The New Škoda Octavia Scout – Partner For Leisure And Holidays

[Borderspeed]

Received a small brochure about the entire range from Parks of Hamilton today which had a page on the Scout and saying it would be in the showrooms in the Spring.
Can't afford one just now but would be interested to find out if I could transfer the springs from one and raise my 4X4 that way or whether I'll just have to buy custom made springs?
Regards,
Steve

[Kent-VRS]

Originally Posted by Borderspeed

be in the showrooms in the Spring.

Had a chat with dealer about the scout last time I was down there and they said it would be released some time in March .

But yea can't wait to see one in the flesh and find out what spec they're gonna have (standard and options). Then all I have to do is win the lottery between now and March

[Kent-VRS]

According to the Top Gear website "Prices start at £17,585 for the petrol and £19,940 for the diesel"

Top Gear | Scout master

[OctaviaT81]

OCTAVIA SCOUT HEADS FOR THE HILLS

• The new 4x4 Octavia Scout is stylish and surefooted
• Choice of two modern engines: petrol and diesel
• Chunky protective body mouldings add to rugged character

Škoda is delighted to announce a new addition to the highly-acclaimed Octavia estate range – the four-wheel drive Scout.

Scout features a robust, muscular appearance combined with a sure-footed 4x4 system that allows it tackle a multitude of different surfaces. It will be offered with two powerful engines, the 2.0-litre FSI 150bhp petrol and the 2.0-litre TDI PD 140bhp diesel. Both come with the second generation of the Haldex clutch that allows up to 98% of power to be transferred between the front and rear wheels.

Pricing for the Škoda Octavia Scout starts at £17,585 for the 2.0-litre FSI 150bhp and increases to £19,490 for the 2.0-litre TDI PD 140bhp. Standard equipment includes twin chrome exhausts, 17 inch ‘Proteus’ alloy wheels, a net programme in the boot, sunset glass, dual zone air con, ESP, headlight washers, rear acoustic parking sensors, cruise control and aluminium pedals.

The Scout’s rugged personality is accentuated by increased ground clearance (17mm higher than the existing 4x4 model), aluminium protective under trays front and rear, chunky protective body mouldings and ESP with Hill Hold Control.

Customers can place their orders for the new Škoda Octavia Scout from the middle of March, with the first deliveries expected at the start of April.

The launch of Scout this year will doubtless help the Octavia repeat the sales success it experienced in 2006. Nearly 17,900 were sold in the UK last year – a figure that contributed greatly to Škoda’s overall record-breaking UK sales of 39,000 vehicles.

[lozgti]

How much!!!!

Some might think its cheap.I certainly don't.Prefer a second hand A4 even though I really like the scout

[OctaviaT81]

I think it's good value looking at the spec, but a £2k premium for the 2.0TDI over the petrol FSI seems like a hell of a lot. You'd need to be towing heavy loads or doing a lot of miles to justify that.

[sparky2]

Any of the dealer lads know of any coming in, or has anybody ordered one ? I fancy one but its a bit pricey

[richie]

My local dealer in Gillingham is expecting their show room car in May, will this be the same for the UK???!!!??? Skoda customer services is sending info out in the next few days.

[simonsheil]

I like it, however agree the price seems a bit steep, but I think its just a sign of Skoda increasing there prices to be closer to their rivals in general. Now they have established the reputation they can afford not to undercut by so much.

[Niall]

Yeah the price is steep compared to some other Octy's but..........
This car pretty much has all the toys as standard.
If I bought one the option list would be limited to metallic paint, Maxidot and the split boot floor.
Try and spec a competitor to that level, and chuck in 4wd with underbody protection and you'll struggle.
As one motoring mag pointed out £20k is knocking on Freelander territory. But at £22k the basic Freelander doesn't come with much at all as standard, not even Terrain Control, and if you've decided you need a Land Rover over a 4x4 Estate I would have thought that that would be a must.

