Shifting gears and saving energy
Shifting up early saves on fuel.
Fig. 142 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km. and speed in km/h.
Manual gearbox
– Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear.
– Shift into the next higher gear when approximately 2 000-2 500 revolutions
are achieved.
An effective way of achieving good fuel economy is to shift up early . You will con-
sume more fuel if you drive at unnecessarily high revolutions in any given gear. To
shift in a fuel-efficient manner, follow ⇒
page 14, Shift recommendation for chang-
ing gears.
Automatic gearbox
– Depress the accelerator pedal slowly. Do not depress it beyond the kickdown
position, however.
Only depress the accelerator pedal slowly if your vehicle is fitted with an automat-
ic gearbox in order to automatically select an economic driving programme. You
will achieve good fuel economy by shifting up early and shifting down late.
General
The ⇒ fig. 142 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle in
the relevant gears. Fuel consumption in 1st
gear is the highest, while that in 5th or
the 6th gear is the lowest. Note
Also use the information supplied by the multi-functional indicator ⇒ page 14.Avoiding full throttle Driving more slowly means saving fuel.
Fig. 143 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km. and speed in km/h.
Sensitive use of the accelerator will not only significantly reduce fuel consumption
but also positively influence environmental pollution and wear of your vehicle.
You should avoid exploiting the top speed of your vehicle wherever possible. Fuel
consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicle noises increase disproportionally at
high speeds.
The ⇒ fig. 143 shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle.
You will cut your fuel consumption by half if you only make use three-quarters of
the possible top speed of your vehicle.
Reducing idling Idling also costs fuel.
It is worthwhile switching off the engine in a traffic jam or when waiting at a level
crossing or at traffic lights with a lengthy red phase. Even after just 30 - 40 sec-
onds you will have saved more fuel than that is needed when you start the engine
up again.
If an engine is only idling it takes much longer for it to reach its normal operating
temperature. Wear-and-tear and pollutant emissions, though, are particularly high
in the warming-up phase. This is why you should drive off right after starting the
engine. Do avoid high engine revolutions at this time, however. 164
Driving and the environment
Regular servicing
A poorly tuned engine uses an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.
Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a specialist garge enables you to satisfy
one of the requirements for economical motoring even before you set off on your
journey. Keeping your vehicle properly serviced not only has a positive effect on
the safety of your vehicle and maintaining its value, but also saves on fuel.
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10 % higher than
normal.
The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according to the
Service schedule by a specialist garage.
Also check the oil level after refuelling. Oil consumption is dependent to a consid-
erable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil consumption could be as
high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine has a higher oil consumption at first, and rea-
ches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is therefore not possi-
ble to correctly assess the oil consumption of a new vehicle until after you have
driven about 5 000 km. For the sake of the environment
● You can achieve additional improvements in your fuel economy by using high-
lubricity oils.
● Check the ground below your car at regular intervals to detect any leakages in
good time. Please have your vehicle inspected by a specialist garage if you find
any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor. Avoid driving short distances Short distances result in an above-average high fuel consumption.
Fig. 144 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km at different temperatures
– Avoid driving a distance of no more than 4 km if the engine is cold.
The engine and catalytic converter must first have reached their optimal operat-
ing temperature in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption and pollutant
emissions.
The cold engine vehicle consumes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel immediate-
ly after starting. Fuel consumption drops to 10 litres/100 km after just 1 kilometre.
The engine reaches its operating temperature (outside temperature and engine
dependent) only after about 4 to 10 kilometres and the fuel consumption then
stabilizes. You should therefore avoid driving short distances whenever possible.
An important factor in this connection is also the ambient temperature. The
⇒ fig. 144 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the
one hand at +20 °C and on the other hand at -10
°C. Your vehicle has a higher fuel
consumption in winter than in summer.
Checking tyre inflation pressures Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.
Always ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure at all times. The
rolling resistance will be increased if the tyre filling pressure is too low. This will
not only increase fuel consumption but also tyre wear and the driving behaviour
will worsen.
Always check the inflation pressure of the tyres when cold. £ 165
Driving and the environment Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
Do not drive with winter tyres all year round for this costs about 10 % more fuel.
Winter tyres are also louder.
