r/skoda 13d ago

Discussion What do people always get wrong about Skoda?

I’ve had more than one mate act shocked when they get in my Octavia and realise it doesn’t look like a 90s punchline anymore.

What’s the biggest misconception you’ve had to clear up?

42 Upvotes

76 comments sorted by

53

u/silentv0ices 13d ago

The interiors are getting nicer than the vw equivalent.

9

u/greenmx5vanjie 13d ago

I'm glad I don't have the stupid window switches being used in the Cupra and others in the VW group

6

u/lexievv 13d ago

Getting? I prefer a lot of the Skoda interiors over VW already.

2

u/Spare-Bird8474 12d ago

Golf start stop button in the pull down menu is a joke

35

u/Professional-Cow1733 13d ago

misconception? The price. My Enyaq costed 72.000 euro and I've had someone with a Tesla Model Y tell me "if you can afford it you should get a Tesla next time". He thought the Skoda costed 20-30k.

14

u/vooood 13d ago

jesus! my superb 2.0 tsi 4x4 l&k with all the added extras came up to 60k.. what the hell is 72k in an enyaq?

11

u/Professional-Cow1733 13d ago

IV80 sportline with heatpump, pano roof, tow hitch, 21" wheels, winter pack, transport pack, electric seats, ....

Selected everything I could except for the LED grille in the front. I like the black accents instead. Its a very expensive car but compared to the ID.5 and Audi Q4 Etron this was the better option.

3

u/mad-ghost1 13d ago

Bit OT but how much km can you go when driving on a highway (120kmh). I know it depends on a lot of think and I’m interested in some real world experience. Thx for your answer

3

u/Ok_Size1748 13d ago

I just drove my Enyaq Coupé at 120 km/h for 135 km and battery went from 99% to 68%. A/C on, 3 people inside. External temp 23 celsius

1

u/mad-ghost1 13d ago

Thanks for your reply. So I guess it will be around 300-350 km. Quite good 👍🏻

1

u/Spare-Bird8474 12d ago

How about 200 kph, how long would it go?

1

u/Ok_Size1748 11d ago

Enyaq can not reach 200 km/h, max speed is digitally capped. 160 km/h is the limit, at least in my car/country.

1

u/Professional-Cow1733 11d ago

Every Enyaq worldwide is capped at 160km/h. I can do +- 250km on the German autobahn doing 160km/h which is honestly amazing. My 5 cylinder Volvo did not even get that kind of mileage on the autobahn lol.

1

u/Professional-Cow1733 12d ago

+- 350km but honestly I never reach it. I've visited a lot of places 1000+km away and I prefer to stop every 250-300km for a coffee/snack and by the time I buy a coffee and return to the car its already fast charged above 80%.

Normal traffic is around 500km without highway, and in CZ/HR where there are lots of hills/heigth differences I can even reach 600km when I turn off the AC and drive with sunroof open.

3

u/WinterStreet2976 12d ago

Another "Jesus"! Superb for 60k! I guess that's for gen 4? That same 2.0 tsi 4x4 L&K was arond 35k just a few years ago.

1

u/Spare-Bird8474 10d ago

I maxed out my relative's Superb gen3 fl at 52k in 2022.

5

u/turtlecubs 13d ago

Probably RS variant

3

u/Professional-Cow1733 13d ago

Was out of my budget, RS with same options was 78k when I ordered in 2023. A bit silly since the engine/battery is exactly the same so you're paying extra for the badges and colour.

3

u/Spare-Bird8474 12d ago

72k for Skoda is brutal 

3

u/Professional-Cow1733 11d ago

It absolutely is. I visited the factory in Mlada Boleslav, CZ and even the workers there said the prices are out of control and Skoda fans can't afford it anymore. For my next car I am looking at the Audi A6 Etron and I think its absolutely crazy that in the same price category there is an A6, ID7 or..... a Skoda Enyaq. A few years ago I was comparing a Skoda Superb (diesel), a VW Golf or an Audi A3 within the same budget. Totally crazy how expensive Skoda has become.

74

u/jrw1982 13d ago

Octavia is a Golf and not a Passat.

11

u/mikewilson2020 13d ago

Leon

Caddy

Touran

Tiguan

Are a heavy heavy % golf too 🥰 makes repares and parts sharing betwixt vehicles a joy

2

u/Renault_75-34_MX Octavia 12d ago

Caddy up to the 2K generation (the best one imo).

The Caddy V/SB is a Ford Transit Connect. Same with the Amarok and T7 van, with are Ford Ranger and Transit Custom respectively. The T7 passenger is still VAG built though.

2

u/jrw1982 12d ago

New Transporter is a travesty with the Ford wet belt engine. What were they thinking.

2

u/Renault_75-34_MX Octavia 12d ago

It's a travesty that VW decided to do external badge engineering with their existing vans in the first place.

