MOTORNETNEWS  ROAD  TEST  -  FEBRUARY  2008

SKODA  ROOMSTER  1.9 TDi

This unusual looking vehicle looks as though two teams of designers set out to make a sedan and a people mover independently then joined forced when one team had designed the front section and the other had designed the rear. The result is a quaint looking but extremely practical vehicle called the Skoda Roomster!  

It is very well equipped with convenience and safety features. It may have odd window shapes and a rear end that doesn't match the front but this roomy little wagon is nevertheless quite cute.

OUTSIDE:

With almost no overhang front or rear the Roomster looks stubby but it does allow for maximum use of the interior dimensions. The fit and finish of the sculpted bodywork are top quality. The 5-spoke alloy wheels sit nicely under the flared guards. The bumpers offer good bodywork protection and the exterior mirrors and door handles are body coloured.

Up front there is the corporate Skoda grille and teardrop headlights with three mesh air intakes below. Roof rails are optional but the rear wiper/washer system is standard.

The rear tailgate has a wide panoramic window flanked by large vertical taillights. The tailgate is very upright and this tends to keep it dust and rain free.

The rear doors have hidden handles in the C pillar and there is a large third side window. The amount of glass around the Roomster gives the interior a very airy and roomy feel. The rear section roof is much higher than the section over the front seat and, while this may look odd, it greatly improves the rear headroom and cargo space available.

INSIDE:

Once inside though the wide-opening doors you cannot believe how mush room there is in the Roomster. Head and leg room is very generous and five adults can be accommodated easily. With the rear seats in position there is far more room than you would find in any of the huge, two-tonne 4WD wagons on the market.

The seats are comfortable  and finished in an attractive grey patterned cloth. The interior trim is in soft greys and the quality of the materials would not disgrace a much more costly car.

The dashboard is quite simple and plain but everything is neat and the controls easy to use and oriented towards the driver. The hooded instrument panel keeps the reflections at bay and the large dials for speedo and tacho  are both clear and very well lit at night.

The height adjustable three spoke wheel doesn't have remote audio controls or cruise control buttons. The cruise control is on a separate stalk. There are quite a few storage spaces around the cabin and a couple of cup holders ahead of the gearshift lever.  The door pockets have provision for holding a bottle.

LUGGAGE AREA:

The fully trimmed luggage area is well designed and, with the rear seats folded, has a very large capacity. With the rear seats in place there is a very handy 450 litres of capacity, however, fold the seat backs and this rises to 1555 litres, remove the rear seats and you have an enormous 1780 litres of space.

Under the rear floor there is a full sized spare wheel and tyre.

ON THE ROAD:

The 1.9-litre diesel engine produces a modest 77kW of power at 4000rpm, however, it has 240Nm of torque from as low as 2000 rpm. This combination means the Roomster is an excellent driver in traffic and a handy cruiser on the highway. 

The clutch is very smooth and light to use and the gearbox is a delight to use (it is sourced from Volkswagen) and it makes the Roomster a very sweet car to drive.  The power steering is light but there is still road feel, the brakes are very good and the ride and handling have quite a Euro feel. Over very uneven surfaces there is a certain jiggling movement from the suspension but under most circumstances the ride is very good.

The diesel engine is noisier than may of the new breed of diesels and there is quite a lot of road noise, especially at highway speeds. The big plus for the Roomster is its economy. As a family mover this would be ideal as it averaged 5.0 litres per 100km on highway driving (lowest recorded was 4.9) and even urban traffic conditions produced an average of under 8.0 l/100km.

PRICE:            $28,990 (5-Speed manual) 

STANDARD:    Dual front, side and head airbags; ABS brakes with Electronic Brake Distribution; air-conditioning; 15: alloy wheels; cruise control; central remote locking; Electronic Stability Program; engine immobiliser; power mirrors, steering & windows; 8-speaker audio system with CD player; seat belt pre-tensioners; trip computer and Traction Control System.

OPTIONS:        Panoramic roof; Rear Parking Sensors; alarm system; metallic paint; pearl paint; roof rails; satellite navigation.