Test Drive Impessions

[TuNeS]

Interesting about the fuel figures you have posted? I get 7.9L per 100km towing my go-kart with the manual petrol! Maybe the salesman have been flogging the pants off it before you get into the car affecting the average. The road noise bothered me at first too, however I dont notice it anymore and I didnt want to buy the Passat due to the mega increased price that came with it for this extra feature. Skoda is the value brand!

I went through the same decision process as you did. I loved the look of the old liberty, however the new one looks terrible (instant write off to me) and the mazda 6 looks ok and drove ok, but it lacked any real character to me. Also the interior and plastics are a step down in comparison to the Octavia. I also like the fact that my RS 'goes like stink' as you put it when I want it to, yet it is lovely to drive as a grandpa when your feeling 'old'

Remember the Octavia is based on the golf chassis, so it is a smaller car than the Liberty and 6......although the usable space is brilliant so its easy to compare them in the same group. If you do end up buying a skoda, you will be pleasantly surprised.

[dodgey]

I would have suggested the Scout too. I had one on loan while waiting for my RS, and I thought it was brilliant. A touch noisier, but I put that down to it being a wagon rather than a liftback. The scout has greater clearance and 4x4.

There have been complaints overseas about the noise coming from the back and the lack of sound deadening, but you can put that on yourself

Going past 3,5k rpms on the diesel only gives you more sound, no more go as far as I can remember... Around 2k-3k rpms is best in almost any gear

[wfdTamar]

Another point in the Scout's favour is they don't seem to be selling as well as the others (they seem to have had the same one for ages here) so could get a good deal to take one off their hands. 1.8's seem to be selling (or at least in ads) starting in the mid $30k's, Scout's a few $1000's higher. RS's starting at $37k. So there's not a lot in it if you're happy to take what's on offer rather than special order one.

[4thchicken]

Perhaps you are looking at the wrong car? - I've an RS DSG petrol wagon and love it however from reading your comments, perhaps the superb wagon would suit your purposes more.

A superb ambition wagon would be about the same price as the RS and would have a flat floor and presumably a softer ride/better noise than the RS.

Partly depends on your budget as well but the RS diesel dsg wagon and the superb diesel dsg wagon (ambition trim) are the same price - and carry the same engine. Or if you were prepared to stretch a bit further, then the elegance models would undoutably be a better car.