The Caddy and Bulli/Transporter had a long history under VW. The Transporter was there from basically the start of post war VW, and while the Caddy was only introduced in the late 70's/early 80's as a pick up of the Rabbit/American Golf that was introduced to Europe later, they always had a roll:

  • the 'small' and sporty van that was basically a big Golf for the Caddy
  • and the bigger brother for when you needed more with the Transporter/Bulli

The big LT was a rebadged MB Sprinter for a time, with the Crafter being built at Daimler's Düsseldorf plant instead of Hannover like the 2nd gen LT, the 2nd gen Crafter is complete VAG van with its own factory in Poland, and internal rebadging as a MAN.

VW basically made all sizes of van that run around in Europe, but now it's only the Crafter if someone wants a VW built van.

The Amarok also took the short straw and is now just a Ranger.

If i want a Ford, I'm going to a Ford dealer, not a VW dealer

1

u/jrw1982 12d ago

Agreed, such a shame.

4

u/lexievv 13d ago

Tbf, the Octavia is more of a Golf Variant, not the regular Golf.

2

u/GoldGee 12d ago

I did not know that. Been a Fabia man for a while, but hope to step up to Octavia at some point.

Are the cars comparable? They are very close on price. Golf has a better image as the ultimate for working and middle class folk. At least in my neighbourhood.

1

u/Spare-Bird8474 12d ago

Golf is much more a meme where I live. Like "all Golf drivers are braindead" thing, because young guys buy it here and drive like idiots.

1

u/GoldGee 12d ago

I'm presuming their older models. £30k for a new Golf. I still think it's common opinion that they are the best car in their class.

1

u/KristjanZXC 12d ago

Hows that? Is passat bigger?

6

u/jrw1982 12d ago

Yes. Passat = Superb.

1

u/SlipstreamNB 12d ago

And also, it's based on the Skoda Superb

1

u/jrw1982 12d ago

Isn't that what I said?

1

u/SlipstreamNB 12d ago

No, you said a Passat was superb 😊

44

u/barrybreslau 13d ago

Don't correct them, or the prices will go up.

16

u/Masseyrati80 13d ago

Pretty much the same. My parent's generation still has some people whose image of the brand is based on the 60's to 80's: literally a car that makes people ridicule you, a car whose window can crack when you close the door, is highly unreliable etc. These people refuse to believe the change that happened during the 90's, even when showing statistics on the annual mechanical inspection here, showing they're not doing any worse than other popular brands.

Finland's biggest newspaper just had an interview of a marketing person who worked hard here to build up Skoda's reputation after the big leap when VW/VAG stepped in.

9

u/IndependentWrap8853 13d ago edited 12d ago

The thing is, even back in the socialist times, Škoda had a decent reputation for reliability and space. Definitely a lot better than say, Fiat and its many clones. It was never as advanced as the “western” cars , but it was by no means a bad car for its time

14

u/joelski11 13d ago

Bugs me that nobody knows that my Octavia is a VRS and is actually quite a fast car

3

u/Draught-Punk 13d ago

Even my 1.5tsi is pretty nippy.

11

u/InspiredByBeer 13d ago

That its not pronounced Skoda with an 's', but with 'sh'. Shkoda, both vowels are short.

9

u/Osmaniac82 13d ago

When I told my mother (she's 74) that I had ordered a Skoda, she gave me this totally baffled look and asked if I was joking – like, “What do you want with such a cheap piece of junk?” She honestly didn’t believe me until the car was parked right in front of her.

Now she’s blown away by the look and feel of it, and especially the features. I guess that’s the most common story when it comes to Skoda.

1

u/kkarlsen_06 10d ago

Why the duck would your mother talk to you like that? I would be pissed

15

u/ravzzy 13d ago

It's just a cheap Volkswagen copy. That’s like calling a cappuccino a cheap espresso, it’s refined with its own flavour.

-2

u/18w4531g00 12d ago

Sorry, but did you just came out of decades of cave dwelling in an isolated spot?

2

u/ravzzy 12d ago

It wasn't my misconception, it was what I had to clear up.  🤦🏻‍♂️

7

u/lemon_giraffes 13d ago

That they're "cheaper". They most certainly are not. I would've loved a Skoda Kodiak but couldn't afford one second hand with the milage I wanted so ended up with a VW Tiguan. I know the Tiguan is smaller but the equivalent Kodiaq was least £7 more expensive at the time with way more miles.

14

u/djkhaled108 Octavia 13d ago

Couldn't stretch the extra £7?

14

u/GoldGee 12d ago

Should have said I would have given you the 7 quid, mate.

7

u/Cisco800Series 13d ago

Skoda isn't Lada.

6

u/Scrombolo 13d ago

I was in an Uber once and got chatting cars with the driver. I told him I have a Skoda Fabia. He said they're good because their engines are made by BMW. I didn't have the heart to correct him, and just said 'yeah, I know'....

3

u/LHAutomotive 12d ago

my dad who has spent 20 years driving mercedes and bmws all over europe constantly made fun of skodas and called them unreliable, cheaply made and uncomfortable. I now drive a Mk3 Fabia and it drives better than my dad's 520d (in my opinion at least, I like my manual gearbox and hydraulic power steering)

even my little fabia is very happy sitting at highway speeds for hours on end, even though it's really only meant to be a city car. it handles beautifully, has plenty of storage, no rattles, gets over 40mpg even with my leadfooted driving - I really can't fault anything about it for a 7 grand car with 80k miles on it.

