2006 Skoda Octavia Elegance 1.9 TDI-PD from Bulgaria

Summary:

Perfect car!

Faults:

So far (knock on wood) nothing has happened to the car, except some body painting caused from a minor car crash. The only expenses I've made so far are for oil and filters and diesel. Recently I've noticed some some problems while shifting from 1'st to 2'nd gear, but I guess it's because of the too short first gear.

General Comments:

The car is more than perfect having in mind the money I paid.

Since my model is equipped with additional extras like parktronic, maxi-dot display, tempomat (a.k.a. cruise control) I can say that the car is very comfortable.

The seats were the main reason I liked the car, because they have lumber-support which makes them suitable for long trips.

The 1.9 TDI-PD with 105 hp is more than enough for the car, and enables it to accelerate fast enough for a family sedan (if you search for racing performance you should consider buying the RS version with 200 hp).

The average fuel spending is 4.9L-6.1L/100 km. out of town depending on the average speed (with 130 km/h you will spend ~5.6L/100 km). In town spending is different depending on how much you press the pedal (between 6.5l - 8.9L/100 km.).

The quality of the interior is influenced by the mother-company Volkswagen. You can find many similarities especially in the gadgets (climatronic controls, audio display, maxi-dot display etc.)

The car is easily handled, and yet I can't say that it's like on rails.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st August, 2007

20th Aug 2007, 18:31

2003 Octavia is a complete different car. In my opinion it has nothing to do with the new one.

26th Oct 2007, 02:02

At last! Skoda are back in Australia! A large range of Skoda Octavias was launched at the recent Sydney Motor Show. Dealers have been selected Australia-wide. The most impressive model is the Octavia Elegance. A truly elegant and up-market offering. In terms of finish and appointments, I would rate the car on a par with Audi, B.M.W., and the top of the line V.W. Some may say that it`s simply a re-badged V.W. - but remember, the new Skoda is built and assembled in the Czech republic. They`ve come a long way - thanks to V.W.`s input. And the price for the top of the line Elegance? Mid $30k`s! A lot of quality car for the money! I owned a number of Skodas of `60`s & `70`s vintage many years ago. They were cheap and basic - but they were great cars and never failed me. These new Skodas have elevated the marque to new heights. I am just so impressed!

8th Sep 2009, 15:30

That noise when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear is a common problem. We have 2 same models in our company and both have the same problem. On mine it started around 60000km and on other one at 80000km. This is a known fault, so if you still have a guarantee, repair it. Otherwise the best car I ever had!

2006 Skoda Octavia L & K 1.9 TDi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Fantastic Car - Best I've Owned

Faults:

None.

General Comments:

This is a new company car. My dilemma was the 2.0 diesel L&K estate with no extras or the same with the 1.9 diesel and lots of extras. I went for the latter choice in the end and I am very glad I did.

The 1.9 diesel estate is plenty powerful enough. It feels much more lively and responsive than my previous 406 2.0 HDI (110BHP). The test results of two popular motoring journal reflects this (0-60mph in 10.1 seconds against the manufacturers 11.8).

I have had Vauxhall, Ford and SEAT cars. I have also used Mercedes, BMWs, Jaguars and a small selection of more exotic machinery. The build quality on the Skoda is superb and I find this Octavia an absolute joy to own and drive. The handling and comfort are superb and gives you a satisfied feeling after a good run around some fast A roads.

In 3 years time I will select another Skoda. Of all the vehicles I have taken several of the same friends and colleagues out in, this car has received the most praise.

I was most surprised how many appreciative glances from onlookers the car has received varying from youths upwards in age.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th September, 2006

6th Nov 2006, 06:58

It is quite likely I will buy a nearly new Octavia when I come to sell my current car (Seat Toledo 1.9TDi SE) I would get another Seat if not for the fact that the new Toledo is the ugliest car I have ever seen!

The only unfortunate thing I can see with the newer VW engines is that you have to make a compromising choice betwen the 1.9 or the 2.0. I regularly drive both (fleet cars at work)

The 1.9 although really lively low down and pulls away strongly, I find that the power goes flat very quickly (around 3000rpm) so struggles a little with overtaking.

The 2.0 is a big improvement on this and pulls very strongly up to the redline, however I find there is a fairly large difference in fuel economy, I do a lot of miles, mostly sat at 60-70mph and at that speed You can get up to 65mpg in the 1.9 with careful driving however I find around 55mpg in the 2.0. Makes a big difference over 25,000 miles.

The older 1.9 (with the VNT turbocharger) is a much better choice, it would have been nicer if they could have refined this model and continued it. It is not as smooth and quiet as the newer PD engines, however it has the fuel economy of the new 1.9 combined with the strong mid range power of the 2.0 (not quite as good as the 2.0, but not far behind)

12th Mar 2007, 16:07

Bought an L&K 2.0 Diesel TDi Octavia estate in May 2006. Delighted with it - the DSG gearbox is magic and I'm getting 41-42 mpg -which isn't bad for the size of the car and my driving style. Only fault so far is that the indicators occasionally don't self-cancel - but this is a known fault - see the Briskoda website.

1st May 2007, 07:33

Update: I have now covered over 10k miles in this car and it has been faultless. The performance is even better now and smoother. A very solid superbly assembled car. I will be ordering another when a replacement is due in 2009. Still ever so pleased I plumped for the 1.9. The factory fitted Sat Nav has also been a massive boon (the stereo quality is also far better than the standard unit as it is a Blaupunkt system), as have the Xenon headlights.