octavia or avensis

bridest

considering buying 03,04 avensis or an 04,05 octavia not sure which to go for, (diesel)

dirtydiesel

I would go for the octavia but thats my personal choice and isnt based on anything other than personal preference.

yogidc26

octavia: I have one and have never had a days problem with it

Alanstrainor

A bit more info would be good. What kind of budget are you thinking of? And just so you know, i can tell you right now how this thread is going to pan out...it's going to tilt overwhelmingly in favour of the Octavia!

GTE

Having a 2004 Toyota (ok, its a petrol) I have to say we have never had a problem with it and I havent heard anything bad about the D4D engine.

Id be 50/50ish for the two but owning a VAG car myself I would tilt more towards the Skoda.

This thread should be interesting.

Tea 1000

Drive both, see which you prefer. Avensis is a little bit roomier inside, and a quieter engine in the D4D than the 1.9 Octavia. Both comfortable cars, both reliable, both spacious.
Avensis is in the class up from the Octavia, Superb would be a closer match. I'd go with the Avensis, a little tidier than the Octavia in the bends and a quieter engine.

keithclancy

Octavia, Toyotas are overated.

I sold my 00 Octavia for quite little money and bought a 2005 Volvo v50 and I'm actually starting to wish I hung onto the Octavia, even though the steering wheel was on the wrong side.

I know everyone says it .. BUT THE BOOT IS MASSIVE

mickdw

I dont understand how someone can decide they are going to spend some cash on a car & then limit it to an Avensis & a f*ckin Octavia.
Spend an hour on carzone or similar & see what ese you might be able to buy. You might manage to get, reliability, big boot, diesel & stylish all in one car. I cannot think of 2 more depressing options.

dollybird2

Octavia.
Mother in law had an avensis and couldn't get a garage to take it off her - it was d4d 2l 04 reg. The roads are overpopulated with avensis cars moreso than with octavias

EPM

Mondeo - nicer to drive than both mentioned. Accord is a good suggestion too

Leonard Hofstadter

The Avensis is soul destroying to drive, Toyota have gone out of their way to remove any sense of fun in the driving experience, no matter how bad the Octy is it could never be as bad as the Toyota to drive. The Avensis is about as exciting as watching grass grow inside and out as well(but you no doubt knew that already), the lower spec models in particular are just awful inside with all the shiny black plastic, the same as you get in cheap Korean rubbish not what you'd expect in a Mondeo rival. It is quiet at speed and is reliable, the Luna models are good for equipment levels too, it has to be good at something I suppose:rolleyes::D!

I've never driven the Skoda but unless it was as bad as the Toyota to drive then despite the probable lower level of comfort and it no doubt is a bit noisier on the road as well, I'd have the Octavia every time if you have your heart set on just these 2 cars.

The Mondeo is an excellent car, the Accord is good too but is very expensive so for that reason I'd go for the Ford if you're prepared to try one of these OP;)! The Mondeo and Accord are for the most part very reliable machines as well, as is the Octavia.

Jip

I've another take on what captainspeed says. The Avensis cannot be said to be a drivers car but this suits some people right down to the ground. My wife had one for a while and she loved it, mainly due to the light steering (she had a bad back at the time), a point which is normally derided here. So I can imagine alot of people will also find this attractive, they want to get from A to B as comfortably, easily and with as little effort as possible.

I did find it comfy but did not like the steering at all, if it was driven in any way spritely you'd have no feedback from the road at all through the steering, something my wife also eventually came around to realising.

colm_mcm

the steering in the diesel isn't as light as the electric system in the petrol.
Seems there is a lot of Avensis hate out there...
I can't see how an Octavia could be recommended over an Avensis, there's way less legroom, it's not as nice to look at, they don't have standard aircon, or a 5 star safety rating, and they sound like a tractor.

But this is Boards, and the Octavia has been car of the year here for as long as I can remember.

Try suggesting someone gets a Bora or Leon over an Avensis and see how different the reaction is, people here have an unexplained horn for Skodas around here.

Jip

colm_mcm wrote: »

the steering in the diesel isn't as light as the electric system in the petrol.

