Help me decide: Octavia VRS or Jetta Sport?

olewy

Only interested in the 2.0 TDI CR 170 variant. Late 08, early 09. I've yet to test drive either. Hope to buy either before or shortly after the new year (preferably before due to increased VRT & road tax from 1st Jan).

Looking for reliability, economy, performance, handling, quality interior & good resale value (roughly in that order). I've read enough about the VAG 2.0 TDI CR 170 engine to believe it ticks the first 3 boxes.

DILEMMA:
Which one is best to go for in terms of driving characteristics/handling, interior quality & resale value? I know the Octy is an infamous Boards favourite but I'm looking for a balanced/impartial comparison (if possible).

HANDLING/DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS:
I know both cars share the same underpinnings & have almost identical performance figures but I assume I'd be right in saying the VRS is a better (sportier & more responsive) drive than the Jetta Sport? I'd prefer the 17"s on the Jetta over the 18"s on the VRS from a ride, noise & cost perspective.

For anyone who has driven or owned both is there much difference in how they handle or was there anything you preferred more about 1 over the other?

INTERIOR:
Jetta interior; like it (if a bit bland/boring). Very few with MP3/aux/ipod connections. Is it possible, easy or expensive to get an aux port fitted (e.g. to the glovebox)?

VRS interior; (the black & white leather/suede seats...not the Limited Edition's all leather); perfect bar the white parts. These must get filthy easily & don't look easy to wash or keep clean. Anybody here had ownership experience with these?

RESALE VALUE:
From 2nd prices the VRS seems to hold its value better. Jetta was never a popular 2nd hand motor. VRS might be harder to sell with partially white and therefore inevitably dirty looking & impractical interior though!!

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
Insurance; yet to get quotes, I'd expect the VRS to be higher.
Theft; the VRS may be more of a theft magnet, not something I'd be comfortable with. This is pushing me more towards Jetta Sport (more understated).
Road tax; 143g (Jetta), 149g (VRS) so both Band C & same cost unless Band C is split in this or future budgets.

I know I need to test drive both to see for myself. Any recommendations for or against either of these 2 specific models appreciated (note: not interested in 1.9 or 2.0 TDI PD variants).

MarkR

I have a 2007 vrs, seats are fine so far. Only had it a month or two.

The jetta, I had a quick look on carzone, and they seem to be 140 bhp? VRS is 170, so bit of a difference if you're into that sort of thing.

Saab Ed

Neither would be my choice if I'm honest but between the two of them its got to be the Skoda.

vectra

Not 100% sure but I think the CR only came to the vrs in 2009.

Had a 2010 vrs cr with 17's
Now have a 2012 vrs with 18's

I can find no difference between both with road noise/comfort

I also was nervous of theft before buying this but have had no problems yet in that dept.

olewy

MarkR wrote: »

I have a 2007 vrs, seats are fine so far. Only had it a month or two.

The jetta, I had a quick look on carzone, and they seem to be 140 bhp? VRS is 170, so bit of a difference if you're into that sort of thing.

Thanks Mark, the Mk1 Jetta was sold with a CR 170 engine, at least in the UK anyway, but for what seems like a very short period of time before the Mk2 came out so there are very few of them.

I'd prefer to have the power & torque advantage in the 170 over the 140 but as the 140 models are more widely available, are in a lower road tax band (135g, Band & would prpbably have enough poke for my needs I'd be happy enough to settle for a 140.

vectra wrote: »

Not 100% sure but I think the CR only came to the vrs in 2009.

Had a 2010 vrs cr with 17's
Now have a 2012 vrs with 18's

I can find no difference between both with road noise/comfort

I also was nervous of theft before buying this but have had no problems yet in that dept.

Thanks Vectra. The CR sold in the VRS in 2008 also (at least in the UK anyway) So you moved from diesel to petrol? Any reason bar the obvious? i.e. did you have any issues with the CR? I didn't think the vrs (petrol or diesel) sold with 17s. Were these aftermarket 17s? How did you find keeping the white parts of the CR's seats clean?

I sat into a showroom Octavia yesterday (non-VRS model) & they've improved the interior a lot over previous years (new/better centre console, steering wheel, leather seating design etc). Alas though can't afford to stretch to a 2012 CR.

I've read that road noise due to the tyres on the VRS can be high. If you noticed this & changed tyre manufacturer during ownership did you notice any difference between one tyre manufacturer over another?

What was the sound system like on your 2010 vrs cr?
Mind if I ask about how much your insurance on both VRS's were/are?

vectra

Sorry.
I should have been more specific.
I will answer your Q's for you.

olewy wrote: »

Thanks Vectra. The CR sold in the VRS in 2008 also (at least in the UK anyway) So you moved from diesel to petrol? Any reason bar the obvious? i.e. did you have any issues with the CR? I didn't think the vrs (petrol or diesel) sold with 17s. Were these aftermarket 17s? How did you find keeping the white parts of the CR's seats clean?

This one is also CR,
Wouldnt dream of buying a new petrol one as I think it would be a non seller when the time comes round.

In Ireland the 17's are standard.
I spec'd 18's this time round.
I can not comment on the light grey parts of the seats asI ordered Leather in both cars.
BUT,
I would not worry too much about it to be honest as there is a detailer in Leixlip. ( spirit detailing ) He would get the interior mint for you and would treat the seats with a stain proof sealer as well.

olewy wrote: »

I sat into a showroom Octavia yesterday (non-VRS model) & they've improved the interior a lot over previous years (new/better centre console, steering wheel, leather seating design etc). Alas though can't afford to stretch to a 2012 CR.

I had a new octavia elegance out for a few days recently and to fair the interior is horrible compared to the vRS.

olewy wrote: »

I've read that road noise due to the tyres on the VRS can be high. If you noticed this & changed tyre manufacturer during ownership did you notice any difference between one tyre manufacturer over another?

Road noise is there alright but you get used to it.
Some of them produce excessive noise as a result of different tyres as you say.
There is a differenve in them alright. I had Bridgestone's on my '10 and it was loud. I only replaced the fronts and put hankook tyres on there so cannot comment on how much better or worse they were in this department as the noise mainly comes from the rear tyres. This is often amplified as a result of the rear wheel allignment being outside specified tolerence.

It is a good idea to get a 4 wheel alignment done as even new ones have been known to be wrong and resulted in rear tyres "sawtoothing" and wearing very fast.
Apparently a Hunter system is one of the best systems to get this sorted.

olewy wrote: »

What was the sound system like on your 2010 vrs cr?
Mind if I ask about how much your insurance on both VRS's were/are?

The sound system is actually good in these.
The Bolero head unit should be fitted to this as standard. Some may have the collumbus sat-nav system.
Excellent systems to be fair with bluetooth as standard in Irish models.

Card reader as well which is brilliant, I had a 16 gig sdhc card in my last one and it was so handy. The head unit it also a 6 disc player which plays mp3.

Lots of music can be stored on 6 discs or on an sdhc card.

If putting mp3's on rip them at 320kbps. This reproduces the best sound quality.

Any more Q's just dire away.