Skoda Octavia II 2004 test drive - 2008 -

Genius of reincarnation

The demon of pretense lives in each of these cars. But who is more talented to play the role of more expensive and prestigious?




The ability to let dust in the eyes in the automotive is always valued more than gold. Well, what can you do, flattes a person when he is mistaken for someone more significant. In any sector of the market, such chameleons, which, with their democratic nature, can pretend to be important gentlemen. In the golf class, the most active applicants for more include the new Skoda-Octavia, as well as the Renault-Magan sedan, which is completely unlike its broad-played cousin with a hatchback body.
 

We have chosen cars with optimal for golf class with a 1.6-liter four and manual transmission. Such power units will allow us to keep the prices of both applicants at an affordable level: after all, we compare real customer advantages, and not the maximum possibilities of French and Czech designers. But the configuration, in order to completely reveal the extra -class ambitions of cars, preferred to maximum. So, is the caps of size more on the senki?


Family affairs
Octavia seems to be born for the role of the Gogol auditor. Long overhangs, developed bumpers, a chrome grate of the radiator confidently raise octavia over the heads of classmates. This skoda is almost 40 cm longer than the golf, on the basis of which it is built! Very solid.
 

The Megan sedan is also easy to confuse with the middle class model. A rapid silhouette, a spectacular narrowed feed and a characteristic front of the car, is a car in the crowd.
 

And how is it inside? In the cabin of Octavia, they did not try to hide the relationship with Volkswagen. Of the school elements of the interior, there are only poorly readable devices and why do the Czechs like the numbering of the tachometer and speedometer around the perimeter of the dial? In general, the uncomplicated design style of the salon resembles the clothes of the twin brothers in a large family. So that the baby does not confuse the functions of the rates, tags with names are sewn on the lining. The role of tags in this case is assigned to the color of the dashboard lighting. Volkswagen shocks with lilac fog, Audi is faithful to red, the branded color of Skoda is green. Otherwise, almost complete unification.

 
    
In this perspective, the Octavia salon will easily go beyond the Passat or even Audi. Both the spaciousness and the quality of the finish here are clearly a step above the golf class


Someone may complain that the design in Mlada-Bozlav no longer lives. Nevertheless, the ergonomics close to the ideal and the magnificent quality of sensations are much more important. Expensive plastic, impeccable clarity of the work of all buttons and switches, jewelry adjustment of panels and pathological attention to details. A characteristic touch on the inside of the internal metal handle of the door is a rubber gasket, not otherwise, so as not to freeze the fingers in the winter season. Super! Nevertheless, it would mean to put Skoda perfectly to shout. The problem in a terribly uncomfortable central console, which seemed to have seriously set out to the holes to rub the right trouser.

 
    
The combined leather-tone interior of Megan looks spectacular and stylish


On the contrary, the credo of the French interior is no shirpotreb, only indulgent. Megan, like the only and beloved child of wealthy parents, is dressed in all the most fashionable. Take a look at least a key card or a unique manual brake lever. And it’s nice that the quality of finishing materials here is also at a very high level. Only shades are more tender, homemade, or something.
 

An unpleasant moment, by and large, is only one fuzzy-fussing gear shift. Renault experts seem to urge buyers to take cars from the automatic transmission, it is so viscous, somehow tastelessly eliminated gear in the box. In fact, a trifle, but how she gets in traffic jams ...




They have a sedentary job
Some people still think, they say, the convenience of landing is tenth. Like on the bus: the main thing is to sit down, and how it is not so important. By the way, the first generation Octavia could dispel such a delusion in a quarter of an hour. Fifteen minutes, no more, it was possible to withstand in that terrible cramped on the back sofa. A new generation model in the sense of open revelation. Above his head, in front of his feet, in his shoulders does not press anywhere. The only thing you have to regret is too a massive central tunnel complicating the life of the third passenger.
 

This minor drawback is generously compensated by magnificent front seats. A long pillow will especially delight the owners (and owners) of slender legs, but convincing, but not too obsessive lateral support confidently and gently holds their back in corners. Add to this a complete set of adjustments, including lumbar emphasis, and say in chorus: Bravo, Octavia!
 

Megan and the first generation were not cramped, and the current model is even more spacious. The wheelbase elongated by 7 cm saved the sedan from constraint in the knee area characteristic of the hatchback, and the modest central tunnel is greater than in the Czech car, favors the travel of five.

You have to regret only about the driver’s chair far from ideal. A short pillow increases the load on the muscles, and the side support of the back here, apparently, performs purely aesthetic functions. Only seat belts save you from transverse slipping in turns.

