Skoda in UK.

[A.F.F.]

We got the reruns of Top gear here in Finland. This last episode, they were filling their cool board with different cars again. Then, jeremy showed the picture of Skoda Fabia RS. He asked the audience where should it be place on the cool board. Everybody, I mean everybody said it's totally uncool car. When they asked reasons, they said things like; It's Skoda for christ sake etc.

Things are bit similar here in Finland too but, due the differenttest wins in different car magazines and huge sell amount, folks here have though positive towards Skoda as a car but also as a brand.

Still, I was shocked how negative respons it got from the tv-audience. Skoda Fabia is way cooler than the Volvos and Saabs they got in the same episode.

* My opinion is purely objective and the fact I have a Skoda doesn't affect it in any way ;) *

[Woodeye]

Saw that too. I've always thought that the Fabia RS is a cool ride. :cool:

"It's Skoda for christs sake!" If the guy was pointing to Skodas quality, to be honest, I think it's a bit funny that a Brit complains Skoda being bad in quality. After all the quality of Morris, MG or Rover haven't ever very high in the ranks when it comes to quality.

[BDunnell]

We got the reruns of Top gear here in Finland. This last episode, they were filling their cool board with different cars again. Then, jeremy showed the picture of Skoda Fabia RS. He asked the audience where should it be place on the cool board. Everybody, I mean everybody said it's totally uncool car. When they asked reasons, they said things like; It's Skoda for christ sake etc.

Shows that those people don't really know much about cars, even though they were in the audience for a motoring programme. The trouble is that those old jokes about Skodas in the 1980s are still remembered by a lot of people. Give me a Skoda over much of the competition any day.

[A.F.F.]

Shows that those people don't really know much about cars, even though they were in the audience for a motoring programme. The trouble is that those old jokes about Skodas in the 1980s are still remembered by a lot of people. Give me a Skoda over much of the competition any day.


That is what I thought too. When I mentioned how Skoda is treated here in Finland, people were cautious but very interested about it. Frankly, it's funny how much the old reputation, quoting what you said about the 80's, has weight in people's opinions.

Now people know it's a part of VAG company, relatively reasonable car with very good testing success. The sales figures speak for themselves though. Highly popular car now.

Plus, I think it's very cool car. :cool:

[RaikkonenRules]

Skoda has always had a bad reputation in the UK. It is because about 10-15 years ago they were making really bad cars. They are actually making quite good cars and were even 2nd in last years Top Gear survey after Lexus.

But the Skoda jokes still run round us.

[BDunnell]

Skoda has always had a bad reputation in the UK. It is because about 10-15 years ago they were making really bad cars.

Were they, though? I recall Autocar road testing the old Rapid and saying, having previously dismissed it, that it was unexpectedly good!

[janneppi]

I saw a black Skeida Ocatvia station wagon with blinged out wheels the size you normally only see in MTV's Cribs shows in Valkeakoski on thursday, was that by any chance yours A.F.F? ;)

[Daniel]

I saw a black Skeida Ocatvia station wagon with blinged out wheels the size you normally only see in MTV's Cribs shows in Valkeakoski on thursday, was that by any chance yours A.F.F? ;)
Yeah. Was it one with a tan leather interior? Man that's totally sick dude :dozey:

:p

[Tomi]

Janne and 34782347729 maxi, sad to see guys that you dont understand much about cars.

[A.F.F.]

I saw a black Skeida Ocatvia station wagon with blinged out wheels the size you normally only see in MTV's Cribs shows in Valkeakoski on thursday, was that by any chance yours A.F.F? ;)


I heard someone sighing in a bajamaja last saturday in Nuuksio. You Janneppi ?

btw. I don't go to Valkeakoski. I don't need to.



;)

[GridGirl]

My other half has a Fabia VRS which I'm insured on. I like driving it on motorways, but I'm not good at driving it in the town as I'm just no good at driving diesel cars. :p I can eaily get 55mpg out of it and sometimes more depending on road conditions and traffic.

I'd never have anything other than a VRS though as when he's had courtesy cars they have been woeful. Mind they have only been basic 1.2l petrols, but still I've never seen cars hit the limiter so often. :s

I don't know why people make such silly remarks about Skodas being rubbish. Its just a cheaper Seat, VW and Audi. I know people with Seats and Audi's who all go to Skoda dealerships when they need bits for their cars, why pay Audi price for the exact same part that you can get from a Skoda garage for less.

[nicemms]

I would have a Skoda any day - I quite like the styling of the latest Octavia. My grandad had a Skoda Fabia, its a 51reg( 6 years old in January) and as far as I know hasn't really failed him. Skoda's are no worse than Seats etc.

[CarlMetro]

If you do a model for model comparison, as an example Superb vs Passat, then you will immediately see why the Superb is £1800 cheaper than the equivilent Passat. The quality of the plastics used inside the car are just one example of where savings have been made.

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with the build quality since they were taken over by VAG but sadly the general consensus of the UK motoring population will still hark back tothose pre-VAG days when Skoda produced some simply appalling, but very cheap, cars.

Personally I'd still spend the extra and have a VW though.

