Honda Civic vs Skoda Octavia vs Golf

[Ep2dan]

Hey folks,

Hope all are well and had a good New Year.
It's happened, after 192,000 miles, owned for 9 years, my beloved Civic 1.6 EP2 has failed its MOT big time (holes in the floor and such), and so it's time for me to change it.
I'm after something reliable, comfortable, and economical, petrol, ideally manual - not too fussed about performance. After something future-proof for having a family and taking trips away, etc, as whatever I get has to last. I'm not a huge fan of crossovers either, so ideally large hatch/saloon/estate (estate would be amazing).

The shortlist at the moment has been whittled-down to 3 options - a Mk10 Civic 1.5 (2018-), Skoda Octavia 1.5 TSI, or VW Golf 1.5 TSI. Budget of around £15,000, and aiming to keep the car at least around 6 years.
Pros and cons I can see thus far are:

Honda pros - I know the cars quite well, and know some Honda specialists, parts will be cheaper if they break, good reviews, ticks all the boxes, timing chain driven
Cons - top end of budget, higher mileage examples, infotainment is apparently a bit of a let down

Skoda/Golf pros - apparently reliable, good 'plushies' like infotainment being responsive, better MPG, Octavia has good boot room, can fit roof bars (I think?)
Cons - more expensive parts, I don't know much about them, more concerned about them being thrashed, belt driven with examples being close to interval for changing

Was just looking for some input from anyone that knows about, or has owned any of these? Also, any other suggestions very welcomed.

Thanks guys,
Dan

[Xcore]

Mk7 golf gti PP

[kambites]

I wouldn't bet on Honda parts being cheaper than VAG ones; and I wouldn't bet on VAG cars being reliable!

I don't know a huge amount about the 1.5 TSI but the 2.0 TFSI in our Octavia is very easy to change the belts on, so I can't imagine it'd be too expensive to pay a garage to do it if you don't fancy DIY. The Octavia is an extremely practical car but you can see where corners have been cut in terms of fit and finish and, especially, NVH; presumably to stop it from treading on the Golf's toes.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 10th January 19:54

[Ep2dan]

Thank you both for the replies. I think the Mrs would kick me out if I got a GTI, and I'd have to live in it!
I've booked-in for a drive of a Civic on the weekend, I'm thinking I may go for one of those, purely because I know more about them and could probably spot a good or bad one. Thanks for the input, options still open!

[JakeT]

I’ve driven a few of the recent civics, and enjoyed them. The 1.5 is the pick of the engine bunch, too. I’d go Honda, of the options you’ve given. Driving position can be a little funny due to the placement of the fuel tank, but if you get on with it on a test drive you should be set.

[SkodaIan]

I've driven the 1.5TSI in a hire car Leon and found the engine a bit disappointing given the good reviews it's had. It wasn't particularly efficient (struggled to get 40mpg) and didn't feel any more willing than the 1.0TSI in my wife's Leon. It was relatively smooth for a modern engine though.

The lower powered (190bhp) version of the 2.0TSI is pretty good if you can find a car with it in - power delivery really consistent and still does 40+ mpg easily. Not sure whether it ever found its way into the Octavia, but it was in quite a few of the higher spec previous generation Leons and the Golf as well I think.

[Previous]

I thought the latest civics had got rid of the under floor fuel tank, or is that just the type r?

The 1.5t sport is just in budget.

[Shabaza]

I have a 2017 Octavia 1.5 (albeit dsg).
Its currently got 112k mileage, been very cheap to run. typically get about 40mpg from a mix of town/motorway.

But most importantly, the room inside is tremendous. Huge boot room, huge legroom and good size screen for android auto/apple car play.

I have the SEL spec, i wouldn't go SE or lower, youd miss out on a few creature comforts.

Did have a Golf company car before, legroom and boot room was a deal breaker for me (child seats and prams).
Although I do really miss the radar guided adapted cruise control, which the golf gets as standard, but rarely opted for in the Skoda

[wyson]

kambites said:

I wouldn't bet on Honda parts being cheaper than VAG ones; and I wouldn't bet on VAG cars being reliable!

Honda doesn’t do so well in reliability surveys anymore, esp end of run MK10 Civics, they seem to have dropped the ball considerably. Read articles talking about dodgy panel gaps, paintwork etc.. Its definitely not the racing and engineering led company that it was under the founder.

I reckon the EP3 was the last Civic created under that ethos. Honda at the time had one of the highest R&D budgets as a proportion of profit in the industry. Then the bean counters took over and the cost cutting began. Its replacement had solid axle rear suspension, when Soichiro Honda always insisted his cars had double wishbones all round to keep ties with Honda’s racing links etc.

TBf think the OP has made up his mind.

I was faced with the same choice and opted for a Golf Mk6. The looks of the Civic Mk9 just put me off, didn’t even test drive it. Wouldn’t consider the Civic Mk10 for the same reason, but of course looks are subjective.

Will say Octavia’s and Golfs have a massive OEM parts market and aren’t expensive to maintain outside the dealer network. Lots of specialists who know their way around VAG products as well.

My Golf Mk6 cambelt and waterpump change costs about £500 with my local indy, using genuine VW parts (not risking third party parts for something that can munch the engine). I think this price is typical across VAG cars.

Edited by wyson on Wednesday 11th January 12:21

[Silvanus]

You can pick up a decent Kia Ceed for that budget, it will still have some of its 7 year manufacturers warranty too. They are also very decent cars, currently have one as a hire car and was surprised how decent it is. There is a reason why the Ceed massively outsells the Civic now.