 



Oda trunk
Think about only: the minimum volume of the luggage of Octavia is 560 liters. This is more than the S-class and the BMW seven! There is a world record among golf class hatchbacks. Which is especially impressive in the framing of the opening fifth door. The width of the opening also convinces, and you already perceive such things as a folding separate sofa for granted. There are also boxes for trifles under the front chairs, spacious door pockets, a set of tools in a niche of spurts.
 

If this is not enough for you, pay attention to the rear door shelf. See the zipper? Inside, a convenient pocket is provided for any small things, simple tools, and anything! Truly, not only models of average, but also business class will envy such talents.

 
  
Huge in volume and well -compiled trunk of Octavia a real role model

You will not be able to use the solid 520 liters of cargo space Renault due to a narrow trunk opening
 



Renault loses in volume: 520 liters, of course, are a lot (and, by the way, more trunk Germans), but still less than that of Octavia. The main thing is Megan bins are less convenient. How preferable to the sedan, you will understand after the first trip to IKEA stores. The overall boxes, which swallow the wide open mouth of the school without choke, get stuck in a narrow opening of Renault. And Megan does not have the inner handle of the trunk. It is necessary to slam the lid for the outer handle almost always dirty and wet.


Deception of feelings
A more powerful and objectively faster car cannot seem slower less powerful. Or can it be? If you want to believe it, you want to check, but you feel more confident at the wheel of 102-horsepower octavia in the city stream. The focus is that the eight -clap of Skoda is noticeably more burdensome on the bottom. And the successfully selected adhesion, along with a clearly working box, facilitate touching and frequent switching.
 

Having given out the moment almost immediately after the idle zone, Skoda is ready for sharp traffic lights, and in traffic jams, without objecting, humbly rolls on the second. Another thing is that turning this motor above 4000 rpm in general does not make sense. The concept of dynamic acceleration disappears after 120 km/h, and gets to the maximum speed of Octavia from a leisurely-reliable lazy road inspector.
 

On the highway 115-horsepower Megan is more convincing. Accelerations at high speed are given noticeably easier, and the ceiling of maximum speed is obviously higher. But do you often ride 150170 km/h? That's it and it. But in the urban movement, Renault is more demanding on the driver. At low speeds, a 16-valve engine lacks thrust, so you have to get off with a pugus. And a short moment of setting the clutch requires dexterity. In short, in order to benefit from the richer gifted Megan engine, you need to be a more skilled driver.
 

I also did not like the brake pedal in Renault. Unjustifiably sensitive at low speed, it makes the driver and passenger peck with his nose after each touch. Moreover, such ardor is by no means an indicator of the brilliant dynamics of deceleration. At high speed, the Renault is not only renouncing Renault, reluctantly, but not too confident. And the work of ABS can be called a little panic.
 

On the contrary, the management of a slowdown on Skoda is balanced to a milligram, like a medicine in a pharmacy.
 



Slot machines
The image of the righteous Skoda is true in terms of controllability. A dense suspension allows you to clearly register a curve in corners, and a well -tuned amplifier constantly keeps you in the course of what is happening in the turns of the steering wheel is filled with ripe effort, truthfully reporting where and how turned the wheels. On a high -speed highway, Czech ignores the light movements of the steering wheel in the near -Zone, once again without straining the driver. Of course, in this case, the chassis is much superior to the capabilities of the motor, therefore, powerful versions of Octavia can be considered cars for those who can and love to drive. Moreover, you get used to the nobility and correctness of the sled habits of Skoda so quickly that, transplanting to Megan, you experience a real shock.
 

Megan seems to be created with the aim of cooling hot heads. The task is fulfilled by the desire to afford excess while driving does not even arise. Still, it would have arisen with such a mediocre steering wheel, or rather, setting up its amplifier! The trowel of Megan simply fights almost the complete absence of reactive effort even to the steering wheel of modern slot machines, and they supply the driver with a lot of useful information. What does information hunger lead to? To the fact that in a speed turn you do not know if you need to trust, and if necessary, how much. Although in a normal urban regime or with a leisurely trip to the dacha, the habits of Megan will not scare anyone.


Silence and peace
Gifted with the talent of cool controllability of the octavia is by no means an apparatus for knocking out tooth seals. With the confidence of the tank, she storms the tram tracks and gallantly muffles tremors and blows from the small and medium irregularities of the roadway. During the three days of communication, Skoda only clanged the suspension stroke with limiters and even then to say that in such pits there would not be enough car.
 