Never drove the diesel, but as I said, we liked the petrol (come to think of it, she had 2, red and navy) and the only thing I felt strange was the steering, it was a comfy oul car. Never drove the later model Octavia but it's a lot comfier than my 2001 model.

ncc98071

dont get how people say avensis is this and that to Drive!
The avensis is a car you buy to get you from a to b in relative comfort, and it does a good job at that.
octavia is hardly going to give you a huge amount of thrills no more than a ford/toyota will

Tea 1000

captainspeed wrote: »

The Avensis is soul destroying to drive, Toyota have gone out of their way to remove any sense of fun in the driving experience, no matter how bad the Octy is it could never be as bad as the Toyota to drive. The Avensis is about as exciting as watching grass grow inside and out as well(but you no doubt knew that already), the lower spec models in particular are just awful inside with all the shiny black plastic, the same as you get in cheap Korean rubbish not what you'd expect in a Mondeo rival. It is quiet at speed and is reliable, the Luna models are good for equipment levels too, it has to be good at something I suppose:rolleyes::D!

I've never driven the Skoda but unless it was as bad as the Toyota to drive then despite the probable lower level of comfort and it no doubt is a bit noisier on the road as well, I'd have the Octavia every time if you have your heart set on just these 2 cars.

The Mondeo is an excellent car, the Accord is good too but is very expensive so for that reason I'd go for the Ford if you're prepared to try one of these OP;)! The Mondeo and Accord are for the most part very reliable machines as well, as is the Octavia.

The Octavia IS worse to drive than the Avensis. Smaller inside, not as good an engine, and even less good looking. So I don't understand how you rate it as a worse car, without having driven an Octavia.
Bloody boards Skoda fetish is getting annoying. I'm neither a Toyota nor Skoda lover, so at least my comparison is unbiased.

Jip

Let this day be known in infamy as the day the country turned against Skoda

Leonard Hofstadter

Tea 1000 wrote: »

The Octavia IS worse to drive than the Avensis. Smaller inside, not as good an engine, and even less good looking. So I don't understand how you rate it as a worse car, without having driven an Octavia.
Bloody boards Skoda fetish is getting annoying. I'm neither a Toyota nor Skoda lover, so at least my comparison is unbiased.

In what way is the Octavia worse to drive than the Avensis? It must be extremely bad to beat an Avensis, which as I've already said is soul destroying.

I'm no Skoda lover, I think the Superb is brillant but the rest of the range does nothing for me, I'm more of a Ford man myself, but as a no-nosense sensible means of transport(which is what both Skodas and Toyotas are about) Skoda's are just better. Toyota's are like some sort of religious cult, Irish people are completely brainwashed into buying their crap, where else in the world do you have a big scandal and yet Toyota was the best selling brand here last month:eek::rolleyes:?

The Skoda has a much nicer interior, and is a lot cheaper.

It is possible to buy an Avensis with decent spec but these are rarer than hen's teeth, all the ones in this country are poverty spec ones with the nasty all black dash and wind up windows, so the argument about the Avensis having better equipment doesn't stack up. The Avensis commands the prices it commands because it's a Toyota, no other reason.

Plus that boot in the Octavia really is as massive as people say it is:D!

As I've already said, I would be going for the Mondeo or the Accord, I simply said that given the choice between the Octavia and the Avensis I'd have the Octavia every time unless the Octavia is as bad as the Avensis to drive, and even then I'd have to think about it.

bridest

wow I really stirred the sh1t here

Ok if not an avensis or octavia - what then!
I had ruled out the mondeo. some very dodgy deals going on some of them.
I had an accord - loved it but sold it cuz needed some cash.

I was told to stay away from the vectra from my mechanic.

I want a diesel hatchback - to put my dog in the back when he's muddy from walks and to put my mountain bike in the boot when I need to bring it places.

my budget is between €4000 to €5000 - less I spend the better

kyote00

dump the dog and get this for your budget...

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/1200192

(oh dang, it doesn't have electric windows so must be ****e)

bridest wrote: »

wow I really stirred the sh1t here



I want a diesel hatchback - to put my dog in the back when he's muddy from walks and to put my mountain bike in the boot when I need to bring it places.

ncc98071

Has to be an avensis!!!!!!:D

bridest

the dog stays !

