Octavia 1.2tsi for motorway commute?

Tachyon

Tachyon

Tachyon

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Had to drop my car budget a bit and seen a Mk3 Octavia with the 1.2tsi engine that was within my price range <£10k. My commute consists of all most all motorway 14 mile each way so nowhere near diesel territory. I'm just wondering how the 1.2tsi would get on with most of it's life on the motorway in a largish car. Should I be looking at the 1.4tsi or would the 1.2tsi be happy enough sitting at 65-75 on daily basis. When I mentioned it to folks in work, the first comment is usually, is it not a bit small for an Octavia?

I'm hoping to take one for a test drive but I just wonder at the likes of fuel economy, life span etc.. with a smaller engine working harder over something larger taking it a bit easier. I've no experience with the smaller turbo charged petrol engines. I'm not overly concerned with performance as I generally don't tend to horse on, just as long as I can rely on it if I need a bit of overtaking.

Any advice appreciated.
 
I drove a Fabia estate with that engine - it was fine on the motorway but horribly slow off the line. The power band is very narrow - maybe it'd be manageable as a manual, but the auto I drove gave it a very all or nothing power delivery.
 
I've run a 1.2Tsi since early 2011, albeit a MK-V Polo. I was asking the same questions as yourself prior to purchase. The 1.2Tsi does very well at motorway speeds and will happily sit at 70-80+ all day long. If I'm honest it's the area that the car has impressed me most in.

Like yourself with it only being a 1.2 I was concerned that it would "run out of puff" at motorway speeds. If anything that's where it feels at home. With it being a 6 speed box it has quite tall gearing so at 60mph it's only pulling 1900ish rpm, which makes it a relaxed cruiser. It will pull cleanly from around 45-50mph without issue in 6th but if you feel the need stick it in 5th and it's away. Box is very slick and nice to use anyway and doesn't have any issues at all with keeping up with the flow. I'd say it actually punches well above it's 1.2 ( it drives very much like a 1.6-1.8, non turbo on the move, but with more pull at lower revs)

There have been a few issues the cam chain stretching prematurely which I think is the reason the latest incarnation has a cam belt. Not 100% sure but I think the valve timing is actively monitored so any changes can be seen in the diagnostics. That said these engines are in a lot of vehicles, even the yeti and if they can lug one of those around it shouldn't have any problems pushing an Octavia along at a reasonable rate.
 
I drove a 2014 Golf hire car with one last week. Fine keeping up cruising speed but a bit slow off the line.

The Golf was showing about 40k miles and a lifetime 51 mpg on the trip computer.

I'd consider buying something that size with that engine but it was a poverty spec Golf. I definitely wouldn't buy the actual car I was driving.
 
Thanks for the replies folks, always good to hear your thoughts on it. Sounds quite promising, and I'm not sure being too slow off the line would overly bother me too much. Much appreciated.
 
Octavia isn't a heavy car 1250kg


Stats of the 1.2tsi are impressive 60 in 10 seconds and tops out at 120mph

Not exactly underpowered

Pretty much on par with my Mondeos stock stats (it's a 2l diesel) that does 60 in 10 and tops out at 126 standard


Seems fine to me
 
Tachyon said:
Thanks for the replies folks, always good to hear your thoughts on it. Sounds quite promising, and I'm not sure being too slow off the line would overly bother me too much. Much appreciated.
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I can't say as I've noticed, but I doubt I've gunned a car off the line since I was in my early 20's..LOL

First gear is quite short, so it uses up the revs quite quickly, but when on the move in gear pull for nipping in and out of traffic it's absolutely fine. It will happily tootle along at 30mph in 4th and have enough pull to keep up with the traffic flow. If you feel the need to "make-progress" it is quick enough for what it is.
 
For me the Octavia is just that bit too heavy for the 1.2 tsi - where the 1.4 feels just about able to reach pretty acceptable performance on boost the smaller engine only ever reaches "just about able to keep up with traffic"

Good engine for a polo, not what I would say should be in a heavier car

Fuel economy is hard to comment on as I only ever get these things as hire cars, but not noticeably bad or good is about the most I could say
 
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Had a Golf 1.2tsi (85bhp) hire car a while back. Was thoroughly impressed with the engine's ability on the motorway so I'd imagine the Octavia isn't miles apart.
 
Well managed to get out for one drive tonight and was more than happy, . Decided to call in to my dads on the way past and bring him along just to throw another adult in the car and see how it went as he likes a nosey too. Told the dealer I'd let him know tomorrow as there was a couple of wee marks on it I wasn't happy with so maybe see what sort of money to get them fixed.
Thanks for your replies everyone.
 
