Faced with a rational Skoda Octavia with little foibles, body SportSedan the Mazda3 provides excitement without sacrificing practicality. Opposite in approach but perfect result in both.

represent two ends of the scale, or at least that they aim. On the one hand, sophistication and sportiness newcomer Mazda3 in 4-door body, and secondly, what should be a "bored" and rational Skoda Octavia No talk here of RS-, more conventional at all, but not even you can put a snag in its latest edition. However, reason and emotion are closer than it might seem, because the two have much to offer, not just as versatile quality products, but also as far as driving dynamics are concerned. Where virtues one end and the other begin?

The first impression when boarding the Skoda Octavia It does not do justice. Too simple for a car in which, If you close your eyes, you believe aboard a luxury sedan ride quality, quiet ride and overall feeling it conveys. Clutch, brake, change … everything is accurately calibrated with impeccable refinement and drive more generalist Audi car. And so does the driving position, because in a few moments you feel comfortable. Do not end there its good arguments, because With this engine a great softness is achieved, drizzled with a strong response from something beyond idle. Usable very few laps and without weakening the entire operating band, just to accelerate over the odds just to give you the pleasure of feeling so much torque available and good manners.

Propellers reference

But in terms of engine, biturbo Mazda is even more special. In this case, even below 1000 rpm has enough reserves to accelerate solvency and without a bad way, almost like an electric. Possibly one of the Diesel harder at such a low rate, and you can always move well below 2,000 laps with incredible ease. And if you want, stretching until well after 5000 rpm, but this needs to overcome a little less bright, middle or rather, not so exciting and too linear, less grip than his opponent. More than 7 liters of media left by the previous driver on the computer Mazda are proof of its benefits, and demonstrate that sometimes it is hard to resist, perhaps through unbelief squeeze again and again those first 2,000 rpm. Caring ways you’ll end up losing 6 liters effortlessly, even in town, thanks in part to a Stop / Start spotless and very fast, which does not transmit or vibration when starting or stopping the engine. More noticeable and not so immediate startup is the Stop / Start of Skoda, a less evolved good insurance, but does not work at all bad.

Returning to the motor, the SKYACTIV-D 2.2 also has large doses of refinement, even cold, however, generally it is worse filtering the 2.0 TDI Skoda and transmits a mechanical touch, as is the case with the change. Pedals, turn signals and to regulate the support lever (it is a precise wheel on the Skoda), they do not have the strength or the pleasant drive his Czech rival. So what other arguments, in addition to its advanced engine, put on the table the Japanese model?

When they arrive curves

With a name like SportSedan is not difficult to deduce that sportsmanship is one of its premises. Already in the day to day you notice a somewhat firmer suspension, without getting to be uncomfortable, and especially a quicker steering than the Octavia, ruled with much smaller steering wheel. It requires more attention when leaving urban areas and drive faster, although it remains a car with aplomb. This sense of dynamism that we received practically begin the march grows as our driving style is become more demanding, and becomes a sportier performance than to be a front-drive model. An electronic, combined with permissive agile rear, It makes it possible to spin curve after curve at a very high rate, and we can "complicate" with occasional controlled, much like the first Mazda6 but with more security, just that provoke oversteer. The rear reactive is willing to give us fun even placed under heavy braking in support to face the curve, but also it requires a certain level driver.

In front of the Mazda, Skoda will not let you play both with his back to change the flight path or delights you with large slides later train, but in return is much easier to drive. It feels fast and light, with a more precise front axle that of his rival, much immediacy of reactions our orders and a steering but less influenced by the accelerations -the SportSedan sometimes has a somewhat artificial return, or give a slight tirón-. Its effectiveness is high and you end up rolling faster than the Mazda, because it gives more confidence. And the greatest extent tires fitted by this unit has a step speed curve very similar, if not higher. maybe It is not as sporty, but it is far from being the gentrified car you would expect.

At the end, each offering the most compelling qualities, but there is something truly ponderable that distance Mazda his rival: his impressive standard equipment. A finishing equal (superior in both) has such interesting items as Head-Up Display, opening doors and keyless start, bi-xenon headlamps, blind spot control or brake assist system in town, all standard. Even so, costs opt for one or the other, although the choice will be successful with both.