. Still very early days, only 24 miles on clock so far.

Will post some pictures when I recharge my camera and it stops raining.

Andy

Quite a few new cars seem to not have water temperature gauges on them...I suppose seeing as they seem to maintain a "constant" temperature, you'd only really need a warning light to alert you of this.

How does the 1.2 unit compare to the 1.6 in your Octy?

Rob.

Good stuff , I'm looking forward to the pics!

pics!!

Congratulations! :woot: :grouphug:

But :wrthless: :P

Steve

No water temp gauage - is this specific to the trim level or do all new Fabias just have a warning light ? Personally I like have a temp gauage as I like to see whats happening to the temp.

Had a new astra as a rental car last year, it to had no temp gauge and just a light. Quiet disconcerting at first, but after a while you dont miss it.

Andy, we need some pics of the new furby.

I hope they put a temp gague in the vRS model when it arrives. I was regualrly amazed how long my vRS used to take to warm up, especially in winter, saying that, with the Baldock bypass open I didn't spend as much time in traffic last winter so didn't watch the gague so much.

They dropped the water temp gauge in the Golf GT in favour of a boost gauge, nice one!

New Beetle has allways had just a light, its blue when cold, goes out when at operating temp and red if its overheating. In all honesty what more do you need. Not like the dash gauge is actually that accurate anyhow, more of a placebo than actually useful.

If the light shows cold as well as hot that's brilliant - I assumed it was just a warning light for over heating.

Congrats, I picked up my Roomster Scout 1.9TDI today and noticed tha this also didn't have a temp gauge. Well I suppose most of the front end is similar. There is not a cold temp light on my Roomster like there was on my Honda Jazz but couln't see the point in having one to be honest.

They dropped the water temp gauge in the Golf GT in favour of a boost gauge, nice one!

New Beetle has allways had just a light, its blue when cold, goes out when at operating temp and red if its overheating. In all honesty what more do you need. Not like the dash gauge is actually that accurate anyhow, more of a placebo than actually useful.

Same in the Kia Picanto which had a blue thermometer symbol when cold, although i do like my gauges, something like a digital display of coolant temp would be ok. Suppose if I was designing car dash boards they would look like something out of an aircraft cockpit lol.

Bring back to topic - the sound of 3 cylinder engine nearly put me off buying one at first, its not too bad and you get use to it ! What Car Mag also mentioned about the cheap plastic interior as well

Detail pictures. The interior plastics fit well and everything is solid. Nothing rattles or squeaks, its just very bland and well, dull. Typical Skoda. Radio/CD works well and is easy to use, six speakers and sounds quite nice. All the switch gear works with a firm clunkly action, column stalks are hollow and sound plasticisty if you tap them. Seats are firm and I find them comfortable, loads of adjustment. Not a bad driving enviroment.

Andy

Some exterior pictures. The car is far better looking in the metal than brochure pictures. I don't think the launch colour does it any favours. Styling wise, the window line is very high. Its a good 3-4 inches higher than my Octavia. The windows are therefore not very deep. You also sit very high in car. You have good visibility despite the narrow windows, but you cannot see the front of the front of the car. There is loads of room inside, plenty of room in the rear even if the seats are well back. The wheel arches would easily take bigger rims, I haven't seen the optional 16 or 17's but the looks would improve. The car is fairly low geared, 70mph is 3500 revs and this makes it lively at low speeds but noisier at higher speeds. I would imagine in normal traffic it will keep up with the flow easily. The seating position makes me wonder if the VRS version will be any improvement over the current version, I feel if if I'm sitting on the car rather than in it. The handling is tidy, not to much roll and with what seems to be plenty of grip, but have yet to try it on dry roads. Is it worth the asking price of over

Looks very nice, enjoy

i still don't like the look of it.i'll have to see one close up i guess.

like the interior, still unsure about the exterior...

over

over

I have an uneasy feeling that it's the latter of your options Andy - price hike :thumbdwn:

It's fair to say we saw it too when the Octy2 came out.

Steve

The lack of temp. gauge is nothing new - my Morris Minor didn't have one either!

Nice pics , I think its great looking from side on , the back is much the same as the old one , its just the front that doesnt do it for me (yet). They do seem expensive though , especially after reading the equipment you get in the FIAT GP Sporting in another post here , for around