Not too long ago, I reviewed this new Skoda Octavia Kombi on its own, and I can summarize that test pretty easily.
This Kombi has everything you'll ever need in a car. There's 640 litres of luggage space with the rear seat up. On that rear seat, you can fit...
two very big adults with a more moderately sized one in the middle. The technology is modern, the drive is nice and comfortable...
What else do you even need? However, the choice is a tad limited at this time. Enginewise, there's a lot coming our way. Don't get me wrong,
we're talking plug-in hybrids, fast versions, diesels, the lot. For now however, there's only one engine available. The 1.5-litre TSI...
producing 150 horsepower, and that's the one I'm driving right now. Luckily, that's a very nice engine. It's a 4-cylinder and it has cylinder...
deactivation. So when you're quietly driving along at around 80 or 100 km/h, the engine will deactivate the two middle cylinders to save fuel.
Most what's more important for the experience is the fact that it produces 250 Nm of torque from 1.500 RPM.
Even when the engine dips below that, it picks up very smoothly. It's nice and powerful in the mid-range and it's connected to a 6-speed...
gearbox which changes gear without a problem. You'll never end up in third whilst you were looking for fifth gear. That gives the drivetrain a very...
smooth personality. It's very easy to drive and it's a very accessible car. The same goes for the chassis. It's not as soft as its predecessor anymore.
Sure, this particular version has adaptive dampers which tighten up in Sport-mode, but even in Normal-mode you won't get the idea the dampers...
will panic when you're driving fast. The previous one did have that. It's still aimed at comfort, don't get me wrong,
but it's able to process imperfections in a better way. It feels tighter and less easy to fool. That's very good, but it has also taken its toll on...
the budget-image of the Skoda Octavia. When it comes to options, it's just like the engine range. There's only one version, called the First Edition.
It has quite a lot of trim, but we're talking about €34.790. That means there are possibilities for an Asian rival.
An Asian rival in the form of the Kia Ceed Sportswagon. It'll cost you €32.045 as a GT-line, which is €2.500 less than the Skoda.
For that, you get pretty much the same equipment. The 18-inch wheels aren't supposed to be under this car though, they're optional extra's.
However, if you compare the two, the Kia comes with a rear-view camera whilst the Skoda has a adaptive cruise control.
So small differences will remain, but as a whole, it's very similar. And if you look at the one thing which is most important in a wagon,
the interior space, it's very similar as well. Sure, the Kia has 15 litres less luggage space, but on a total of more than 600 litres it won't be...
very noticeable. It's the same on the rear seat. Again, the Skoda is more spacious, but unless you're a basketball player it won't affect you.
In the front seat however, there is a quite a big difference. It's very clear that Skoda is ahead by a generation.
Better looking materials, a nicer multimedia system, a digital instrument cluster with more possibilities. I'm talking about getting a map inbetween...
the dials, which isn't possible in the Kia. However, the non-digital part of the dashboard in the Kia is a lot more accessible.
You've got physical buttons for the volume and temperature, and the same goes for the dashboard lighting.
It might not look as flashy, but it's a lot easier. Also, it has a drivetrain which looks a lot like what Skoda has to offer.
The 1.4-litre T-GDI is a tad smaller and a tad less powerful. It produces 140 horsepower and a tad less torque: 242 Nm to be precise.
It's marginally less, and I do have to say it feels a tad slower in the mid-range, but it's the same as the luggage space. There's a difference,
but to say you'll be annoyed by it? Certainly not. Just like the Skoda, it's connected to a manual 6-speed gearbox.
And in a way, it feels very similar as well. Or rather, in the way it works. It has very long strokes, but very determined. You'll never select the...
wrong gear. It has a light clutch and easy controls, so when it comes to the drivetrain the differences are tiny.
So that isn't going to be a big factor in buying either one of them. Bigger is the difference in the chassis. The Skoda is truly soft, almost...
too weak and it has adaptive dampers. Those aren't available on the Kia, but the Kia feels a lot tighter.
Like I mentioned before, it has 18-inch wheels as opposed to the standard 17-inch wheels, so it will feel a tad harder.
But as a whole, the springs and dampers still are harder, so it reacts quite a bit quicker.
So when you steer or take on a chicane like this, the car moves faster in the direction you want it to go.
The steering is very light and it doesn't offer a lot of feedback, but as a whole, this Ceed feels tighter than the Skoda. On the other hand,
the imperfections the Skoda would process with ease, are noticeable in this Ceed. On bad surfaces, the Ceed starts dribbling earlier.
Again, 18-inch wheels are partly to blame.
But as a whole, it's incredibly close when it comes to the drive, the amount of car you get and the luggage space.
I'd say the Skoda is eight percent more refined, whilst the Kia is eight percent cheaper. So bottom line, that doesn't make a big difference.
What does make a big difference, is the amount of warranty you get. And that will be in the advantage of the Kia.