No unnecessary ballast Transporting ballast costs fuel.
The fact that every kilogram of extra weight increases your fuel consumption
means that it is worth taking a look in the luggage compartment to avoid trans-
porting any unnecessary ballast.
It is particularly in town traffic, when one is accelerating quite often, that the vehi-
cle weight will have a significant effect upon the fuel consumption. A rule of
thumb here is that an increase in weight of 100 kilograms will cause an increase in
fuel consumption of about 1 litre/100 kilometres.
You may frequently also leave a roof rack fitted on just out of convenience, al-
though you no longer need it. The increased aerodynamic drag of your vehicle
causes it to use about 10 % more fuel than normal at a speed of 100 - 120 km/h,
even when you are not carrying a load on the roof.
Saving electricity Generating electricity costs fuel.
– Switch off electrical components as soon as you no longer need them.
When the engine is running, the alternator generates and supplies electrical pow-
er. If more electrical components of the electrical system are switched on, more
fuel is needed to operate the alternator.
Keeping a log of your fuel consumption If you really wish to keep a close check on your
fuel consumption, it is best to en-
ter the figures in a logbook. This does not take much time but is a very worthwhile
exercise. It enables you to detect any change (positive and negative) at an early
stage and to take any appropriate action.
If you find that your fuel consumption is too high, you should reflect on how,
where and in what conditions you have driven the vehicle since you last refuelled. Environmental compatibility Environmental protection has played a major role in the design, selection of mate-
rials and manufacture of your new ŠKODA. Particular emphasis has been paid to a
number of aspects, including:
Design measures
● Joints designed to be easily detached.
● Simplified disassembly due to the modular structure system.
● Improved purity of different classes of materials.
● Identification of all plastic parts in accordance with VDA Recommendation 260.
● Reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emission CO
2.
● Minimum fuel leakage during accidents.
● Reduced noise.
Choice of materials
● Extensive use of recyclable material.
● Air conditioning filled with CFC-free refrigerant.
● No cadmium.
● No asbestos.
● Reduction in the “vaporisation” of plastics.
Manufacture
● Solvent-free cavity protection.
● Solvent-free protection of the vehicle for transportation from the production
plant to the customer.
● The use of solvent-free adhesives.
● No CFCs used in the production process.
● Without use of mercury.
● Use of water-soluble paints.
Trade-in and recycling of old cars
ŠKODA meets the requirements of the brand and its products regarding environ-
ment and resource protection. All new
ŠKODA vehicles can be utilized up to 95 %
and always 1)
be returned. In a lot of countries sufficient trade-in networks have £1)
Subject to fulfilment of the national legal requirements. 166
Driving and the environment
been created, where you can trade-in your vehicle. After you trade-in your vehicle,
you will receive a confirmation stating the recycling in accordance with environ-
mental regulations.
Vehicles with special built-on types
Technical documents regarding changes carried out on the vehicle must be kept
by the vehicle user, in order to hand over later to the old car user. This ensures the
recycling in accordance with environmental regulations. Note
Detailed information about the trade-in and recycling of old cars is available from
a ŠKODA Service Partner.
Motoring abroad General Other circumstances may exist abroad.
It is also possible, in certain countries, that the ŠKODA Service Partner network is
limited or has not been established yet. This is the reason why obtaining certain
spare parts may be somewhat complicated and specialist garage personnel may
only be able to make limited repairs. ŠKODA in the Czech Republic and its foreign
importers are happy to provide information about technical aspects of the vehicle,
required maintenance work and possibilities for getting repairs done.
Unleaded petrol A vehicle fitted with a petrol engine must always be refuelled with unleaded pet-
rol
⇒ page 162
. The automobile associations can provide you with information re-
garding the locations of filling stations which offer unleaded petrol.
Headlight The low beam of your headlights is set asymmetrically. It illuminates the side of
the road on which you are driving to a greater extent. If you drive abroad on the
other side of the road, you will dazzle oncoming traffic.
In order to prevent the dazzling of oncoming traffic, it is necessary that an adjust-
ment of the headlights is carried out by a specialist garage. The adaptation of the headlights with Xenon lights (applies to vehicles which are
designed for driving on the left and on the right) is performed in the menu Set-
tings Travel mode of the information display ⇒ page 18
.
