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1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - chesterfieldhouse

Thoughts, suggestions, opinions & advice welcome on the merits of both the 1 & 1.4 litre Tsi petrol hatchback, mark 3 Skoda Octavia.

It would seem the motoring press have the opinion that the1.0 litre 3 pot, even in a car the size of the Octavia, is adequate for everyday use, though for extended motorway driving the 1.4 is advised. We're firmly in the petrol camp, with annual mileage of 4-5K & most of that tends to be relatively local, with regular trips from Shropshire to the Welsh coast in the warmer summer months. l try to drive with consideration, sticking to speed limits & mechanical sympathy. The only occasion l now put my foot down, is to overtake the odd slow vehicle. Motorway driving is very limited, with the odd trip to & from airports.

My thinking around considering the 1.0 litre in an Octavia, is based on wanting some space in the boot for grand children's paraphernalia (& the odd dog) Plus, though real world mpg between the 1 & 1.4 would probably be similar, there are attractions in terms of other running costs, such as insurance & a newer car at purchase. Quick look on Autotrader, same spec' (SE) similar miles (54K) 2017 - 1.0: 9K, 1.4: 10K.

l've read forum members with the 1.0 litre Tsi in vehicles such as the Seat Ibiza & Skoda Fabia & latterly the Scala, have been very impressed. But in the Octavia?

1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - Adampr

It should be fine. You can get a the 1.0.in the Karoq, which is bigger than the Octavia and the reviews all say that it is adequate.

1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - chesterfieldhouse

Manual!

1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - skidpan

We have a 1.0 TSi 110 PS manual in a Fabia and it is excellent. But in a larger car like the Octavia I would not even consider it.

We had a 1.4 140 PS in a Leon and that was truly stunning.

Before you buy have a good drive in the 1.4 and 1.0 and then decide. Since the 1.4 was replaced in about 2017 by the 1.5 its obviously an older car you are looking for so just remember condition and history is most important.

Edited by skidpan on 12/11/2023 at 17:24

1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - Ian_SW

My wife has the 1.0TSi Leon Estate which is very similar in size to the Octavia. It's adequate but not fast, and does around 50mpg without any effort to be particularly efficient.

It's probably actually at its best on the motorway where it doesn't have to work particularly hard. In town it's fine too, it's only on hilly, windy country roads it feels underpowered. The engine is very much one of those which does a good job of feeling more powerful than it is in gentle use. However when you rev it hard, it mostly just makes more noise rather than increasing its power output much - very much the opposite of a VTEC type engine.

I've also driven the 1.5TSI and that is quite a bit quicker and has more of a "sporty" power delivery which feels like it wants to be driven hard as higher revs does give significantly more output. The trade-off is that the fuel consumption won't be quite as good, and the purchase price will be higher.

1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - catsdad

I have the lower powered 1.4 (124 hp) in my Golf. It’s got very good acceleration and economy. The 1.4 is available up to 2018 in the Octavia but at a higher power of 148hp.

I haven’t driven a 1.0 litre but so many people rate it that it must be OK. However much as I like my Golf I do sometimes wonder if it would have been worth seeking out the rarer 150 hp model. The thought process being “ this is so good I wonder what the more powerful one is like?”. Similarly if I had the 1.0 Octavia I’d always have a nagging curiosity about the 1.4.

More heart than head I admit.

1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - SLO76
If you’re a relaxed sensible driver and not in any great rush to go through hedges then I’d buy on condition, mileage and history here rather than a few tenths of a second in acceleration. I’ve not driven this engine in an Octavia, but I did drive a Leon so equipped and I found it more than adequate for anyone short of a boy racer.

If however you regularly travel fully loaded with 4 adults and a load of baggage it may be worth seeking the bigger engine. As for longevity, well I’ve not really heard any negativity towards either of them, but the 4cyl 1.4 TSi has been around longer and thus is more proven. Although hardly an exact science, larger, lower stressed engines tend to be more robust over the longterm, but again unlike Ford, Peugeot, Renault, Fiat and Nissan examples of these small capacity turbo’s you don’t really hear much about any issues with VW’s wee turbo triple.

If two identically well cared for cars were to be available at similar money I’d go for the 1.4, which is more proven and probably a bit easier to sell on at the other end as many will think (mistakenly) that it’s too small for the job.
1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - badbusdriver

My tuppence worth (for what that's worth) is that, going by your description of how you drive, an Octavia 1.0TSI would be fine. But obviously the thing to do would be to take it for a test drive to see how you find it.

Much is being made about how big the Octavia is, but no mention of weight. In 1.0TSI form, it is a surprisingly light car, much and such the same weight as our new Hyundai Bayon despite being half a meter longer!. The Bayon is also powered by a 1.0 turbo triple (120bhp) and the performance (IMO) is absolutely fine.

The key thing for a pleasant and relaxed driving experience if you are not a boy racer at heart, is a decent slug of torque at low revs. Well the Octavia 1.0TSI makes 200nm @ 2000rpm. To give that some context, my Dad used to own a Ford Granada estate with a 2.8 litre V6 petrol engine. It made 216nm @ 3000rpm.

1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - veloceman
Having had both the 125 and 150 variants of the 1.4 in the Seat Leon I can recommend either.
Lots of low down torque makes for a very relaxed drive and 50mpg is easily achievable.
Certainly more smooth than the 3 cyl I.0 which my other half had in her Arona. It was competent tho.
1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - chesterfieldhouse

Thank you all for your advice & experiences.

1.0/1.4 Tsi - Skoda Octavia - swansea_karl

I have a 2022 Scala with the 1.0TSI 115bhp i think, great engine.