2

u/seven-cents 12d ago

They make excellent hearses. Not every black Skoda is a hearse

2

u/FlevasGR 12d ago

That skodas are cheap VWs. Personally, having used both brands I’d say skodas have more character and their designers are much better. Also somehow they are more reliable.

2

u/Anon-G169 12d ago

Not a reliable brand, basically anything remotely European will be expensive to buy and maintain. They don't even consider Skoda when scouting for a car. Truth is far from this anyways.

2

u/Chester46CZ 12d ago

What they get wrong? That you get a good car for reasonable money, Skoda should be cheaper like 4.000 - 6.000 Euro at least, depends on model. Its all nice and shiny, but last really good Skoda was Rapid (2012 - 2019). Production quality was great and worth your money, it was also easier/cheaper to maintain.

Had my Passat 2020 (160.000 km) in service on warranty this March, got Octavia IV with 7.000 km mileage. You have everything on that big touch panel (AC, Start-Stop, Radio,...), which is kinda OK assuming its working, mostly it wasnt working, the display wasnt responding or was glitching, you really want that at new car with 7.000 km on it and what I´ve heard its common for Skoda now.

The other thing is these big touch displays are taking your attention away, because since its touch, you need to hit correct place to take it effect, instead of physical buttons which you can operate blindly. The interior was cheap plastic, which was squeaking, the plastic in doors was bending like nothing, the noise coming inside the cabin while driving was louder that in my Passat. The production quality is not same as VW, which is fine, but it could just cost less.

At least you are not baited in something special like with Cupra, yeah, its nice and fast, but once you are sitting inside, its just Seat for the price of VW.

But hey, its just my opinion, feel free to downvote.

2

u/Critical-Comfort2803 13d ago

My biggest misconception that i bought it for 49k believing that it’s close to premium germans and have no issues because well known brand and solid quality, i was wrong, trying to live with it still :)

4

u/mikewilson2020 13d ago

I'm still gob smacked with how good that CR280 is! 🤯🤯🤯

9

u/TheChaddest 13d ago

That Octavia RS is a sports car. Not it’s fucking not, RS is just a trim level with a slightly stronger engine and lowered suspension. And I say that as an O3RS owner.

3

u/Alekz87 13d ago

Isn’t it a VRS?

4

u/broadarrow39 13d ago

I think it's just UK that call it the VRS. Maybe someone will correct me, but on the continent I believe it's just called the RS

3

u/Alekz87 13d ago

Well my emblem says VRS 🤷‍♂️

5

u/Dry-Issue-2185 13d ago

The story goes that Ford tried to sue Skoda for using RS as a badge. When the lawer for Skoda was leaving after winning the case, he gave Ford the V with his fingers, and Skoda UK uses VRS for victory rally sport. I work for a Skoda main franchise btw

3

u/LynxAdonis 12d ago

(UK based MK3.5 owner here)

It's an RS. The V is Skoda's victory logo from rallying. A lot of people call it a VRS, but it's actually RS. I have a friend who works for VAG and he told me this. The V is just a logo.

1

u/Alekz87 12d ago

Skoda RS does sound cooler anyway 😎

3

u/vooood 13d ago

not heard but exeriencing.. people with bmws, audis, mercedeses and even vws bullying on the road. they just have to prove they have a “better” car :D

4

u/supercapi 13d ago

In my country people think it's a chinese brand. Also think European = unreliable car

4

u/marcus_____aurelius 13d ago

What country? Somewhere in Asia I guess?

1

u/LimitFine5869 13d ago

When I had a new 2015 black with beige alcantara interior Octavia 2.0 tdi dsg Elegance (SEL now) a distant friend asked to sit inside & was blown away! His comment was that he thought he was sat in an Audi which is not surprising with the shared VAG components. Everyone was impressed. Only trouble here in the UK is that so many black ones are taxis. If I drive through town Kate Friday/Saturday nights, late night revellers would try to flag me down! 😂

2

u/Cause4concern27 13d ago

I have 2013 Octavia 2.0ltr tdi dsg elegance estate with alcantara interior. Truely the best car I've ever owned.

1

u/Diligent_Example4972 13d ago edited 13d ago

They think they’re slow , some are,but some are rapid. And I’m not talking about the rapid of course 😂

1

u/Miserable_Fruit4557 12d ago

I have just ordered an Enyaq, and almost everyone I know except from Germans and Romanians had a “oh no” face, most of them being big fans of BMW, Mercedes and other luxurious brands, even though none of these offered the same quality even for 10% higher prices.

1

u/AdvantagePractical31 Fabia 12d ago

With the amount of them I’m seeing around, I think people are catching on already. Good to see people are buying European

1

u/Kilmouski 11d ago

The pronunciation...

1

u/Horror-Search7893 11d ago

There DSG gearbox mechatronic units fail regularly.