Owner Experience - Laura Ambiente AT- 3500 KM

Hi All, 

I have been using Laura Ambiente AT for the last  Four Months. Could not resist posting my experience for the benefit of others.

1. Comfort Excellent. The front seats are very comfortable however; the rear seat is a little erect which means that on the long journeys, it may be a slight issue. The transmission well is too bulky and prejets inside the car, hence 3 people at the back is an issue. However very good for 4 people.

2. Ride Quality Very compliant. The car does not jump around pot holes. The Shock absorbers and the tubeless tyres work. Suspension is tuned slightly towards the stiffer side so that the car has better dynamics in high speed.  

3. NVH This is one place where Skoda really needs to work. The automatics are termed as High Speed Vehicles. The engine wuld typically lug arund in city at 1300 to 1800 RPM. This is the band in which it makes maximum noise. i have driven petrol cars and hence i find it very loud. The insulation could certainly have been better. This is my biggest grouse. At high speeds though, it is silent..   

4. Mileage For Automatics, this is the GOLDEN Question. I have measured auto cut off to auto cut off and also followed it through onboard computers. My car is delivering 13 to 13.5 KMPL in BLR traffic.  Let me tell you that there is an art in driving this car. You need to do a few things which will ensure you get good mileage. 1) – Shift to Neutral when you stop at the traffic signals. Do not keep it in the Drive Mode. 2) – with the Techo in place, learn the art of being light footed so that the gear changes sub 2000 RPM i.e. do not be heavy footed.    

Warning Please do not use the “KICK DOWN” very often. This increases the fuel consumption exponentially. Kick down is when the driver suddenly presses the accelerator and the car sensing your urgency downshifts automatically to race ahead.   

5. Gearing Smooth auto shifts. however at time yu will find car searchign for gears in sop and go city traffic. This is the department one can’t generaly complain about. In city i think, rather than DSG, the regular automatic gear boxes work better.

6. Features Music System – Acceptable. Good sound and it is IPOD compatible.However, you cant select a particular song and play. You wil have to scroll through the list and then select.. e.g. if i am on song 1. and then i want to see which are the other song in the list and then select the one i want, i will have to scroll through each of them and while scrolling the track will continue to change. In my I10, you can chose the song and then change the track which i think is an excellent feature.

Rake and Reach Steering - Precise steering. I have not come across any car with a better steering. However at that price, yu do not get steering mounted controls :(

7. AC Good and effective. However, I think in Delhi heat, it may not suffice. In BLR it is adequate and does a good job.

8. Dashboard - wide and clutter free. the plastics are the best in class.

Diesel Vs Petrol - If you are doing ay thng less than 1500 KM / Mth, Petrol is what yu shuld chose. E.g. For a diesel you pay min of 1.5 lacs extra in such cars, which translates to an additional EMI of about 5K, you can henceforth calculate. Moreover, the diesels have higher service and insurance costs too.