Looks like a bargain

The new Skoda Octavia sets new standards in the compact segment as Matt Kimberley reports

The Octavia is the mainstay of Skoda’s global operation making up around 40% of the company’s sales, so a new one is just about the most important thing to happen in any fouryear product cycle. The new car’s looks are much changed. It is a lot like an oversized Rapid, but the tell-tale difference is the pair of body-coloured diagonal strips either side of the Octavia’s grille. The clean lines, reminiscent of the Audi A4 of several generations ago, will age well. It’s not quite all new, with engines carried over from the previous model. There are 1.2- and 1.4- litre petrols and two diesels in 1.6- and 2.0-litre capacities, all with stop-start tech. The entry-level offering is a 104bhp 1.2-litre petrol, which records over 55mpg and is cheap for road tax. The real story is that it’s more than £2,000 cheaper than the 1.6-litre diesel and won’t be that much more expensive to run. It’s definitely the best value in the range and it’s the one driven here in range-topping Elegance trim. The Elegance won’t be available with this engine in the UK, instead starting with the 1.4 petrol. With 90mm extra length, a chunk of extra height and a width increase to deal with, the humble turbocharged 1.2 might seem a little inadequate. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth, with a 67kg weight reduction over the previous equivalent model. The 138bhp 1.4 version is an amazing 102kg lighter, making it the much nippier option for those who want it. The Octavia is in the same market sector as its cousins the Volkswagen Golf and Seat Leon, but it has more space and practicality. An extra 108mm has gone into the wheelbase and the bulk of it has been sent to the rear of the cabin to provide massive legroom for passengers. The boot is a mere five litres bigger than before at 590 litres, which isn’t much bigger than that of the smaller Skoda Rapid, but for growing families the hugely spacious Octavia is in a class of one at this price. It has less of the authoritarian sobriety of the Golf and a more cleverly thought-out cabin design, so it’s hard not to place the Octavia at the top of the pile. Depending on the model there’s a spectrum of ‘Simply Clever’ features to make everyday life with the car easier. The Elegance, which sits above SE and entry-level S, has the full spread including a twinsided removable boot floor to protect the main carpet. One side is easily cleanable rubber, so wellies and dogs can be tossed in with no worries and no need for tarpaulins. There is also an ice scraper under the fuel filler cap, a clip to hold parking tickets or permits and eight cup-and bottle-holders for both small bottles and the larger 1.5-litre ones you often get with takeaway meals. Although you can’t call it cheap, the Elegance model compares to cars a class up for luxury and technology and side by side with its competitors it still looks like a bargain.