 Poster: A snowHead
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Right ... I am VAG person, and have gone to the Alps in things VW and Skoda. Tourans, Golfs, Passats and Octavias. And jolly good they’ve been. But I am now hankering after 4wd - having struggled this winter - albeit successfully - to avoid chains. Have used Pirelli Snow Controls and Nokians for years.
Am considering:
Amarok - like the idea of throwing everything in the back. Including DH bikes in the summer. But oh the fuel - and I will only just be able to squeeze it in the garage in CH.
Octavia Scout - but not as bold a move - may be much better on the long haul from uk to ch.
Yeti - children hate the idea. But good that you can remove the seats in the back completely.
Any experience of each or views on relative merits?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yeti has been replaced with Kodiaq and/or Karoq.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yes - was wondering about a Tiguan or skoda yeti replacement things - daughter likes the Tiguan and groans when I say yeti - but the seats come out and that’s good.....
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Karoq is the Yeti replacement, Kodiaq is bigger and can seat 7 (at the expense of all your luggage space). FWIW we have a Yeti and it's a very capable and flexible car, but you'd struggle to get everything required for a week's skiing for a family in it without resorting to roof box/rack.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Had a Yeti from GVA the other year. We only went to Flaine but it was very comfy and well equipped. Coped with the roads well enough.
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How about a Lambo with roof box ala Jon Olsen? 
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@valais2, i have a new v6 amrok and have used it for mtb and ski trips to the alps and all over the uk ,i achieve an average 30 mpg . imho its the best drive of all of the current crop of suv type pick ups , only draw back is lack of storage space when carry mates with all there gear , but a custom built lock box has sorted that . its fitted with winter tyres and have never been even near stuck in any conditions , its also great for self uplifts in some cheeky mtb locations in the uk
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Audi.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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If you like VWs, how about the Tiguan or Touran? Also the new T-Roc is available in 4WD.
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Ordinary (non-scout) octavia is the boring but very capable option...comfortable, swallows a family's kit, and unlikely to fail unless the snow is really deep. I had two in succession, and would happily have another. Now got a Passat and it's more refined, but only went that way because there wasn't an electric octavia.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ask about special seating options. My father wanted a car a few years ago where the front seat would fold forward flat, to get a full length in one side. Various makers offered it eg Vauxhaul Meriva but didn't advertise it.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I've got the Kodiak. 4WD auto with the 190bhp diesel. Only a few months old but so far getting about 40mpg. I've got the 5 seat version and the boot is colossal, great for bikes or skis plus luggage. Only been driven on snow once but handled fresh snow on a steep road without any drama. Only watch out is that the standard tyre sizes don't have clearance for normal snow chains. Not a problem if you're planning on having a narrower set of winter wheels/tyres. I've fitted all year round tyres on mine so I'll need to buy expensive chains if I ever plan on taking it to the Alps.
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I have a Toyota hilux invincible for sale 2012 with snow chains (never used) if that takes your fancy?
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You know it makes sense.
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We've got an Octavia Scout with a spare set of 16" wheels and winter tyres. Jump in start engine and go. No issues at all even with 20 cm of fresh snow. 50+ mpg.
Skoda Superb estate 4x4?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thanks people - good feedback very useful
Jonm - I like that word. And the red instrument lighting. A4 Quattro estate might be a good option.
mgrolf - that’s exactly what we have now - very capable - and had been fine on winters in almost all conditions in the last three seasons - but struggled on the steep drive to our ch garage. Winters and 4wd would have got us in but on FWD and winters it all turned into a digging fest to clear some road.
So Octavia Scout is a good option
Re capacity of yeti, there are four of us but we don’t need to take all our gear since that’s already out there. Christmas presents tend to fill the Octavia for December both out and back and that can make it a squeeze sometimes.
30mpg in the Amarok is terrifying. They are great vehicles and I fancy one (no need to use trailer anymore to haul logs, etc) but we average 56 in the Octavia and 58 in our aged Touran so it’s a big fuel hit
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Poster: A snowHead
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58 real mpg in a Touran is going some isn't it?
Even the claims for the bluemotions are only a shade over that.
With a family and VAG constraint I'd probably go Superb 4wd estate. Not that many around though if you like to go nearly new for depn teasons.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@valais2, oops, missed the 4wd bit out. Not convinced the scout is worth the extra over the regular 4x4 (which is what I had).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@mgrolf, I'd agree with that - you only need to see how many Octavia 4x4 estates (non Scout) you see with Swiss plates in the Alps to get confirmation that they cope fine.