Brookert said:
Very happy with my 1.2tsi, albeit in a lighter seat ibiza. Good mpg on the motorway and enough power for what anyone needs day to day.
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I rented an ibiza estate with this engine in manual found it pretty quickish of the line for what it was the only problem I had with it was my laziness you have to work the gears more if you don't its gutless but if you dont drive lazy there's nothing wrong with it.
 
rodenal said:
For me the Octavia is just that bit too heavy for the 1.2 tsi - where the 1.4 feels just about able to reach pretty acceptable performance on boost the smaller engine only ever reaches "just about able to keep up with traffic"

Good engine for a polo, not what I would say should be in a heavier car

Fuel economy is hard to comment on as I only ever get these things as hire cars, but not noticeably bad or good is about the most I could say
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A teensy bit of skewed perception coming into play there perhaps... The Polo 1.2TSI is barely a hair lighter than the Octavia (1,132KG v 1,155KG), and the Octavia's 1.2TSI also has 20 more hp. The Octy also has six gears (manual) or seven gears (dry clutch DSG), versus the Polo's five.

geekman said:
I drove a Fabia estate with that engine - it was fine on the motorway but horribly slow off the line. The power band is very narrow - maybe it'd be manageable as a manual, but the auto I drove gave it a very all or nothing power delivery.
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The Fabia has the older (slower, less economical) generation of the engine, or at least it did the last time I checked. The new version is much improved and to be fair I would hardly call this power band 'narrow':

Power: 110ps / 4,600 - 5,600rpm
Torque: 175Nm / 1,400 - 4,000rpm

That's not bad going at all for a 1.2. I've only driven the 1.4TSI in the Octavia (well, that and the VRS :D). It felt more than adequate and was actually quite lively and smart off the line. It's not the VRS by any stretch, but it's certainly more than adequate for daily grunt work - especially given the OP's stated requirements and expectations.

Both the 1.2 and 1.4 TSIs are also fantastic on fuel as long as you don't drive them like you've stolen them 24/7.

No fanboyism here either... Mine's the 2.0 TSI 220hp. :p

ETA: OP, if you can look a little longer/further the 1.4 still is a nicer engine I'm sure. It's two seconds faster to 60 (8 seconds versus 10) and just as good on fuel. You won't be disappointed either way, but do get the dealer to sort the paintwork as part of the deal if you go ahead!
 
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Rainmaker said:
A teensy bit of skewed perception coming into play there perhaps... The Polo 1.2TSI is barely a hair lighter than the Octavia (1,132KG v 1,155KG), and the Octavia's 1.2TSI also has 20 more hp. The Octy also has six gears (manual) or seven gears (dry clutch DSG), versus the Polo's five.
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Perhaps, though it doesn't really change how I felt about the engine in the car - not that it should never be chosen (which I wholeheartedly do think about the 1.6 TDI which is shocking), but that it feels like it struggles far more than the 1.4, which doesn't really have vastly more power and I can't imagine comes at much of a premium

Where are you getting those weights from out of interest? They seem...unlikely?

*edit - found kerbweights now, how bizarre, I can't believe that is true for a second tbh, not when a Leon is 100kg heavier. Weird
 
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Rainmaker said:
A teensy bit of skewed perception coming into play there perhaps... The Polo 1.2TSI is barely a hair lighter than the Octavia (1,132KG v 1,155KG), and the Octavia's 1.2TSI also has 20 more hp. The Octy also has six gears (manual) or seven gears (dry clutch DSG), versus the Polo's five.



The Fabia has the older (slower, less economical) generation of the engine, or at least it did the last time I checked. The new version is much improved and to be fair I would hardly call this power band 'narrow':

Power: 110ps / 4,600 - 5,600rpm
Torque: 175Nm / 1,400 - 4,000rpm

That's not bad going at all for a 1.2. I've only driven the 1.4TSI in the Octavia (well, that and the VRS :D). It felt more than adequate and was actually quite lively and smart off the line. It's not the VRS by any stretch, but it's certainly more than adequate for daily grunt work - especially given the OP's stated requirements and expectations.

Both the 1.2 and 1.4 TSIs are also fantastic on fuel as long as you don't drive them like you've stolen them 24/7.

No fanboyism here either... Mine's the 2.0 TSI 220hp. :p

ETA: OP, if you can look a little longer/further the 1.4 still is a nicer engine I'm sure. It's two seconds faster to 60 (8 seconds versus 10) and just as good on fuel. You won't be disappointed either way, but do get the dealer to sort the paintwork as part of the deal if you go ahead!
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The fabia I drove was a very recent one - as far as I'm aware it was the 110ps version although I didn't actually check. It did feel absolutely fine on the motorway and I'd imagine in manual form it would be OK, but I found it slow off the line enough to be annoying on roundabouts and junctions.
 
I drive a 1.2TSI Skoda Rapid, which is the smaller output of the two options, which is 86PS. I do 30k per year in it, and it has been an excellent car.

If driven carefully, 50-55mpg is not un-achievable. My long term average is around 40-45 however. It is slow off the line, but it will happily cruise at 70-80 no problem.
 
rodenal said:
Where are you getting those weights from out of interest? They seem...unlikely?

*edit - found kerbweights now, how bizarre, I can't believe that is true for a second tbh, not when a Leon is 100kg heavier. Weird
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The newer Škodas (mk3 Octavia/Superb) have a lot of weight saving. For example the boot is now made of magnesium, which is probably 100KG saved right there alone.
 
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