Avoiding damage to your vehicle When driving on poor roads and lanes or when driving over kerbstones, steep
ramps etc., you must pay particular attention to ensuring that any low-slung parts
of the vehicle, such as spoiler and exhaust, do not touch the ground and get dam-
aged.
This particularly applies to models with a lowered suspension (sport suspension)
and also when your vehicle is fully laden.
Driving through bodies of water on roads Fig. 145 Crossing bodies of water
In order to avoid damage to the vehicle when driving through bodies of water (e.g.
flooded roads), observe the following:
● Determine the depth of the water when driving through bodies of water. The
water can reach at the maximum the web on the lower sill of the vehicle
⇒ fig. 145 .
● Drive no more than at walking speed. At a higher speed, a water wave can
form in front of the vehicle which can cause water to penetrate into the air induc-
tion system of the engine or into other parts of the vehicle.
● Never let the vehicle stand in the water, never drive backwards and do not
switch off the engine. £ 167
Driving and the environment Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
WARNING
● Driving through water, mud, sludge etc. can reduce the braking power and
extend the braking distance - risk of accident!
● Avoid sudden and severe braking manoeuvres immediately after driving
through bodies of water.
● After driving through bodies of water, the brakes must be cleaned and
dried as soon as possible by intermittent braking. Only apply the brakes for
the purpose of drying and cleaning the brake discs if the traffic conditions per-
mit this. Do not place any other road users in jeopardy. CAUTION
● When driving through bodies of water, parts of the vehicle such as the engine,
gearbox, catalytic converter, chassis or electrics can be severely damaged.
● Oncoming vehicles can generate water waves which can exceed the permissi-
ble water level for your vehicle.
● Potholes, mud or rocks can be hidden under the water making it difficult or im-
possible to drive through the body of water.
● Do not drive through salt water. The salt can lead to corrosion. Immediately
rinse all the parts of the vehicle, which came into contact with the salt water, with
fresh water. Note
After driving through a body of water, we recommend that the vehicle is checked
by a specialist garage.
Off-road driving Important information WARNING
● Never drive too fast, particularly not around curves, and never undertake
extreme driving manoeuvres.
● Always adjust your speed and adapt your style of driving to suit road, off-
road, traffic and weather conditions. WARNING (Continued)
● In case the vehicle is stationary on a hillside at a steep angle, do not exit
the vehicle when it is facing downhill. Through this the overall centre of gravi-
ty can shift in such a way that the vehicle tilts and rolls down the hillside -
hazard! Always carefully exit your vehicle on the side facing uphill
⇒ page 174
.
● A lack of experience and knowledge when driving off-road can lead to criti-
cal situations and serious injuries.
● Never choose a dangerous route and never take a risk which could jeop-
ardize your safety and that of your passengers. If you cannot go on or if you
doubt the safety of the route, turn back and choose another way. Even a ter-
rain, which looks harmless, can be difficult and dangerous, and may bring you
and your passengers into a critical situation.
● If you have not fastened your seat belt correctly or you are not wearing
your seat belt at all, or you are holding the steering wheel incorrectly when
driving off-road, the risk of severe or even fatal injuries increases. Correctly
fastened seat belts reduce serious injuries in case of sudden braking manoeu-
vers and accidents. As long as the vehicle is in motion, always have your seat
belt and those of your passengers correctly fastened. Take your thumbs off
the steering wheel when driving off-road. Should resistance build up in front
of the wheels, the steering wheel may suddenly and unexpectedly spin and
hurt you. Hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the outer edge in
the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position.
● If you have not fastened your seat belt correctly or you are not wearing
your seat belt at all, or you are holding the steering wheel incorrectly when
driving off-road, the risk of severe or even fatal injuries increases.
● Correctly fastened seat belts reduce serious injuries in case of sudden
braking manoeuvres and accidents. Therefore you and your passengers must
always fasten your seat belts correctly as long as the vehicle is moving.
● Take your thumbs off the steering wheel when driving off-road. If the
wheels hit an obstacle, the steering wheel may suddenly and unexpectedly
spin and hurt you!
● Never use the cruise control system when driving off-road. The use of the
cruise control system when driving off-road is unsuitable and can even be
dangerous.