Mondeo seems to be cheaper to get into - especially if I import from the north

bazz26

It really is comical reading all this crap about an Octavia being a better car to drive than an Avensis or how the Avensis is soul destroying and yet the equally drap Octavia is not. They are both a to b family transport. If the OP's focus was the best car to drive then they would not be looking at either car would they?

Maybe it is just the fashionable thing at the moment to hate one particular brand because the media are doing it but it really is getting tiresome.

OP if you want proper advice on either car then check out the reviews on www.parkers.co.uk, you will find no fan or hate boys of either there. Unfortunately, the motors forum on boards.ie is the last place you will get it these days.

Tea 1000

captainspeed wrote: »

In what way is the Octavia worse to drive than the Avensis? It must be extremely bad to beat an Avensis, which as I've already said is soul destroying.

I'm no Skoda lover, I think the Superb is brillant but the rest of the range does nothing for me, I'm more of a Ford man myself, but as a no-nosense sensible means of transport(which is what both Skodas and Toyotas are about) Skoda's are just better. Toyota's are like some sort of religious cult, Irish people are completely brainwashed into buying their crap, where else in the world do you have a big scandal and yet Toyota was the best selling brand here last month:eek::rolleyes:?

The Skoda has a much nicer interior, and is a lot cheaper.

It is possible to buy an Avensis with decent spec but these are rarer than hen's teeth, all the ones in this country are poverty spec ones with the nasty all black dash and wind up windows, so the argument about the Avensis having better equipment doesn't stack up. The Avensis commands the prices it commands because it's a Toyota, no other reason.

Plus that boot in the Octavia really is as massive as people say it is:D!

As I've already said, I would be going for the Mondeo or the Accord, I simply said that given the choice between the Octavia and the Avensis I'd have the Octavia every time unless the Octavia is as bad as the Avensis to drive, and even then I'd have to think about it.

Unfortunately I can't double-thank Bazz26 there.
I don't know what beef you have with Toyota, but the fact that even your sig is anti-Toyota and you haven't driven an Octavia, do you honestly think you're giving solid unbiased advise here?
Skoda are a company who have been turned around with VW's help, have decent cars for good money and are reliable. Toyota are a company who set the benchmark for reliability many years ago, and make cars that aren't as expensive as people make out, and are still reliable. (of late it certainly has slipped, but even at that they're always there or there abouts in the top 5 along with Skoda in all surveys.)
Neither brand at present offer anything in the way of exciting, nor do they claim to. Both have the job of taking a person from A to B in comfort and dependability. Used Avensis's are as cheap as used Octavias, the Octavia is based on the Mk4 Golf platform, it's actually in a class below the Avensis, and isn't great to drive (just like the Mk4 Golf), but solid and comfortable.
The Avensis is not exciting, but the chassis is competent, has good poise through the bends, more space and is probably a little more comfortable than the Octavia, given it's in the segment up.
The Avensis actually is better at soaking up low speed bumps, something the whole VAG range isn't spectacular at.
It's just cool to hate Toyota these days, the accellerator issue was because of a failed American component, it has caused no accidents here and won't now either because of the recall, yet you still think it's a good reason to never buy one again?
So if Skoda ever have a recall, will you stop buying those too? We won't even get started on Fords recall history!
I'm no Toyota fan as I said, I'm giving unbiased information based on opinions that I've formed. I've recommended both cars to different people at different times, however neither would interest me in the slightest.

1948Wolseley

I've lost count of how many times I've said this before, but here we go again: Don't buy an Avensis, buy a Prius.

bridest

i wont be buying a mondeo.
drove an 06 diesel hatchback today.
thought i was driving a tank - horrible - really horrible.

colm_mcm

try a Mondeo diesel that isn't the basic model. the 130hp has lovely power and quite sharp to drive too.

VolvoMan

ncc98071 wrote: »

The avensis is a car you buy to get you from a to b in relative comfort, and it does a good job at that.

It does occasionally try to kill you though...

shorthairguy

Avensis or Octavia. Well both models are adequate for your job. The Octavia does have a decent boot. Best of luck on your choice.