Skoda Octavia II 2004 test drive - 2008 -

Sport-interpretation

While there is a golf class, its hot representatives will appear. This is one of the most common types of charged cars, the most democratic and affordable speed source.

 

Participants of the face -to -face duel we provoked - recently appeared on the domestic market Opel Astra OPC and has long been sold by Skoda Octavia RS. We understand that it would be more logical to expose against Opel, for example, VW Golf GTI or Ford Focus ST. But, unfortunately, in September, these cars were not available. However, the resulting comparison is appropriate. After all, Skoda is based on the same Golf cart. In addition, Octavia RS is also a hatchback, however, a five -door.

 

An attentive reader will find a serious difference in car capacity. Say, Astra has 40 forces more, dishonest! Everything is so, if you look at the passport data. However, the Russian representative office of Skoda shortly before the test sent the car to the service, and there the engine control settings changed it there. Work was carried out using WKR Automobil Design technology, which states that as a result of such a chip tuning, the power of the red sedan should grow by as much as 60 hp! And the torque is 120 nm! And this is without interference in metal! As they say, freshly giving, but hard to believe. However, the first sensations from driving on the modified Octavia RS showed that the car has become tangibly faster. Another thing is whether it has optimistic 60 hp in his engine. But first things first.

 

Assessments of the appearance of the test participants were unanimous. Astra from Opel Performance Center looks perfect. A pleasant blue metallic, a developed aerodynamic body kit, a predatory face, an interestingly solved rear part, where the exhaust pipe is displayed in the center of the bumper. The car is installed on beautiful 18-inch discs through which powerful brakes are visible. When looking at the hatchback, I immediately recall the Opel GTS concept car, which debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003. That car set the direction in the design for the entire line of modern Opel and materialized very accurately in the modern three -door version of Astra OPC. Perhaps the novelty from Opel is one of the most attractive in its segment in terms of external data.

 

Octavia RS next to the blue screening looks calm. The styling of the machine is a reflection of its concept. This is a car created for a family person who appreciates comfort, but at the same time regularly rolls out a hatchback from the garage in order to move from point A to point B quickly and with pleasure. Therefore, compared with the basic version, changes in the appearance of RS are minimal. More aggressive bumpers, modest pads on the thresholds and small anti -wing on the fifth door. The arches housed pretty 17-inch wheels. Optionally installed 18 inches. But the car is painted in a flaming scarlet color, which undoubtedly adds attractiveness to it.

 

Astra is cramped in the cabin. Recaro sports seats are pleasantly pressing with large rollers of lateral support, a chubby steering wheel lies in the hands, sheathed with combined skin (in the places of grip - with perforation). The gaze dwells on other sports paraphernalia: on pedals with metal pads, on a shortened gear lever ... Decorative inserts that simulate blue carbon are used in the decoration. Here and there there is an OPC inscription. All this meets the genre of hot hatch. However, in some despondency, the inexpressive front panel with a small display in the center leads to the same - the same as on ordinary Astra.

 

Skoda inside is really a family car. After a competitor's clamped interior, you feel like a class higher in a car. Very spacious! Of course, there are signs of sports life here. These are pedals with metal overlays (unlike the competitor, the Accelerator is flooring here), a three-spoke steering wheel (I liked the combined leather trim on Skoda more), a convenient switching lever of 6-speed mechanics. The eye is pleased with the finish of the panels for aluminum. But the chairs are easier than on Astra, lateral support is not so obvious - a more civilian option. In the standard modes of the fixing properties of the profile and upholstery, there is enough for the eyes, but if you dilute the turns, by and large, the Astra OPC buckets will be much preferable. The overall impression is the level of execution of the Octavia salon slightly higher than that of the opponent. The interior is generally more calm, less athletic. But more solid. You feel the notorious all -folkswagen quality.

 

By the convenience of planting and ergonomics in front of Skoda. You get behind the wheel, make a couple of movements with a chair, adjust the position of the steering wheel, and it seems as if the whole driver's life was sitting here. In Astra, I did not have enough adjustment in height with my growth above the average - I wanted to go down a little lower so that the ceiling would not hang over the crown. I had to slide down a little.

 

Both cars are equipped with 2-liter turbo engines and 6-speed transmission. The characters of the power units, despite the similar power, turned out to be different. The Opel motor is explosive. Below he is not lucky as willingly as the Octavia engine, but after 3,000 revolutions it pleases with a powerful pickup. Skoda, justifying its family-sports purpose, can offer a more even characteristic of the motor. He burns her below, good in the middle and vigorous upstairs. Managing a traction in Skoda is a little more convenient.

 

First of all, we decided to check if the chip tuning really brought such a noticeable power increase? The declared acceleration data to 100 km/h at the stock Octavia RS is 7.3 seconds. While Opel has 6.4 seconds. WKR promises the happy owners of its miracle chip that an improved machine will accelerate to hundreds in just 6 seconds! Well, we will check. To begin with, turn off the stabilization systems. On Skoda, this is done with a simple press of the ESP OFF button, on Opel you should keep the Sport button for some time

 

Astra begins acceleration with a powerful jump. The programs here are shorter than that of the competitor. Especially the first. It is not worth it to twist the motor to the limiter, since after 5600 rpm, its enthusiasm is confused. Having clicking the steps, with lateral vision, I follow the overclocking in the parallel course of Octavia. And what? We are going to the nostril! For the purity of the experiment, we repeat the exercise several times. At the same time, drivers change cars to negate the human factor. The results of the races show that the participants are almost equal in dynamics. Indeed, chip tuning did his job. True, the increase here is not 60, but rather 30-40 hp.