● Do not drive over embankments, ramps or hillsides at too high a speed.
This can lead to the wheels of the vehicle lifting off the ground so that you
can no longer steer and control the vehicle. £168
Driving and the environment
Explanation of technical terms
Fig. 146 Embankment angle/slope angle
Fig. 147 Ground clearance/ramp angle
The technical data
⇒
page 230, Angle (in degree) refer to ideal conditions. These
values may differ depending on the load and composition of the soil and the envi-
ronment. The driver is responsible to decide whether a vehicle can overcome a
certain situation.
Embankment angle (front and rear) ATransition from the horizontal plane to an upward slope or from a downward
slope back to the plane. The angle indication determines the angle at which you
can drive the vehicle down the embankment, at a slow speed, without the bumper
or the underbody of the vehicle touching the ground. Slope angle
B The difference of altitude (upward slope) which is overcome on a stretch of road
of 100 m, is indicated in percentage or degrees, i.e the gradiant at which the vehi-
cle can climb a hill on its own (among other things, depending on the road surface
and the engine power).
Ground clearance
C The distance between the road surface and the deepest point of the vehicle un-
derbody.
Ramp angle D The angle indication determines the angle at which you can drive the vehicle over
a ramp, at a slow speed, without the underbody of the vehicle touching the ramp
edge.
WARNING
When exceeding the maximum value given in the table ⇒
page 230, Angle (in
degree), this can result in serious injuries and/or vehicle damage. All of the da-
ta was determined on flat, firm and non-slip road surfaces as well as under dry
weather conditions. There are no ideal off-road conditions. Therefore, never
completely go according to the maximum values, but always leave a safety
margin.
Useful utensils Many items can be very useful when driving off-road, for example:
● compass and maps,
● torch and spare batteries,
● mobile phone or CB radio,
● tow bar or tow rope with sufficient tear strength,
● electrically driven tyre pump for connecting to the 12-volt power outlet of the
vehicle,
● a blanket and rubber boots,
● snow chains,
● a timber plank which is approximately 4 cm thick and about 1 metre long can
be used as a traction aid when the vehicle is stuck or as a base for the lifting jack,
● additional tools and a folding yardstick or a measuring tape, £170
Driving and the environment
●
spare wheel and tyre repair kit,
● shovel.
Safe off-road driving Adopt a correct seated position and always fasten the seat belt correctly. Make
sure that your front passenger and your passengers seated on the rear seats al-
ways fasten their seat belts correctly.
When driving off-road, it is perhaps more useful to adopt a slightly different seat-
ed position. Depending on the terrain, an increased force may be required to turn
the steering wheel because the force is transferred from the front wheels to the
steering wheel. You must be seated in such a way that you have good front visibil-
ity, especially when driving uphill or downhill. You must never be seated in such a
way that the distance between your chest and the middle of the airbag cover is
less than 25 cm ⇒
page 139.
Under no circumstances must you drive off-road with high heels, slippery or open
shoes. You should wear shoes which fit your feet well and allow you to get a feel
for the pedals. WARNING
Observe the important guidelines ⇒
page 168.
Before driving off-road ●
Make sure the tyres are suitable for the planned off-road journey. Before you
drive through difficult terrain, equip your vehicle with off-road tyres.
● Fill up your tank. The fuel consumption of the vehicle is much higher when
driving off-road than when driving on the road.
● Install the towing eye at the front or at the rear before driving off-road. It is
not always possible to install the towing eye if the vehicle got stuck.
● Always check the inflation pressure of all the tyres and if necessary correct it.
● Check the vehicle tool kit and supplement it according to your needs.
● Fill with engine oil up to the line A , so that the engine is sufficiently supplied
with engine oil when the vehicle is in a tilted position ⇒
page 191, Check engine
oil level.
● Top up wash fluid.
● Stow your load as low as possible in the vehicle and attach all the items which
are loose. Off-road driving ●
Never be alone when driving off-road and be prepared to encounter unexpec-
ted situations. Travel together with at least two off-road vehicles. Equipment with
which you can call for help in an emergency is particularly useful.
● Drive slowly through unclear terrain.
