ŠKODA Octavia Scout – Left a true Cantabrian Impression.
The ŠKODA Octavia Scout impressed me on all levels. I’m a homebody, but not the unadventurous type. I love New Zealand (my home), I love to drive and I love adventure sports, even though I’m not very good at them.
I recently travelled with 3 close mates to Mt. Hutt for a ladsy snowboarding trip. As a current station wagon driver and true respecter of the Scout’s energetic brother, the Octavia RS, I thought I’d see if the Scout could handle my high expectations, and of course the mountain. It did, really well I might add.
On a trip up the mountain reliable performance and comfort is paramount; it’s actually amazing how many vehicle features I used during the day. The entire ŠKODA model range is continuing to impress me, it impressed the boys too.
Reviewed by a member of our team – Ash Pearson. Ash is the Miles Motor Group’s Marketing & Design Specialist.
Safety & Technology
I’m a millennial that dives deep in the digital space on a daily basis, so take my word for it when I praise the usability and interface design of this vehicle’s infotainment system. Bluetooth, hands free, drive mode select and adaptive cruise control capabilities were a breeze to manage. A small feature, but tyre pressure monitoring was encouraging as we tackled the summit as well.
Comfort & Space
The lads had plenty of room in the back and the boot space was more than enough for all the extra gear that wasn’t in the roof box to leave the back seat free for our tired legs. Even after a 5:30am wake-up, traveling to and from the mountain with 5 hours of boarding in between, I felt fresh when I returned home. Overall the Scout was probably the comfiest vehicle I have tackled the mountain with, to date!
Convenience
No snow chains needed on the day, its 4×4 performance was impressive. After a day’s snowboarding (well I spent half the day on the back) my fingers and toes were near frozen. I looked forward to jumping in the heated driver’s seat and grabbing hold of the heated steering wheel again. The Bluetooth hands-free connectivity had me booking a cheeky reservation at Terrace Downs as we headed down the mountain.
If you’re on a mobile device – check out my day on our Miles Continental InstagramTV ‘Road Trip‘ channel. Or, take a look at a few shots I took below.
Performance
The Scout’s 110kW TDI definitely packed enough punch for my liking. Our open-road drive from Lincoln through the windy vistas of Windwhistle to the base of the summit was extremely enjoyable. The 7-speed DSG gearbox created a smooth focus on the open road and effortless corner handling for a adventure style wagon. Let’s be honest, the Mt. Hutt climb is in average condition at best and the Scout’s Offroad Functionality and Hill Descent Control was a blessing in disguise. I was waiting for a moment where I could test out the Electronic Differential Lock, but it wasn’t needed. It cost me (roughly) just under $40 in diesel to get from Lincoln up the mountain and back, which I was genuinely impressed by, especially with a roof-box which has an effect on fuel efficiency! Combined fuel economy: 5.2L per/100km.
Exterior Styling
The ŠKODA is attractive. It’s a vehicle I could pull up to a business meeting in straight after hitting the slopes. Its rugged front, under body protection and black molded wheel arches boast the fact that I love to venture out of the city, whilst the LED lighting and sharp body contours whisper the fact that I’m actually a city-slicking professional.
If you’re wondering what you’ve been missing out on, we’re here to help! Speak to us about taking home a Scout for the night and a 24 hour test drive, or call 03 377 7144.
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