test drives

VIDEO

By Tim Saunders

In a way it’s surprising that the Toyota Rav 4 has a 2.5-litre petrol engine. Often these days larger vehicles can be equipped with smaller engines than we might expect, for instance the Honda Civic has just a 1-litre engine, the Seat Leon a 1.5 litre and so on.

But this large Rav 4 is a hybrid so that must compensate by relying on the electric charge. I wonder.

These days whatever you choose to do from taking a photo to driving a car the process has been simplified so that anyone can do it without too much difficulty or indeed expertise. I can’t help feeling this when I sit on the black leather driver’s seat and gaze around at my surroundings. Gone is the manual gearbox and traditional handbrake. Like with a digital camera, the Rav 4 is very much a point and click affair. Push that starter button while holding the foot brake down and off you drive. It doesn’t seem to matter that this is a large vehicle, you could be a driving a considerably smaller Yaris. That’s an achievement for the designers. That must be why so many mums on the school run favour these massive machines. The ride height allows for a good view of the road ahead and seems to give an enhanced feeling of security. But this is also hugely advantageous when driving down badly potholed country roads because it is high enough to avoid any damage to the underside. A standard car, lower to the ground, could easily get scraped.

The children like it in the back. The black leather interior is hardwearing and comfortable. It is easy to adjust the driver’s seat, which is electrically operated. “Can you remove the blind from the sunroof Daddy?” asks Henry (5). “I can go one better than that,” I reply, opening the large panoramic sunroof – very welcome on a hot summer’s day. There’s also excellent air conditioning and a great sound system; everything you need for a family outing.

We point it towards the South Downs and I soon discover the speed limiter which allows me to set it at 50mph so that I don’t get caught by the speed cameras on the motorway. Gone are the days when you could drive at 70mph on the M27. But change is good for you they say. It can’t be progress though can it? One thing’s for sure the Rav 4 provides its driver and occupants with a relaxing environment.

It is a pleasingly fast vehicle and the boot is large enough to cope with our needs.

By Tim Saunders

When I drive a new car I like to do so with little knowledge of the vehicle. Then when we have made our acquaintance I enjoy a journey of discovery. I’ve not strictly been able to do this with the Octavia because I have driven a number of them over the years. After all, this model has been around since 1996 but each one over that 25 years or quarter of century if you like, gets better and better yet externally it has changed little. So when I first drive this particular model I am adamant that it is a 2-litre petrol because there is plenty of pull. But I am completely wrong - by some 500cc. This cavernous estate is powered by a tiddly 1.5-litre petrol engine, which is quite some achievement. As I drive an old Ford Fiesta 1.4TDCi, I am still used to smaller cars having smaller engines but this is no longer the case. It is striking that the Skoda squeezes out 150bhp compared to 68 in my 19 year old Fiesta. While both are as efficient returning around 50mpg the Fiesta produces 114 to 119g/km of CO2 compared to the Skoda’s 129 to 153 g/km but these figures are misleading because diesel fuel is more harmful to the environment. “…while diesel fuel contains slightly more carbon (2.68kg CO₂/litre) than petrol (2.31kg CO₂/litre), overall CO₂ emissions of a diesel car tend to be lower,” according to theconversation.com. “They can also produce more nitrogen dioxide, making diesel one of the main sources of this toxic gas.”

Not so long ago fitting a small engine in a large car would have been extremely embarrassing. For instance, when the engine of my dad’s 2-litre Vauxhall Carlton blew up he resorted to a 1.6-litre Vauxhall Belmont and wished he hadn’t. Even though this model of car was not enormous by any means it was so underpowered. “Get out and push,” my dad would laugh as we attempted to climb a steep hill. Thankfully times have changed and the Skoda is a pleasing car to drive. My only qualm is that the six speed manual gearbox is notchy particularly when changing up from second to third.

It reminds me very much of the popular old Ford Cortina in the way that it has found a place in the nation’s hearts as a trusty family car available in both saloon and estate configurations. But the Skoda is so much better built and more efficient, too. Outside it is as exciting as an estate car can be but there are hints of luxury about it from the rear privacy glass, chrome roof rails and of course the striking petrol blue metallic paintwork.

Inside there’s comfortable microsuede upholstery and Henry (5) has discovered that there’s a sliding cover over where drinks bottles can be stored in the front centre console. For the rear passengers there’s iPad storage behind the front seats so that square eyed occupants can hide their addictive devices, if only they can tear themselves away for long enough… In a bid to help the nation’s mental health there should be a padlock on this storage and a key that only works to lock it and then self-destructs... 

There’s a sat nav and even heated steering wheel and front seats. This model is fitted with a foldable tow bar with adaptor and Park Assist. It’s surprising that a car of this size does not come with a reversing camera though – I do find these helpful.

The boot is large enough to easily swallow four 50 litre bags of compost and two 25kg bags of mortar.

It’s comfortable rather than engaging to drive and the build quality is good. Overall it’s an attractive family car.