SE 1.2 TSI 86 5dr Estate

Easy and fun to drive. Economical. Quick enough and flexible engine is good.

Bought new when 25% discount was available. Choice of Silver or Denim Blue, preferred the blue.First Skoda and not having best experience with VW Sharan and Audi A4, my expectations were not high. My other cars have been/are Toyota.

Two years and 20k miles completed. Car has been problem free but last service required a second visit for warranty fault of steering rack. Dealer told me quality problem of faulty parts when built new. Symptoms was creaking sound at full lock. Recent 20k service reported tyres have 5mm tread, so not near end of life.

On short commute runs of 10 miles in A roads, car reports average MPG of 45 to 48. On a longer A road run, it has shown 55 MPG. Driving for max economy of warm summer day on 25 mile long A Roads and no junctions/traffic I got reported 60 MPG.Equally, if you race about, it can average just 40MPG.

Inside is good and more so for price paid. Cabin is noisy, more so due to ventilation when set at fan speed 2 or higher. Comfortable and easy to get in/out from high roof line.I am 6 foot with a bad neck.

Performance is good, and surprising for small engine. No deficit with four adults on A Roads. Average acceleration, no sports car but easily pulls away quickly without heavy revving. Cruises easily on motorway at 70MPH. When carrying four adults, acceleration to over take needs a little more planning.

I found little advantage from the higher power 1.2TSI. The 86BHP version is burning no oil which I am aware can occur on the higher power version. I did run it which included fully revving engine occasionally to bed oil rings.

I confirm rain runs down side windows and can obscure view from wing mirrors.

Front dipped lights were very poor. Even dangerous on unlit A roads.I fixed this by replacing bulbs with a quality set of normal (not high power/blue) (e.g. Bosch Pure Light)and adjusting beam to correct legal length ahead. 45 minute fiddly job and needed hex key to adjust beams.

Like my second car (Toyota Verso), we shall be keeping the Skoda and I suspect in a few years it will be inherited by my son. Past VAG car worries now behind me.

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