Although Megan is just the number of such elect. Long passages and silk disposition of pendants charm the most pampered princesses. And the energy intensity of the suspension best illustrates the expression: beat, beat, did not break. Whatever pits and potholes you direct your Megan, the suspension meekly swallows any flaws. Super!
 

Alas, in terms of sound insulation, everything is not so chocolate. If on the idle noise of the megan motor is listened only with the help of a stethoscope, then in the move this song generously pours along the cabin. After 3500 rpm, I want to plug the ears. It's a shame that with decent sound insulation of arches, the engine is frankly singing.
 

In this regard, Octavia did not disappoint again. Here it even seems that the noise of the motor is not an obligatory application to the car, but something artificial and somewhere exalted. Believe me, the 1.6-liter four does not growl, does not buzz, namely it sounds: muffled, noble, in the distance. Indeed, noise insulation is here for the class above.




The mysterious four
There can be no questions regarding passive safety to Renault. Do not forget that Megan at one time became the first excellent student of crash tests in golf classes. This pioneer is really an example to all the guys. Including in matters of basic equipment: six airbags, ABS with an emergency braking amplifier, active front head restraints, isofix mounts, as well as a sensor of an unhealthy driver's belt. Here you can only add to say, for complete happiness in our sedan, the rear lateral eire-begs were installed. Eight pillows in a golf class that sounds at least for five.

It surprises something else how she could go so much in the crash tests of Euroncap Octavia. Indeed, unlike golf, the Czech model hardly pulled four stars. And the basic performance of Octavia is not a couple Megan. You need to pay extra for inflatable curtains and for active head restraints. Partial compensation in the form of a standard anti -wings system does not convince. Although on the winter road is useful.


In one gate
After a recent transfer of price tags to dollars, Megan became even closer to the buyer. The basic Otentik-1,4 costs only from $ 15,549. True, a decent equipped express-1,6, where we add air conditioning, will pull $ 18,499. A lot. But the trick is that from the declared price you will be generously selected to $ 2000. Renault refers to the number of companies that are not bored with discounts. So call the dealers: an interesting offer, of course, is already waiting for you.
 

As for Octavia, the word discount is not in the dictionary of dealers of this brand. At least with regard to the new Octavia. And discounts here, to put it mildly, would not hurt. After all, the basic value of Octavia is 1,6 $ 20,763. The brand new golf, and that is cheaper! And let the air conditioner and all means of security are already included in this amount, nevertheless it is not worth it. Consider the traditionally high price for complementary equipment, as well as a real crown of surcharges, for example, they require a chairs with the adjustment of the lumbar stop, an ashtray for passengers of the sofa and even the third head restraint.
 

So the 1.6-liter skoda, adjusted to the equipment of the Megan we have chosen, will cost you $ 23,260. Renault, even without taking into account discounts, is cheaper by $ 4761. For the shkoda golf class, this is not expensive, but absurdly expensive.

 
    
   
Control of the radio on the steering wheel is not as comfortable as the megan

The seats are very convenient, but you will have to pay extra for a complete set of adjustments
 
  
Hidden cavity in the heel shelf paid option

The reserve is prudently served by a jack and a set of tools

Comfortable hook for a jacket or jacket
 
      
Excellent readable devices, a super -submarine remote control of the radio control ...

The seat heating buttons do not have an indication of the working mode

Active head restraints are included in standard equipment
 
  
A generous number of compartments for small things is the same sign of Renault as the key card

Side airbags for passengers of a sofa is a rarity even for middle -class machines
 
    
We decided:

You probably noticed that in most martial arts, with the exception of, perhaps, passive security, Octavia turned out to be a little more talented than Megan. Where the French car performed well, Czech showed excellent results. It is actually a little more spacious, a little better, a little more confident, in a word, a little better. However, the sum of the points ahead was ... Megan (, the average rating is 4.3). Bright, convenient and frisky, this sedan is not devoid of its shortcomings, however, in general, he copes with the main task to look more and more expensive than he really is. In addition, for much less money.
 

Octavia (the average rating of 4.2) could confidently win the competition, because in many respects, including spaciousness, carrying capacity, sound insulation, it gives the impression of a car higher. But the trouble is that Czech has too much got used to the role of a lady and stands like a middle -class model. That is why the argument of dealers, they say, the current Octavia is practically Audi, only cheaper, maybe not without reason, but in the budget sector of golf class this is not an argument.
 

Mikhail Medvedev, photo of Maxim Goncharov
 
 

Source: Magazine buy a car [04/2005]