SMH Drive gets it right for once: the Scout is better than the Outback

[Scarfies]

So here's a completely unbiased synopsis of today's paper* SMH "What car should I buy" article*:

Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback! Scout is better than the Outback!
And finally: Scout is better than the Outback! (or something like that )



PS: My wife calls our car 'Scout' (hence no 'the')

*nothing online yet

[PassatB6]

Great review...haha~ We already knew that!

[Inego]

Does anyone know what "reliability niggles" they were referring to with the Scout? This comment keeps coming up in reviews, but I've never seen specific comments as to what these are.

Apart from the DPF issue early on (which is more a design than reliability issue), mine has run faultlessly for over 12 months (and is much nicer than the Subaru it replaced, which was the model compared in this article).....

[Transporter]

Yeah, the journalist who write these articles must be living in the the past, since the car reliability drooped across all car manufacturers, other than that it could be the bias.
The best review of the car is from the owners who drive it.

[Spook]

Here is the article:

What car should I buy

[bobski]

I think they were comparing it to the year model in the budget, which was 2008 onwards. So maybe thats why they mention the niggles. By the same token and to be fair, it was also the old model outback they are comparing it to.

[Inego]

I think they were comparing it to the year model in the budget, which was 2008 onwards. So maybe thats why they mention the niggles. By the same token and to be fair, it was also the old model outback they are comparing it to.

I still don't know what the niggles were though!

The Scout and the current Outback make a more difficult comparison - the Subaru is now a larger vehicle all round, but the Skoda nicer inside and a better drive (and better looking generally). It really depends on your priorities which you'd choose.

[K1W1]

I still don't know what the niggles were though!

It's dead simple.

"It's European therefore it will be more expensive to service and less reliable overall than a Japanese car!"
That is that starting point for what seems to be the majority of the so called 'experts" who write these stories. Most reasonable intelligent people now that there is no basis in fact for the attitude but they are pandering to buyers of newspapers beliefs not any form of reality.

[dru]

It's dead simple.

"It's European therefore it will be more expensive to service and less reliable overall than a Japanese car!"

That is exactly the comments I was getting about the Skoda when we first bought it. Everyone thinks that European = $$$ servicing! Even when I explain the 15,000kms service intervals compared to 10,000kms of the average car means the cost are nearly the same, all I would hear back is "15,000kms!!! That is definitely too much!"...ugh

Back on the Scout...I had a look over the scout when I bought the vRS, definitely not a bad unit! The only thing I would have liked extra is the vRS seats in it! Definitely better than the outback - not being bias though lol

[Jake02]

Although I admit that the Scout isn't pretty, it's certainly a piece of art compared to the new Outback (or any new Subaru for that matter). Massive disappointment for myself being an old Subaru owner but I did predict that being under Toyota's wing... The Scout DSG will double its sales IMO, as will the addition of the Scout Premium model (but where are the rest of the Premium models? Octavia Premium?).

[K1W1]

I actually went to Skoda to buy a Scout but at that time they only had the old PD engine in them. If they had had the 125kW TDI I'd be very happily driving a Scout now.

[PassatB6]

After 12,000k in 5 months and zero issues, all I can say is I'm very happy with the Scout. As for the looks, I think they look better than the standard Octavia, but we all have different opinions.

Anyone else think Skodas look less retro since there are lots more of them around? Of course the FL has helped a bit.