Sunday, June 12, 2005
Octavia
OUR Octavia set a record by having covered more than 10,000 miles before it even joined our long-term fleet. Car rental uk.
But the fact that it had so many miles showing soon proved a point we’ve often made about the way diesel engines mellow with age.
From the first time it was fired up, the 105bhp 1.9-litre TDI engine has behaved with the extra degree of smoothness that comes from a unit that is fully bedded-in.
And as the mileage now approaches 20,000, the Skoda is continuing to impress. Unless it is driven in manic fashion, it returns 55mpg, a figure likely to make the Octavia one of the cars of choice with company accounts departments. Even in press-on conditions, it still returns on the better side of 50mpg. Car rental uk.
That kind of parsimony also makes it a winner when you’re paying for your own fuel, of course, and economy of this order prompts me to wonder if this isn’t the most economical vehicle of its type currently available in the UK. Car rental uk.
Our Ambiente spec car has the comfort to go with its space and scores particularly high marks for rear seat accommodation.
I’m starting to regard this Skoda as being in a class of its own for all-round value. If there’s a better package on offer, I’d love to hear about it.
Model: Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI AmbientePrice (OTR): £13,800Mileage: 19,975CO2 emissions (g/km): 143Company car tax bill (2005/6) 22% tax-payer: £45 per monthInsurance group: 7ECombined mpg: 53.3Test mpg: 55CAP Monitor residual value: £4,550/33%HSBC contract hire rate: £287Expenditure to date: Nil Car rental uk.
But the fact that it had so many miles showing soon proved a point we’ve often made about the way diesel engines mellow with age.
From the first time it was fired up, the 105bhp 1.9-litre TDI engine has behaved with the extra degree of smoothness that comes from a unit that is fully bedded-in.
And as the mileage now approaches 20,000, the Skoda is continuing to impress. Unless it is driven in manic fashion, it returns 55mpg, a figure likely to make the Octavia one of the cars of choice with company accounts departments. Even in press-on conditions, it still returns on the better side of 50mpg. Car rental uk.
That kind of parsimony also makes it a winner when you’re paying for your own fuel, of course, and economy of this order prompts me to wonder if this isn’t the most economical vehicle of its type currently available in the UK. Car rental uk.
Our Ambiente spec car has the comfort to go with its space and scores particularly high marks for rear seat accommodation.
I’m starting to regard this Skoda as being in a class of its own for all-round value. If there’s a better package on offer, I’d love to hear about it.
Model: Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI AmbientePrice (OTR): £13,800Mileage: 19,975CO2 emissions (g/km): 143Company car tax bill (2005/6) 22% tax-payer: £45 per monthInsurance group: 7ECombined mpg: 53.3Test mpg: 55CAP Monitor residual value: £4,550/33%HSBC contract hire rate: £287Expenditure to date: Nil Car rental uk.
# posted by Liz Laurie @ 5:48 AM 