Kia Xceed and Hyundai i30 probably worth a look too, both very similar to the Ceed.

Left field option would be a nearly new Fiat Tipo or Tipo Cross, they aren't particularly exciting but are actually pretty decent family hatchbacks and great value.

[s94wht]

Ep2dan said:

I think the Mrs would kick me out if I got a GTI, and I'd have to live in it!

Out of interest, why?

[Whataguy]

I had the same decision to make last year, between a Golf or an Octavia.

Went with the Golf as I didn't need all the extra space the Octavia has, but they are both good cars.

Mine is the 1.5TSI 150hp DSG, I've found it makes a big difference to the performance to run on Shell V Power and in sport mode. As I do mainly motorway miles, the mpg is virtually the same in normal or sport modes. Although it has 150hp it gets equivalent performance to other similar cars with 180hp.

I used to own a EP2 1.6 Civic myself, as well as a Mk7 Accord. Sadly, I think that was the peak for Honda.

I bought a 2021 Mk4 Jazz a while back and hated it, and totally lost faith in Honda.

I've also driven the most previous model Civic (as well as every new civic model since the EP2) and none have come close to the great combination that the EP2 had.

As for Honda parts prices being cheaper... guess how much the cheap looking plastic wheel trims for a Jazz cost? £160! That's each, not for a set of 4!

[ooo000ooo]

Silvanus said:

You can pick up a decent Kia Ceed for that budget, it will still have some of its 7 year manufacturers warranty too. They are also very decent cars, currently have one as a hire car and was surprised how decent it is. There is a reason why the Ceed massively outsells the Civic now.

Kia Xceed and Hyundai i30 probably worth a look too, both very similar to the Ceed.

Left field option would be a nearly new Fiat Tipo or Tipo Cross, they aren't particularly exciting but are actually pretty decent family hatchbacks and great value.

Based on my experience of trying to get parts for my Kia Soul, some bits that you'd expect to available from your local motor factors are not available, the bits that are available are reassuringly expensive. My local parts guy advised that they are way dearer than the same parts for his Lexus.
I had to order front anti roll bar bushes from Autodoc as my local guys couldn't source them.

[911Spanker]

Get that E36 328 on the other thread...far more interesting.

[Silvanus]

ooo000ooo said:

Silvanus said:

You can pick up a decent Kia Ceed for that budget, it will still have some of its 7 year manufacturers warranty too. They are also very decent cars, currently have one as a hire car and was surprised how decent it is. There is a reason why the Ceed massively outsells the Civic now.

Kia Xceed and Hyundai i30 probably worth a look too, both very similar to the Ceed.

Left field option would be a nearly new Fiat Tipo or Tipo Cross, they aren't particularly exciting but are actually pretty decent family hatchbacks and great value.

Based on my experience of trying to get parts for my Kia Soul, some bits that you'd expect to available from your local motor factors are not available, the bits that are available are reassuringly expensive. My local parts guy advised that they are way dearer than the same parts for his Lexus.
I had to order front anti roll bar bushes from Autodoc as my local guys couldn't source them.

Out interest which parts? I know a few people that run Kias of different type and age and not heard of any issues, non of them have a Soul though. I'm aware of a few people with issues around Honda costs/parts though.

[StuE39]

wyson said:

I reckon the EP3 was the last Civic created under that ethos. Honda at the time had one of the highest R&D budgets as a proportion of profit in the industry. Then the bean counters took over and the cost cutting began. Its replacement had solid axle rear suspension, when Soichiro Honda always insisted his cars had double wishbones all round to keep ties with Honda’s racing links etc.

It was the other way, I think. Honda engineers wanted IRS / double wishbones; it was Soichiro who wanted the rear axle design as he saw no merits in the more complicated set-up. If this is true - the FN2 and FK2 Type Rs were actually more in line with the Civic ethos.

[wyson]

Soichiro Honda died in 1991, so unless he spoke through a clairvoyant from the grave, unlikely.

[StuE39]

wyson said:

Soichiro Honda died in 1991, so unless he spoke through a clairvoyant from the grave, unlikely.

You've lost me. You said the EP3 was the last Civic created in Soichiro's ethos - in relation to suspension - that's how I have interpreted it. He favoured rear axles over IRS / double wishbones in the early days of the Civic. It was the engineers of the time who pushed for IRS / double wishbone setup.

The mk8 Civic (FN2) went back to the ethos of Soichiro's view on rear suspension.

Edited by StuE39 on Wednesday 11th January 13:39

[stevemcs]

kambites said:

I wouldn't bet on Honda parts being cheaper than VAG ones; and I wouldn't bet on VAG cars being reliable!

I don't know a huge amount about the 1.5 TSI but the 2.0 TFSI in our Octavia is very easy to change the belts on, so I can't imagine it'd be too expensive to pay a garage to do it if you don't fancy DIY. The Octavia is an extremely practical car but you can see where corners have been cut in terms of fit and finish and, especially, NVH; presumably to stop it from treading on the Golf's toes.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 10th January 19:54

Belts on the 1.5/1.4 are not always straight forward. The changing of them is but the diagnostic equipment you need to use on the back of the cams to make sure the engine is at 0.0 TDC is expensive, for this reason any we get we refer to a main dealer

VW's are less reliable than Honda's but Hondas parts are more expensive and take longer to get hold of. I'd buy a Honda over any VW product, i'd also buy any Ford, Vauxhall, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Renault, PSA group car over any VW product.

[Fuzzarr]

I'd try to save a few bob and get an Octavia with the 1.4 TSI 150 engine in.