Skoda Octavia test drive since 2008 -

Choice

Airborne atmospheric against a turbocharged motor with a hand gearbox for what is the choice for the test? Cars are obviously different: calm, family Skoda Octavia and almost youth Ford Focus. Belonging to the same class, but to different social groups, the models of the Russian assembly could not intersect the battlefield for the buyer.
But they have one more thing: that which put an end to disputes about the relevance of today's duel. And this is the total price.
A manual gearbox for active drivers. Automat for lazy people. With one-i-four, one can only be sick of a cork to a cork, and two-and-zero is always a bunch of positive emotions. Not yet a kilometer on test cars, I was ready to sink in the stamps and dogmas that fell on me. But I wanted to understand the question without unnecessary emotions.
So, Octavia with a dudden TSI engine with a volume of only 1.4 shapeless vegetable, urban bore and outcast of traffic lights? The manufacturer seems to be a different opinion, otherwise he would not insist on a robotic DSG box instead of a regular machine for this engine.
And the presetel DSG is quick and clear switching, for which you need to pay almost 60,000 rubles. It is unlikely that the designers would risk reviving the advanced, but expensive transmission, a obviously sour motor: the source is just considered the 1.6 engine (102 l. And 1.4 with the turbine is still a bait.
The motor is really clockwork, and most importantly extremely elastic. At the speeds prescribed by traffic rules, you can make mistakes arbitrarily with the choice of transmission: 122 horsepower will be pulled out. And it is impossible to recognize turbopro with even persistent acceleration!
By the way, this motor is the same as on Tiguan, just not burdened with a compressor. From this, he somewhat sluggishly behaves on the bottom, but he has a more flexible character, allowing him to move dynamically, but without twigs.
Recall that under the hood is less than one and a half, I had to on the highway in Moscow Petersburg. On high -speed overtaking, choose a more attentive program! Six rows are an excellent option for saving fuel (record 6.2 l!), But at high speeds, prepare the lowered in advance: acceleration may end earlier than you complete the maneuver.
Another thing Focus 2.0. A powerful unit that accelerates the nozzle 2 Ford Mazda 3 and Volvo C30 has established itself with the starting point, after which you start to want a sports ST (or MPS).
The engine is very good: it really spins to the red zone, lucky from the bottoms and, coupled with a clear manual gearbox (and the Fords of the Fords checkpoint) causes a lot of positive both in the city and on the highway.
And what about the machine? The old hydrotransformer box for four ranges, which was rooted in the last century, left a strange impression. The first, and, perhaps, the main drawback of stubborn unwillingness to go to Kik-Dawn. The car moves according to the principle of gas-landing, heated the motor at the red zone for a few seconds and twisted.
There is no trace of focus with a manual box! You can move dynamically, of course, gently treating the gas, predicting the moments of switching and on this building the entire mode of movement. But I knew another Ford 2.0 responsive, dynamic, and this alignment did not suit me in any way.
Both Focus and Octavia are collected by Russian hands. The first is produced at the Ford factory in Vsevolozhsk, the second at the Kaluga Volkswagen. Moreover, both models of the so -called full cycle: with welding and with the color of the bodies.
We did not find global problems with the quality of the assembly. Yes, Ford has more gaps between internal panels in the cabin, and between plastic cladding and the door you can completely fit a finger, but on the bumps the salon behaves quietly, not annoying crickets and other insects.
Skoda was pleased with the softer plastic and thorough fit of the details, here they are, German roots! It was worth going to the paving stones, the salon was filled with a distinct creak. Where? Yes, the soft, suppressive plastic and creaks!
Moreover, the creak signals the insufficient hardness of the body, although the base of the Skoda is smaller than that of Ford (2,578 versus 2 640 mm); In the salon of the latter, the whole trip on the paving stones was quiet.
Apparently, the whole point is that Octavia we went to the execution of an elevator, and such a body is more supposed to bend than a three-bob (which is not among modifications).
But the trunk of the skoda is just a treasure! Compared to it, the focus compartment is nothing more than a glove compartment.
If we turn to the numbers, the difference will not be so global (560 versus 490 l), but, if desired, the trunk of Octavia can be loaded on the glass! Just try to grace the back gate elegantly: the door is heavy, the mechanism is elastic. But they saved in Ford: there are no handles for closing the trunk at all.
For the almost equal cost, Ford Focus is equipped noticeably better. In addition to the already mentioned machine, the car has xenon head light, separate climate control, CD changer (options) and four airbags.
By the way, in the configuration of Titanium, comfortable front chairs with developed lateral support are provided. For a closer salon and a smaller trunk of focus2, pseudo -sporting chips are also recouped: for example, the opportunity to adjust the force on the steering wheel.
Skoda is easier: two pillows, climatic installation and radio with the ability to read mp3. But this is minimalism without harm to pride: it is richer, it will be more interesting by the flowers and the tall driver will feel more comfortable at the wheel of Octavia, since she has more the range of steering wheel adjustments (in two directions).
Both cars are controlled well, reacting sharply to the commands. Skoda is a little more rustic, but the information content of the steering wheel with an electromechanical amplifier is higher than that of the focus.
The sports regime in the settings of the electric power steering of the latter (and the mechanism itself combined electric motor+hydraulic pump) is nothing more than a fiction. Yes, the steering wheel becomes heavier, but this does not add information content. However, there are also comfortable and standard work options, and finding the optimal among them is not so difficult.
Safety
According to the EURONCAP methodology, models were tested even before facelift: Skoda Octavia and Ford Focus, both 2004 model year.
The Czech managed to win four stars, earned 11 points for the frontal blow and 16 for the side. Experts recognized low protection of the driver’s legs and sufficient legs of the front passenger.
Focus for a blow to the middle rack and front door showed a similar result; In Lobov, it was stronger than 16 points (the driver’s chest was protected enough, everything else is fine), for which he received well -deserved five stars.
Both cars were tested for loyalty to pedestrians; The result is two out of four stars. Protection of children inside the cabin in the collision of both Ford and Skoda was recognized as equally good. Bottom line: four out of five stars per brother.
The outcome of the duel is not obvious. If you choose the mind, then, according to the price/equipment ratio, Ford Focus will give a head start to many not only Skoda Oktavia. Yes, and having a narcking up the saying that, having chosen a car with a machine gun, there is no more road to the manual box, not an empty phrase.
Someone is really more convenient without the third pedal, but the fact that the car does not go so it is stuck. A lively, interesting Octavia destroys stereotypes about the incompatibility of large machines and small engines; That is why it becomes closer, albeit not to the mind, but to the heart.
The author of this text chose the second. Understanding that, we get a two -liter Focus with a manual box for a test, the alignment of forces would be different.

Author: Alexander Mikhailov
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [May 2009]