● You must stop when encountering difficult passages and explore the continu-
ation of the route on foot. If you cannot go on or if you doubt the safety of the
route, turn back and choose another way.
● Drive slowly over hilltops. Make sure that the wheels of the vehicle do not lift
off the ground, as this could severely damage the vehicle and it may become disa-
bled.
● Drive slowly on difficult stretches of the route. When driving on a slippery
ground, shift up into the next higher gear and make sure that the vehicle always
stays in motion. Do not drive too fast so that you don't lose control over your vehi-
cle.
● If your vehicle got stuck in sand, snow or sludge, it may be more effective to
reverse the vehicle than trying to drive forwards.
● Place stones, footmats or pieces of wood under the spinning wheels in order
to achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground.
● Do no drive through water before reading what you must take into account
⇒ page 167.
● Keep sufficient distance from other vehicles even at low speeds. When the
first vehicle suddenly gets stuck, the following vehicle can still stop in time with-
out getting stuck itself.
● Do not plan day trips which are too far in distance.
● Do not use the cruise control system when driving off-road. It is only intended
for driving on the road. WARNING
● The intelligent engineering of your vehicle cannot overcome the physical
limits of your vehicle.
● Be very alert and look ahead when driving off-road. Excessive speed or in-
correct driving manoeuvres can cause damage to the vehicle and lead to seri-
ous injuries.
● Observe the important guidelines ⇒ page 168. £ 171
Driving and the environment Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
CAUTION
● Pay attention to the ground clearance of the vehicle! The vehicle can be se-
verely damaged and become disabled once it touches the ground.
● Never drive off-road with an almost empty fuel tank. The fuel supply to the en-
gine can be interrupted and therefore the catalytic converter can be severely
damaged.
● Do not leave your foot on the clutch pedal or let the clutch slip when driving
off-road. Overwise you may unintentionally depress the clutch pedal on uneven
ground leading to a loss of control over the vehicle. In addition, the force for con-
necting the engine and the gearbox is lost. Moreover, driving while letting the
clutch slip causes a fast wear of the clutch linings. Note
The fuel consumption is higher when driving off-road than when driving on con-
ventional roads, especially through difficult terrain. When you prepare for your
journey, be aware of an increase in fuel consumption; the nearest filling station
may be far away.
Shifting gears correctly The gear you must shift into depends on the terrain. Choosing the correct gear
contributes to safe driving. In particular if you do not have much experience driv-
ing off-road, it is always better, before negotiating a difficult stretch of the road,
to pause and reflect on which gear to engage. Your experience will tell you which
gear is the best for certain sections of the terrain.
Basically:
● When the gear or the driving stage has been properly selected, it is unneces-
sary to slow down the vehicle on a downhill section using the footbrake as in
most cases the engine braking power is sufficient.
● Depress the accelerator only as much as is necessary. A too great acceleration
may lead to the wheels spinning and thus results in the loss over the control of
the vehicle. Manual gearbox
● If you are driving through difficult terrain, on no account use the clutch or
change the gear. When the clutch is depressed, the vehicle may come to a stand-
still because of the increased grip of all the tyres of the vehicle (e.g. in the mud, in
deep sand or on a slope). Once the vehicle has come to a standstill, it may be diffi-
cult or even impossible to start off under these conditions.
● When negotiating a steep downhill section or a steep uphill section, always
shift into the 1st or 2nd gear.
● On a soft or slippery ground, you must drive at the appropriate speed and you
must select the highest possible gear for this.
Automatic gearbox
● Select the selector lever position D for normal flat stretches of terrain
⇒ page 113.
● While in the Tiptronic mode, select the selector lever position 3 or
2 if you
are driving through mud, sand, water or hilly sections of terrain ⇒ page 115.
● When negotiating a steep downhill section or a steep uphill section, select the
selector lever position 1 while in the Tiptronic mode.
● On a soft or slippery ground, you must drive at the appropriate speed and you
must select the highest possible driving stage.
Driving over rough and smooth Fig. 148 Observe the ground clearance
– Switch on the Off-road mode ⇒ page 160 .
– Drive at walking speed over rocky passages.
– If it is not possible to drive around a stone, gently drive onto the stone with
one of the front wheels and then drive over it slowly. £172
Driving and the environment