 

If the dynamic indicators of Astra OPC and Octavia are identical, then in the competition for the sound design of Astra acceleration, it plays the opponent on the shoulder blades. The exhaust system is perfectly configured, the soundtracks from the OPC tried to fame! This factory car in aggression and the quality of the sound will leave behind dozens of meticulously collected tuning rivals. The sound fascinates, makes the car respect. But Octavia has a motor and exhaust system work quietly.

 

A feature of Astra OPC is the ability to change the character of the car. The machine is equipped with an IDS+system. These are shock absorbers with a variable degree of stiffness. Moreover, the Sport button on the central console allows you to change the settings in the operation of the steering and the responsiveness of the car for the actions of the accelerator. The hatchback in any case remains sports and tough, but if you pressed the coveted button, its habits will acquire special sharpness and uncompromising.

 

Suspension settings - this is where cars are fundamentally different from each other. In my personal tablets about the ranks, I attribute Astra OPC to purely sports models. A 15 mm suspension, low -profile rubber and rigid shock absorbers kill comfort. But how obediently the hatchback is driving, with what confidence any turns passes! In short gears and explosive pulses of accelerated dynamics, he constantly provokes the driver to local road teleportations. But in response, it requires a complete concentration on management. On this car, it is difficult to suddenly calm down and slowly roll, reluctantly switching the gears. The chassis transmits information about each bump to the body. If rut on the road manifests itself, the hatch scours, forcing the driver to compress the steering wheel tightly. With intensive acceleration, the trajectory remains straightforward only on a perfectly flat coating - otherwise the car begins to scour. On a bad, broken road, a hot hatch jumps from the trajectory - a hard suspension is not able to work out all the flaws of the roadway. But Astra OPC practically does not roll, does not raise his nose when accelerating and does not peck it during braking. It is much more than a competitor, an adherent of aggressive driving is suitable.

 

However, Octavia is good! Yes, her behavior is devoid of pronounced sports severity. But we remember the concept of this car - a house, a family and a little sports. No wonder in the press materials of Skoda dedicated to the Octavia RS line, full of photos with a young family in racing helmets

 

By the way, Octavia suspension is more advanced than that of a competitor. Astra has a work on the beam, and the representative of the German -Czech school has a completely independent multi -link scheme. Together with more civilian springs and shock absorbers, this allows the Skoda driver to feel more confident on the imperfect road. Where the Astra OPC sitting at the wheel will strain, catch the trajectory, squeeze the steering wheel, shake and jump, the Octavia RS driver will fly rapidly and comfortably, and the flaws of the road fabric will disappear in the bowels of a friendly suspension.

 

And when braking, the dependence of the posterior axis of the blue hatchback makes itself felt - on an uneven coating, the car leaves with a straightforward trajectory, forcing the driver to work as the steering wheel. And Octavia goes straight.

 

But on the smooth asphalt of the Avtodrome, we more like the Astra OPC reaction. When passing the snake, the machine behaves collected, requires a lesser work from the driver and gives more pleasure reactions than Octavia. Sport! In the maximum turn, it almost does not roll, and more understandably behaves in protracted, deep slides.

 

By the way, you can’t write off the merit of rubber from the accounts, in which test specimens were shod. Octavia cost quite slippery (primarily, compared to a competitor) ContisportContact 2 dimensions 225/45 R17, while Astra is shod in the tenacious Dunlop SportmaxX 225/40 R18.

 

However, Skoda did not end trump cards. So, we liked its gear shift mechanism more (this applies to selectivity and effort). Again, the feedback on the steering wheel Octavia is a little tastier than that of Astra. In the athletic mode, the bagel seems unnaturally heavy, and the driver has to make a significantly greater effort with speed steering.

 

In brake dynamics, cars are almost equal. In both cases, the brake pedal perfectly informs the driver about the intensity of the system, cars slows down equally well. With one reservation - Octavia squats on the front axle, and Astra is a little nervous on a broken road.

 

The result of the test meets the initial alignment of forces. Octavia RS is a compromise model designed for everyday operation by a person with a temperamental but burdened family. Skoda is spacious, comfortable, however, its balanced and well -tuned chassis allows you to keep up with ambitious competitors. Astra OPC is more intended for young and hot individualists. This hatchback is more sporty in execution, it is explosive and is not ready to sacrifice controllability for comfort.

 

Be that as it may, both cars are able to drive very quickly and give pleasure to the driver. True, pleasure is still of all kinds.

 

Skoda Octavia prices and configuration

 

Skoda Octavia RS is sold in two body variants - hatchback and station wagon. The basic package of a car with a 2-liter gasoline turbo engine ($ 33490) includes R17 alloy wheels, anterior and side airbags, climate control, xenon headlights, sports seats with sports upholstery, leather steering wheel and leather gearbox, front glass windows, electric regulation and heating rear-view mirrors, tire pressure sensor, CD-resort with MP3, 8 speakers, central castle with DU. RS in the back of the station wagon will cost the buyer $ 1100 more. Prices for diesel versions of Octavia RS in Russia have not yet been determined.

 

Opel Astra prices and configuration

 

The Standard Astra OPC ($ 31,230) includes ABS, ESP, alloy wheels R18, front and lateral pillows of the driver and front passenger, two-color leather upholstery, recaro front seats, air conditioning, CD residents, 6 speakers.


Additionally, you can install cruise control, climate control, adaptive bi-ksenon headlights, rain sensor, safety curtains, etc.

 

Text: Leonty Tyutelev
 
 

 

Source: Motor magazine [October 2006]