[AndyRAC]

Don't like the new shape Fabia, but the old one is a great car. Pity they didn't make 3 door version, and a petrol VRS version as well. I was behind a blue one yesterday in Scotland, and they really do go.

[Mark]

The fact remains that they still are the cheap alternative. And cheap is never cool.

[Daniel]

My other half has a Fabia VRS which I'm insured on. I like driving it on motorways, but I'm not good at driving it in the town as I'm just no good at driving diesel cars. :p I can eaily get 55mpg out of it and sometimes more depending on road conditions and traffic.

I'd never have anything other than a VRS though as when he's had courtesy cars they have been woeful. Mind they have only been basic 1.2l petrols, but still I've never seen cars hit the limiter so often. :s

I don't know why people make such silly remarks about Skodas being rubbish. Its just a cheaper Seat, VW and Audi. I know people with Seats and Audi's who all go to Skoda dealerships when they need bits for their cars, why pay Audi price for the exact same part that you can get from a Skoda garage for less.
There's a vast difference between a beefy turbo diesel and a 1.2 petrol. 1.2 petrol's are courtesy cars, granny cars, cars to learn in, rental cars and so on.

I tend to find the interior of german cars rather bland :mark:

http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/uploads/003__scaled_600_027.jpg

Even my 406 has a better interior and it's 10 years old

http://www.cwn.org.uk/motoring/peugeot/images/990426-peugeot-406-int-w400-h261.jpg

[Mark]

That's one thing I did note about the vRS. The interior does look very cheap. Admittedly proper VW's aren't much better.

Personally I would have no problem buying a Skoka, if the specs and price were right.

[Iain]

The fact remains that they still are the cheap alternative. And cheap is never cool.

Not everyone lives to be cool though. I mean just take Daniel for an example. :p : ;) :D

They've messed up bigtime with the new Fabby, but the old one's a very good car, very solid compared to some other cars I've experienced. Even SEATs have the lesser quality dashboard material, so it's not just a Skoda thing, although I have to say I don't find the Skoda's plastic that cheap looking. It all holds together well, unlike a Renault's which loves to disintegrate on a regular basis. :mark:

[Mark]

Not everyone lives to be cool though. I mean just take Daniel for an example. :p : ;) :D

Quite so, but the original question asked if it was cool, and I believe it is not. Fiesta's aren't cool either, but I'm very happy with mine :p

[AndyRAC]

Not everyone lives to be cool though. I mean just take Daniel for an example. :p : ;) :D

They've messed up bigtime with the new Fabby, but the old one's a very good car, very solid compared to some other cars I've experienced. Even SEATs have the lesser quality dashboard material, so it's not just a Skoda thing, although I have to say I don't find the Skoda's plastic that cheap looking. It all holds together well, unlike a Renault's which loves to disintegrate on a regular basis. :mark:

Agree, whoever designed the new one wants certifying. Unbelievable, what a mess. And why no 3 door. Same with Seat, why no Arosa or Leon ( virtually the same car)3 doors, are 3 doors a dirty word in the VW group?

[GridGirl]

The new Fabia just looks the same as a Suzuki Swift. My other half hates it, and probably wont get a new vRS when they eventually bring it out. I dont know why he hates it though, he pursuaded his mum to buy a Suzuki Swift because he quite likes them. :s

Mark, you might look cooler with stripes. :p

[Brown, Jon Brow]

The fact remains that they still are the cheap alternative. And cheap is never cool.

The only thing that Skoda's offer over other cars in the VW Group is cheapness.

Seat also offers a cheaper price and style, Audi offers a premium badge and I'm not sure what VW offers.

However the Fabia isn't any cheaper than a Polo.

[Iain]

Skoda offer VFM and reliability. SEAT offer the sportyness, although I wouldn't call them cheap. :s VW sell a lot of cars on the reputation they have built up over the years for solid, reliable cars that hold their money. Which isn't to say that they are still like that. :p :

[COD]

Some experts actually say that nowdays Skodas are the best quality VAG cars on the market despite the cheap price.

[Malbec]

There was a VAG internal audit a couple of years back that checked quality in terms of faults per car on delivery. Audi was at the top and SEAT was at the bottom. VW was way behind Skoda which wasn't that far off Audi.

Its not surprising though, build quality has a lot to do with the equipment and layout of the factory manufacturing the car as well as the design. Both Audi and Skoda have recently had their factories revamped while Wolfsburg hasn't been.

I like Skodas. VAG might try to make sure the materials used inside are cheaper but you can't hide a quality finish regardless, and Skoda dealers work harder to please you than Volkswagen ones.

[RS]

I don't know why people make such silly remarks about Skodas being rubbish. Its just a cheaper Seat, VW and Audi.

Or are SEATs, VWs and Audis just overpriced Skodas? ;)

Back to the original thread, Top Gear is good entertainment but it's ultimately childish, unfortunatlely their magazine is not much better.

I've just ordered my third Skoda, and also used to drive my mums old Rapid which was a great car. Nice chassis, good steering, good brake feel. Basic and quite noisy but great fun too.

[JaysonM]

Skoda for UK? Doesn't seem interesting