Skoda Octavia I Combi 1997 - 2010 test drive -

Sensible offer

Shkoda-Octavia of the first generation long-liver in our market. To warm up demand, dealers offer her a sport package for symbolic money. The memories of this model were refreshed by Vadim Nikishev.
 
The young was already middle -aged. This phrase of Ilf and Petrov was spinning in his head, after Skoda’s representative office offered the car for a test. However, a runaway inspection of the car in the dark at first made him doubt the ward.
 
Did the second -generation RS have been given out Octavia? A spectacular body kit, a spoiler, a wide pipe of the exhaust pipe ... Yes, no, everything is correct: these are elements of the notorious sport package. In addition to external causals from Erasa, it includes sixteen -inch wheels and trifles in the interior. First of all, tenacious chairs, a three -spoke leather steering wheel and a comfortable handle of a gearbox lever. But the chassis remained the same.
 

REMEMBER EVERYTHING

It is time to recall that many years ago I liked the Czech car and how it is perceived today. The design of the salon now already looks modest, but there are no complaints about the quality of materials and assembly. Modern classmates grow like yeast, but Octavia does not seem cramped even against their background, in particular, just because of the mean architecture of the front panel and, of course, thanks to the successful layout of the cabin. The trunk in volume seems to be for a very long time outside competition.
 

A lot has already been said about the practicality of this Skoda. Therefore, let's move on to the assessment of sledges, not forgetting to give a brief review about the workplace of the driver. The seats are good, they do not strain too racing profile, but at the same time they fix the body well. Yes, and the number of settings does not disappoint: along with a standard set, there is adjustment of the lumbar backup and the height of the pillow, and even the passenger. The gear lever immediately falls into the hand, delighting both the height and the successful shape of the handle. But the option steering wheel upset the tough rim and its uncomfortable cross -section. A brief list of shortcomings is completed by the layout of the pedal unit. If the clutch and brake pedals are located in one plane, then the gas is much closer to the floor.
 

But this does not interfere with overclocking. A wonderful turbo engine with a volume of 1.8 liters was installed on all models of the Volkswagen concern, now a new motor was replaced, but the characteristics of the old man are still delighted. Actually, he was resigned due to the inability to fulfill modern European environmental requirements, but just thanks to this, he reacts very vividly to moving the accelerator pedal. For confident movement in the forefront of his abilities, the turbine wakes up with more than one and a half thousand revolutions. And then tight acceleration until the limiter is triggered.
 

The gearbox spurks an active driving thanks to good selectivity and, as already mentioned, the shape and location of the lever. However, with dynamic acceleration, synchronizers rest when you switch to higher gears.
 

Version 1.8 turbo is equipped with disc brake mechanisms, and the front ventilated. At first, you have to get used to the features of the system, which sensitively reacts to the small initial movement of the pedal, but then the force increases in proportion to slowdown. The facet of inclusion of ABS is felt clearly, and during its transition, the respect and intensity of slowdown, and exchange rate stability inspire it.
 

The suspension adapted for Russian conditions must have increased the rolls, but when assessing handling, the first epithet is torn from the language, reliable. And some time after getting used to the rather large Octavia already provokes an active ride. But the main advantages are energy intensity and road clearance, which allows you not to worry about large overhangs and a plastic body kit.
 

It seem to be

The cost of a sports packet is only $ 400. A test machine equipped with additional equipment costs about $ 25,000, but a modest equipment is of much greater interest. Indeed, when installing a sport pocket, you can distinguish ordinary octavia from the RS version only by brake mechanisms (hot modification flaunts green calipers). Another feature is also attractive: the power of the 1.8T motor is easy to increase to 170180 hp. With the help of chip tuning. And these are the indicators of real Octavia RS.
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"