Next best thing for me right now (given that my mileage requires a diesel which keeps Subaru out the equation to some time in 2008) would be an Allroad or a XC70. Both of which weigh in at nearer £40k. My pockets ain't that deep and the Scout will be equally as adept on rutted tracks, wintry roads and the motorway.

But then again maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. I see a car that like a tool can meet needs in my life (smart looking, can handle a bit of rough and tumble but not overly compromised for it) rather than something to stick on the driveway and try and impress the neighbours with. Which at £20k for a "Skoda" maybe is pushing it as you can't brag that it is cheaper but better than their Focus. But £20k for a fully specced 4x4 car that would do everything I (and realistically a minority of SUV owners, the rest are just posers) would ever need is pretty good value.

Niall

[sparky2]

Trouble is that its coming into KIA sportage prices and thats more of a 4x4, as I require the vehical to go onto wet grass/muddy fields towing a caravan, last weekend we went out in the caravan pulled off the track and the front wheels on the Octavia just lost it, so somebody with a land rover had to pull me off the grass would the scout hold out on the grass ? and then when I am not towing the running costs should be lower with the Scout (but dealer servicing is getting expensive) a couple of people at work have the Kia's and they rate them.

[Niall]

The Sportage certainly looks more of a 4x4. But 4 wheel drive is 4 wheel drive. On wet grass tyre choice is the most important. I've seen Disco's flummoxed by wet grass because they had "shopping tyres" on.

Unless the Sportage has a clever offroad electronic brain (a la Freelander/Discovery 3) or lower gearing (a la Defender, etc) or better throttle control it is unlikely to be noticeably better than a Scout/Octy 4x4 (assuming that they both had the same tread pattern on their tyres). They will of course be more awkward to load stuff on the roof, consume more fuel, and possibly have a less useful boot (sorry I'm generalising about SUVs here). You don't need good approach or exit angles to deal with a wet field, just good tyres.

Niall

Edit: Add Diff Lock to the List of things it would need to be better in a wet field.

[phiL&K]

Leasing costs with HSBC for the 2.0tdi Scout against an L&K estate 2.0tdipd over 3 years with is showing the scout as £40 a month dearer.

Would have liked the Scout however still pleased to have my third skoda to be an 07 L&K (in July).

[Jaymz]

:d

[Normal Bloke]

I have one!
Very nice but not as qwik as the old Golf 150 PD
Gets me across the fields, tho'

[LesPaul]

Originally Posted by sparky2

Trouble is that its coming into KIA sportage prices and thats more of a 4x4, as I require the vehical to go onto wet grass/muddy fields towing a caravan, last weekend we went out in the caravan pulled off the track and the front wheels on the Octavia just lost it, so somebody with a land rover had to pull me off the grass would the scout hold out on the grass ? and then when I am not towing the running costs should be lower with the Scout (but dealer servicing is getting expensive) a couple of people at work have the Kia's and they rate them.

I've just swapped my Octavia to a KIA Sorento as I needed a car capable of towing up to 2 ton which the Scout can't, if this wasn't a requirement I'd have had a Scout as I preffer driving a car to a SUV

Darren

[richie]

Originally Posted by sparky2

I might well be tempted if the price is right and the economy is OK, it would be great for towing my caravan off wet grass etc.

Diesel 46.6 mpg combined, petrol 33.6 combined. I want one if I can't get the Vrs I want in 12 months time

[Normal Bloke]

Well it's easing off now and the acceleration and mpg are improving nicely.

It also goes anywhere I like (within reason).

I am going to have re-map to bring it up to 150 Golf Mk4 standards, which should mean only upping it to 165PS or so.

Lots of bells and ***** - I am discovering a new feature virtually every day

Just don't get a black one like I did - it's not life or death but it gets filthy and as a bloke who only gets his car washed when it goes in for a service, it's not going to be clean for another 12 months (20,000 miles)!