Alcantra Seats

[id5]

Originally Posted by andrewpain

if she's that small, maybe a roof box?

That might be a step to far, If Nigel's mother has to lie down then she may think she is on her final ride to her last resting place! If I was her I would be kicking up a terrible fuss.

[NigelDay]

Originally Posted by id5

That might be a step to far, If Nigel's mother has to lie down then she may think she is on her final ride to her last resting place! If I was her I would be kicking up a terrible fuss.

Its a good job she doesn't read this thread (or even know about the 'Forum') !

[Harvey1512]

I had my test drive today. I drove a manual and the DSG version. The DSG made driving so simple and that kicked the manual into touch. There is a slight delay when starting from still but I had read about that and that is a quirk I will need to adapt to. The same goes for overtaking. Clearly the DSG needs to work out that I want to accelerate quickly and drop gears whereas in a manual I do that myself. Simple adaptations. What surprised me was how smooth the gear changes were with the DSG. I could just about hear them happening but you certainly could not feel them.

The car is long, noticeable long but then my XC60 is big and it only took a few days to get used to that. The model I will get has sensors all around so that is not a worry. The turning circle and manouverability however is way better than my XC60. I had a go at parking, front and back and it was pretty simple. Certainly less forward and backwards than I have been used to. I missed the big side mirrors that you get on the XC60 though. I didn't appreciate before just how much of an extra view they give you.

The engine I drove was a 2.0d 150bhp, down from the 180bhp of my XC60. You could tell the difference but I knew that was going to happen whatever the car I was going to get this time around. The Superb got to and sat at 70mph very easily. I have seen it described as a comfortable drive rather than a sharp drive and that sounds about right. Luckily, that is what I am looking for.

Plenty of toys as standard so I wont need to add many extras. I have been spoiled by the electric boot though so that option is definitely going on there.

All in all a positive test drive. I'm pleased to say the dealer, Silbury Skoda, just threw me the keys and let me get on with it. Afterwards we spoke and discussed one or two things but at no stage did they try and sell me the car. So far so good. I am going to ponder my decision over the weekend, I am ridiculously impulsive and can not be trusted in the purchase either of a car or a house!, to make sure I am certain. I also want to hear the Budget on Wednesday to make sure the Chancellor does not bring any shocks in that will affect me during this 3 year cycle. He should not, BIK tax rates to that date have already been published, but you never know.

Incidentally, if someone came to me this afternoon and asked if they should go for an XC60 I would happily suggest they do so if it suits them. I've enjoyed mine, had a few faults that it shouldn't have had and some of its spec, media system, was poor for a car of its value. However it is still a very good car and a great mile muncher. After 5 consecutive years at looking at a near identical Volvo interior, V60 and XC60, and dash I could not face another 3yrs of the same though. The XC60 has been good but not good enough to warrant that.

[civilservant]

More importantly, how were the Alacantra seats?

[Harvey1512]

Ha ha, fair point. Actually very good, no problem at all. Definitely no sliding around.