Skoda Octavia test drive since 2008 -

Skoda Octavia FL 1.8 TSI test drive: a step above

Skoda designers are characterized by the creation of cars per step higher. For example, the Superb flagship belongs to another class than VW Passat, on the basis of which it is created. Similarly, Octavia is larger than Golf. But the case is not limited to size.
At one time, my first acquaintance with the Octavia model was on the Tour version, which seemed not too dynamic. On the other hand, recent Volkswagen trips with TDI+DSG combined made a very pleasant impression on this parameter. It became interesting to me: and how the new automatic transmission developed by VW behaves in combination with other types of engines. The process of satisfying curiosity was the result of a trip to Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI.
Let's start with what the test was carried out with the behavior of the engine and transmission. The praises of the 1.8 TSI engine already sang enough, and he really deserves them. The power of 160 hp, in my opinion, best corresponds to a car weighing about a thousand four hundred kilograms. The electronic control of the throttle reduces the harmful effects of turboyam.
But the gearbox should be discussed in more detail. The first thing you pay attention to the economy of the base mode DSG. At a speed of 60 km/h, it can work in sixth gear. As a result, the calculation of the remaining fuel mileage, performed by the on -board computer, is highly dependent on the driving mode, which at first leads to some confusion.
Judge for yourself. When leaving Octavia, the computer said that I can drive another 230 km. While I drove home (and do not get a dozen kilometers), this figure fell to 130 km (!). Apparently, the one who traveled to me did it very, very dynamic. Then she returned to the indicator of 180 km, then sank 150 km and stopped changing, and remained stable for a very long time.
Naturally, you have to pay for efficiency. At a speed of 60 km/h on the 6th gear, acceleration cannot be fast by definition. However, if the driver has a desire to frolic or if the nature of the movement requires sharp accelerations, for this DSG has a sports regime. Everything is already different here, and the dynamics of Octavia is impressive. As part of the test, and what a sin to hide, for my own pleasure, I spent a couple of mini-shots from a traffic light on Moscow streets. In both cases, rivals were cars with a sports body kit, temperamental drivers and very powerful engines. We won both duels. Perhaps the underestimation of the rivals was affected (we do not quote as a Skoda Octavia sports car), but the fact remains both sportsmen when starting quickly passed into the viewing area of \u200b\u200bthe rear -view mirror.
Nevertheless, I must say that when driving on the machine, the TSI+DSG-7 combination did not deliver such pleasure as TDI+DSG-6. And the point here seems to be in number 7. A very competent specialist in the field of automatic transmission once explained to me that for modern automobile engines (without taking into account the monsters of the F-1 and the like) the optimal number of stages of the box is six. All that is higher already, as they say now, show off.
DSG-7 in sports mode allows you to quickly leave the start, but its first gear is very short. When switching to the second stage, even a small one occurs, but a delay. As a result, a clear feeling is created that with a decrease in the number of transmissions by one acceleration, it would be faster. Perhaps this is only a feeling ...
However, the DSG-7 also has a manual mode, and the Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI is equipped with steering wheel petals, which allows you to twist the engine to the red line, without being distracted by the transmission process. In manual mode, the acceleration dynamics are already simply indecent for the city car and Octavia 1.8 TSI, the charged version is Octavia RS.
 
Accelerating, you always have to think how you will slow down. Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI has problems here. Its brake system is quite corresponded to the dynamism of the car as a whole.
But the steering does not have the clarity that the Volkswagen Golf one -platform has. The steering of the steering wheel is slightly larger, the inertia of the machine (due to dimensions) too. However, the controllability of Skoda Octavia is quite enough to drive in ordinary modes, the boundaries of which are installed traffic rules. I could not evaluate the work of the system for improving stability, and there was simply no time to look for a suitable place and organize driving traffic.
 
Due to dry weather, it was not possible to evaluate the sprayration of the machine. According to the speed of dusting dust, it can be assumed that the octavia will get dirty quickly enough. However, the system of cleaners / washer washer works well. It only alerted that when the ignition is turned off, the wipers sometimes twitch, this may indicate a not quite correct electric circuit of their drive.
Now let's move on to the sensations of those sitting in the cabin. School of noise in Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI reliably presses the sound of the engine in the basic automatic transmission mode. In sports and manual modes, Spray is already audible, but it is an indispensable element of the corresponding driving style. No wonder the designers of different companies were concerned about the voice acting of sportsmen with a hybrid and electric drive without racing sound, a quick riding loses something.
 
The suspension is quite consistent with the state of Russian roads. True, on Shcherbat asphalt it turned out to be noisy, but the reason became clear. Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI, as befits a car with a sports character, is shod in sports tires Continental SportContact 2 (size - 205/55 R16). They hold the road perfectly, but, of course, slightly increase the noise level in the cabin. Well, you have to pay for pleasure.
It's nice in the cabin. The well -thought -out little things are pleased, for example, an eyehrist located on the ceiling with convenient reach of the right hand. In the glove box there are niches with clamps where it is convenient to store the paper you need on the road. The lock of the glove box is located not on the door, but is built into the design of the torpedo due to this door, therefore, ceteris paribus, the structure will last longer.
The parking system works well. True, its sensitivity can play a trick on the driver. Manifesting at the parking lot, overgrown with grass, I could not understand what was worried about parking sensors. It turned out that the source of the signal was ... a large burdock that grew up in the middle of a clearing. However, when parking, it is better to play it safe than to enter something.
It is impossible not to say kind words to the Columbus navigation and medical system. By ear in terms of sound quality, it is inferior to audio systems of more expensive machines only in part of the bass. But there is nothing to be done: the larger the volume of the cabin, the better the resonances at low frequencies.
 
But the system management is an excellent sample of intuitiveness. I managed to tune in to the desired radio station at the same time, at the same time I did not have to look in the instructions. In the same way, without a book, a route to the house was laid in the navigation system in a couple of minutes. The framing buttons and Touch-Screen are informative. True, only for those who know the English language of the Russified version of the system does not yet exist.
The only incitement in the cabin is the armrests of passenger places. They narrow to the elbow, and holding their hands on them is inconvenient. Not too pleasant, albeit small, the victory of design over ergonomics.
 
In general, the salon, due to the thoughtfulness and efficiency of execution, creates the feeling that you are in a higher class car. I had to ride the top versions of business class machines that were equipped no better than Octavia FL, and this is still a compact, albeit slightly re-massive.
Summary. Skoda Octavia FL 1.8 TSI makes a pleasant impression. The dynamics of the car is good, the equipment, the quality of materials and the accuracy of fitting the interior elements are clearly higher than the class than on most mass -production cars. In the Ambiente configuration, the car costs 785 thousand rubles, the basic cost of the Elegance equipment is 829 thousand rubles, the cost of a test car (Elegance with additional options) 1118 thousand rubles. A little expensive for a folk class compact but the car is worth it.
The business car club thanks Skoda Auto Russia for the car presented on the test drive.
 
 

Source: Business car club