Nearly 3 months ago, I mentioned on here that I had abandoned my ailing old Astra for a new Skoda Karoq. I had read the reports and reviews, had a test drive and, yes, that car seemed perfect for my present and likely future motoring needs.
My chosen variant was the manual 1.5tsi petrol SEL - I chose petrol because of the impending decline of diesels. The car was brilliant in every respect except one .....
Over the first few weeks of ownership, it dawned on me that the 'kangarooing' in first gear and the surprise stalling when pulling out at dodgy junctions wasn't a question of me getting used to the clutch biting point - it was an unpleasant and dangerous characteristic of the 1.5 engine. Yes, Skoda UK like to call it a 'characteristic' not an 'issue'. It seems to be more prevalent in manual rather than dsg gearboxes. Skoda are saying that this is not dangerous, while I would argue that an engine that stalls and leaves you stranded in the middle of a dodgy junction most definitely IS dangerous.
The 1.5 engine has been introduced throughout the VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat ranges and if you look on e.g. the T-roc owners websites, they are identifying the same problem. I fully expect this to be the next big issue for the VW group and whilst they are trying to keep a lid on it, it will blow in the near future.
My advice is to steer well clear of this engine and, before you buy a new car, don't just read the reviews and do a test drive but READ the owners' forums to find out what people really think of their cars.
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