It depends on what year the cars were made. The Exeo was made from 2009 to 2013 and I think it had the new VAG common-rail diesel from the start. The Golf got this engine sometime in 2008 I think, the Skoda Octavia in 2009.

The SEAT depreciated faster and both it and the equivalent Octavia will be cheaper than a Golf of the same age.

The Exeo is fantastic value. Obviously based on the previous Audi A4 (2005-2008) but with the circular air vents on the dash from the A4 Convertible.

If it was my money, it would be the Exeo every time over the Golf.

Beware, as the Exceo has the same oily bits as an Audi A4 it may have the same problems as other installations of the 2.0 diesel. The oil pump tends to fail in N-S applications (Audi A4, Passat B5.5, Skoda Superb I) as it shares a chain drive with a balancer module that fails due to the extra stresses and strains (not fitted to transverse applications).

Edited by Big John on 27/09/2013 at 21:47

Is there a list of VAG diesel engines and the potential problems, as someone looking at an Exeo/A4/Octavia/Golf diesel estate its a minefield.

I know the 1.9TDi PD engines are pretty good, but later ones throw con rods, 2.0's have an oil pump problem with no chain drive, now I hear chain driven ones also have a problem and the orientation of the engine can also affect the reliability of the 2.0CR's ??!