Sunday, January 4, 2009

2008 Skoda Roomster review

2008 Skoda Roomster review

CarAdvice rating:

Model Tested: 1.9 TDI manual

Recommended Retail Price: $26,990 (1.6 FSI), $28,990 (1.9 TDI)

Options Fitted: None

- by Karl Peskett

What’s the definition of cute? Ugly, but interesting.

Certainly by definition then, the new Skoda Roomster is cute. However it hasn’t had the warmest reception, judging by the responses we got in our week long test drive. Men were indifferent, but women, without exception, said it was ugly.

Are they justified? Well it’s certainly unusual. And it’s designed for that reason. But here’s the thing: Judging a book by its cover is a serious sin. Those who are critical will be the ones missing out.

2008 Skoda Roomster review

You see, not only is the Roomster immensely practical, it’s also brilliant to drive. And fun too. You know the old saying - “Looks can be deceiving”, and in this case, it’s certainly true. Although it has a tallboy stance, the Roomster’s stability on the road has to be experienced to be believed.

In the same way that the Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart alters your perception about defying a high centre of gravity, the Roomster simply hangs on to the road, and doesn’t roll anywhere near what you’d expect.

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