SKODA OCTAVIA Which one?

FROM £500 VW quality for less money; what’s not to love about this family car?

IT’S the car that put modern-day Skoda on the map, and the Octavia is a spacious, reliable family model that punches above its weight. Whether it’s the hatch or estate, it beats class rivals for practicality.

Skoda’s stroke of genius was fitting stretched bodywork to Golf underpinnings, allowing the brand to offer more for less. To make the sums work, interior design had to be slightly pared back, but materials still felt robust, and newer versions are hardly basic.

More than two decades on there’s now an Octavia for every budget, whether it be a sensible and economical estate or a hot vRS performance model. The latter has proven remarkably popular, accounting for around one in five of all Octavia sales.

History

FIVE years after Skoda became part of the Volkswagen Group the first Octavia was launched, staking the brand’s market position of offering affordable, practical cars. It had a simple design and reasonably basic features, but a facelift in 2000 added more potent engines and extra kit.

Later Mk2s look more modern and the popularity of the vRS took off, helped by a potent new diesel in 2006. GreenLine diesels are the cheapest to run, yet regular 2.0-litre TDIs are almost as frugal, and better to drive.

The Mk3 got a more chiseled design, but it was the cabin that changed the most. Fit and finish became almost indistinguishable from the Golf’s, while advanced engines and more space mean the Octavia continues to feel like a motoring bargain.

THE Octavia arguably makes even more sense as an estate, offered across all three generations. Early petrols aren’t great, but the Mk2’s 1.4 TSI is economical and smooth. Diesels made up the bulk of new sales, and both 1.9 and 2.0 TDIs can return over 50mpg.

Larger cars such as the Vauxhall Insignia and Ford Mondeo offer similar space, while the Mazda 6 is stylish and sharp to drive.

Verdict

IT’S no wonder the Octavia is a hit for used buyers. Its reliability and cheap running costs are exactly what most people look for. The Skoda has a great reputation and consistently ranks highly in Driver Power.