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@Dave of the Marmottes, ...that’s the figure we were getting going uk-ch so all long haul - cruise set at 115kph. We still have the car but it’s assigned to local duties - has 200,000 on the clock, 2005 1.9 tdi SE - when we first got it, we were getting 50-52mpg which seemed good compared with the stated 47 - but we knew the car had been very carefully run-in and maintained. The engine did something which I have found happens on these 1.9 engines, which is to loosen up considerably at 90.000 miles. That happened on the Passat, Jetta and Octavia which we have had with that engine. Much more power, smoother, and mpg improves a lot. Maybe it meters wrongly, but the dash computer went from 52 ish to 56, then 58 over the next couple if years, on the same trip. Kids were small then, and car with very little stuff in it since we don’t need to Schlep gear. The engine is amazingly smooth now, at over 200,000 on the clock, with no oil topups needed between services - oh, and I switched it to 10,000 service interval and higher spec oil when we got the car, which had 30k on the clock
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I have a superb estate 4x4 190DSG having previously had the previous model Tiguan and I must say I am very impressed with it. It covers the miles between the UK and the Haute Savoie very easily, will do 50mpg at the speeds mentioned about or still 40+ when driven at 135kph+. I run snow tyres and it coped as I would expect in the 4 inches of snow at Christmas, the only downside is that the wheel arch clearance is small so snow does tend to get built up there. We looked at Audi but the boot was less practical in the A6 and the space in the Superb for the occupants, especially in the back is much better. If you can find a used one then I would recommend it as the depreciation is big.
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@RTB, I thought the Superb was an A6 with a Skoda badge. I had a hire one for a week in Val last summer and it felt like the same size. Nice cars.
I've got an A6 BiTDi. It's economic cruising on the autoroutes (8sp gearbox), very powerful up the hill and for overtaking coaches (320PS), very comfortable, huge amounts of room (luggage and people) and is AWD. I think it's pretty much the perfect car for alpine excursions.
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@bar shaker, the A6 BiTDi sounds perfect (and so powerful) but we could not fit in our dog crate and everything else in the boot. The slope on the back didn’t help. I think the superb is built on a slightly longer wheelbase than the Audi or VW and hence the massive passenger space. I am not sure you can go wrong with the Audi, VW, Skoda equivalents, it all depends on the money you want to spend, power you need and the badge you want. 4x4 and snow tyres is what makes so much difference
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@valais2, Personally I'd stick with something from the VAG range as you like them and familiar with them. I really really wanted the Sharan with 4Motion option but they don't seem to offer this in UK.
I have seen the PAssat with 4Motion, that should have a reasonable boot for dog cage?
Have over the years had Octavia (still my commute car), Sharan, Alhambra, Golf, PAssat, Polo and all good cars.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Hired a Tiguan I'm Switzerland recently with winter tyres. Took us up to 1800m in very deep snow without a slip. I was very impressed. I have one at home and I don't think the 4 motion has ever engaged. Ours is the sport version which, although fast, I wouldn't recommend. The ride is firm as anything and not great unless the roads are smooth. Some of the bluemotions have amazing economy and are plenty powerful enough
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there are only three options i would consider having spent considerable time in the motor trade.
Hilux - if you want a pickup.
Landrover - Disco 4 - if you want to be comfortable.
Audi Allroad - if youre tight enough to worry about MPG  - you can get dog crates made to fit them and they dont rattle about which is a bonus.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Why not just have two cars? one for the 4X4 slog (old shoguns are great, reliable and really cheap) then a "normal" car for everyday?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
Landrover - Disco 4 - if you want to be comfortable.
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This is our current family car and it is an awesome workhorse - carries 5 of us in comfort (one of the few cars with three proper seats in 2nd row), along with all our stuff. With winter tyres it won't get stuck in many places either.
However fuel economy is pants - realistically mid-20s and it can be pricey if (when) things go wrong, extended warranty essential. Price seems to be creeping up lately as well, personal view the last of the D4s are in high demand as the new D5 has gone too upmarket
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Hired a Ford C-Max Grand at Christmas from Grenoble and squeezed five adults in plus luggage. It had winter tyres fitted and we really needed them as very snowy in resort. Was impressed though with the way it handled the snow and ice.
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You know it makes sense.
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| valais2 wrote: |
30mpg in the Amarok is terrifying. They are great vehicles and I fancy one (no need to use trailer anymore to haul logs, etc) but we average 56 in the Octavia and 58 in our aged Touran so it’s a big fuel hit |
It's also huge, heavy, and with a very un-even weight distribution - ie likely terrifying any time you have to go downhill in snowy conditions.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
Skoda Superb estate 4x4?
