Luke

Had a quick blast in one today. If they do a 4 x 4 and its just a tad faster,I will buy one. As it is (Only in silver,other colours look horrid) I found it great. The dealer said I could have an ex demo with 3k on the clock for just under £13k. It was raining like hell when i drove it and still I found it to be very nice. Sorry IM but you guys must do better.Skoda could creep up your *** and whip it.....

john banks

However, if you bought it you would drive it much quicker than you did today I suspect? Therefore 180bhp through the front wheels in the rain is not an ideal proposition. Skoda do a 150bhp 1.8T 4WD, which I tried with my Dad when he was looking for a new car. In Yorkshire in the wet, it understeered in a way that made the Scooby look quite amazing - even with only 150bhp! I also tried a Leon 1.8 turbo in the rain and the front end was not even as good as our 406 in the wet. Certainly our 406 V6 is similar weight, similar wheels/tyres, slightly more power and torque, and a chassis every bit as good and it is far from ideal in the wet once you are used to a Scooby. In the dry it is a different matter, but try the Octavia again and try and power out of a wet corner in second gear. Then try it in a Scooby.

Agree that the price, equipment, security and build quality on the Skoda/Leon/Toledo are impeccable, but the chassis are not up to Ford/Peugeot standards and nothing like Subaru.

BTW, when I test drive, I don't scare the **** out of the dealer, but I will put on power progressively and carefully on the exit of a slow wet bend (and it always rains in Scotland so that's not hard). If it doesn't understeer far more than any Scooby, it is either:

1) underpowered or has a stupidly overenthusiastic traction control system that winks a stupid yellow light at you and changes the engine to 0.5 litre mode
2) rear wheel drive (but even the 3-series understeers more than the Scoob, but quite commendably grippy even in the wet)
3) far too expensive!

And the VAG 4WD thingies I've tried all understeer far more easily than the Scoob despite usually much lower power to tread width ratios (haven't tried a TT though). IIRC, most have a very "sophisticated" centre diff which leaves then with 100% front torque split, and only during the hairy moment do they move power to the back - and it is usually a bit late! If you are going to go this route, they could at least put it to the rear wheels first like a Skyline! The Scooby system is even slower at moving the torque, but at least it starts off with a fair bit all round. And the Scooby's understeer can be forgiven for the way it powers out of corners so well, and the slow in fast out technique allows excellent pace in good safety.