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It what my wife has and it does the run to Les Arcs and the Dolomites very well. There is tonnes of room in the back, it's very comftable and uptil now hasn't been stuck. Incidently the Superb is very diferent beast to the Audi A6. for a start the engine is the otherway around so there is less room in the rear.
I drive a smaller version of the superb - a 4wd drive Audi TT.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@clarky999, hmmm...good point, although the buses around us are one of the few things to stagger around unperturbed by deep snow (ie huge heavy and no chains) any Amarok would only have 4 pairs skis, 8 boots and 8 gloves on the rear load bed - well short of the 1 tonne max payload it’s designed for, so indeed very uneven weight distribution.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'd go for a Porsche Macan S
Just have it with the standard 18" wheels and all weather tyres.
3 litre diesel returns almost 40mpg if you can keep the speed down, but you wont be able to keep the speed that low.
Spec it with heated seats and Xenon lights (it will have light washers then).
It will either get you there fast and or in comfort
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I now work for VAG in a manner of speaking. So armed with a very healthy staff discount my next car will be one. No great hurry, my little Punto does just fine at the moment, but it is a wee bit too small.
So the next one will have to be slightly bigger, but equally economical, NOT a big mothership, NOT diesel and NOT 4WD. I'm sure I will have fun deciding. I might even ask here for advice... 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@queenie pretty please, might be too big (though still classed as a small estate), but we just got another Golf estate after two previous Golf-based models. Insurance is horrendous, but it should go a while. Standard Golf is a good bet too, just not as easy to chuck skis in.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Much more power, smoother, and mpg improves a lot. Maybe it meters wrongly, but the dash computer went from 52 ish to 56, then 58 over the next couple if years, on the same trip.
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You have seen the headlines about VAG and their dodgy diesels, right?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Xtrail Tekna 4WD - never needed chains
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Interesting thread, which is relevant to me because I’m thinking of changing my car this summer.
My current car situation is that I have a Mercedes E Class diesel which I have owned for seven years. I wouldn’t normally have planned to change it yet as it’s in mint condition and I’ve had no problems with it. It’s super comfortable, very quiet, is very well built and has excellent performance both in terms of speed and economy – all the things which I regard as important when choosing a car. Normally I would have expected to replace it in due course with a newer version of the same car.
However my situation has changed this year with me taking early retirement and having bought a small apartment in Les Arcs so that I can spend as much time around here as I like. Obviously a rear wheel drive car isn’t ideal in the mountains, especially on the summer tyres it currently wears, but snowchains have sufficed so far and I could fit winters in future. The problem I’ve encountered is the Charvet car park in Les Arcs. Built in the 70s, it has extraordinarily steep ramps between floors which probably weren’t a problem when cars were simpler and less low sprung. Each ramp has a sign on it warning of the risk of grounding and I can confirm that taking my car off the ground floor results in a truly alarming sound of metal grating against the concrete as the car drags its underside over the lip. I don’t think that my car is particularly unusual in this and this results in the ground floor being permanently full and other floors having space. Anyone else had this problem?
So I’ve decided that it’s time to consider getting a car that better fulfils my revised requirements. I still want a quality, comfortable, quiet and well performing car (not necessarily as fast as the E Class) but I think I need to add 4WD and decent ground clearance (Thinks: SUV). It needs to be good in the mountains. As I’m probably not as good a driver as I was 20 years ago, plenty of safety kit and driver aids would probably be sensible.
Having been a very satisfied user of Mercedes cars for many years I am naturally drawn towards the GLC which seems to fit the requirements very well. Does anyone have experience of these cars and have any comments to make? An alternative would be a new E Class with the air suspension but I think this would now be a bit pricey for me once I’d got near the options list. What other cars would people recommend?
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My previous car was a 4x4 superb with winter tires in the winter, it did great in the snow and fit everything in.
I currently have a kodiaq and I’m impressed, it managed to pull my (empty) Horse trailer up a hill in fresh snow. We have winter tires on it as we legally have to have these or all weather and well, we don’t think much of all weather. If you fold the back seats down the space in the back is huge!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Scarlet, definitely on the list as is Seat Leon and Skoda Rapid. Still almost class as small cars but big enough to get skis in. The Punto does carry skis but they are almost on my shoulder and the langlauf skis interfere with the handbrake! 
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| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
| Xtrail Tekna 4WD - never needed chains |
Ditto. BUT, we are considering buying something different next time, as hubby isn't convinced with the new model. The model we have has room for dogs, luggage, even two adult kids, and us if we put the roof box on.
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