Skoda Octavia

EVERYDAY VALUE FOR A FAMILY HATCH

Skoda's improved third generation Octavia looks an even stronger proposition. Jonathan Crouch reports

Ten Second Review

A Skoda Octavia was once the least sophisticated of all the Volkswagen Group's family hatchback products. Not any more. Almost nothing has been held back for this third generation version, which now features smarter looks, a hi-tech 1.0-litre TSI entry-level petrol engine, the option of adaptive damping further up the range and more sophisticated optional smartphone connectivity.

Background

You can trace the Skoda success story of the last couple of decades back to the original launch of one model: this one - the Octavia.

Right from its very first appearance in 1996, this has been a car that's always super-sized its value proposition, offering more space than the class norm. For first and second generation versions, that class saw competition amongst Focus and Astra-class family hatches. This MK3 model though, took a step up in the world, virtually big enough to compete with Mondeos and Insignias in the larger medium range segment.

An Octavia then, that's larger than previous generation versions were - and cleverer too - as it has to be to distance itself from the simpler, smaller Rapid model. The Rapid is the car to choose for Skoda motoring as it used to be, light on frills and cutting-edge technology but solid, reliable, value-laden and built to last. This improved Octavia, in contrast, is more a signpost to a direction the Czech brand wants to go in the future: one that shares the very latest technology with more luxurious brands in the Volkswagen Group stable.

Driving Experience

As with the Volkswagen Golf and the SEAT Leon, the German engineers who created this car took a pragmatic approach to driving dynamics, deciding that drivers opting for lower order engines wouldn't care too much about cutting edge handling response. So the sophisticated multilink rear suspension is reserved for the performance-oriented vRS models, the most powerful of which uses the 2.0-litre TSI petrol unit borrowed from the Golf GTI.

Here though, we're focusing on the mainstream variants that most Octavia customers will be considering, all suspended with a much humbler torsion beam arrangement. A very large proportion of customers opt for entry-level petrol power, previously a 1.2-litre unit but now a more frugal and sophisticated 1.0-litre engine developing 115PS and 200NM of torque. It can be ordered with or without 7-speed DSG auto transmission and in manual form, makes 62mph in 9.6s. Otherwise, the engines on offer are much as before. Petrol people get a 1.4 TSI 150PS unit or, in the top vRS performance models, 230PS or 245PS versions of the 2.0 TSI turbo unit borrowed from the Golf GTI. Those in search of a diesel get either a 115PS 1.6 or 150 or 184PS versions of the usual 2.0 TDI unit. Opt for an engine with 150PS or more and you get the option of DCC adaptive damping. 4WD is an option with the 2.0 TDI engine.

Design and Build

Skoda people will probably quite like the fact that the look and feel of this car doesn't attract too much attention, even in this updated form where the lines have been streamlined, especially at the front. The two adjacent headlights form a dual face with a crystalline look and feature full-LED technology. The brand logo has gained more presence, with the front of the car featuring what the Czech maker hopes is a more powerful and wider appearance.

So-called 'Simply Clever' features include an allergen filter for the Climatronic air conditioner, an optional rear-view camera that's kept clean using washer jets and an optional umbrella under the front passenger seat. Plus iPads can be mounted to the front seats' backrests.

Market and Model

Expect to pay somewhere in the £17,000 to £30,000 bracket for mainstream versions of this Octavia. The two bodystyles - hatch and estate - are mated with TSI petrol or TDI diesel power. Petrol-wise, the range now starts with a clever 115PS three cylinder unit in the case of the entry-level version. Above that sits a 150PS 1.4 or a 2.0 TSI vRS variant offering 230 or 245PS. Diesel drivers choose between 1.6 or 2.0-litre TDI units. 4WD is an option with the 2.0 TDI engine. There's the choice of six main trim levels - S, SE, SE Technology, SE L, Laurin & Klement and vRS. Whichever one you choose, your car will come with alloy wheels, tinted glass, climate-controlled air conditioning that also cools the glovebox, a height-adjustable driver's seat, a four-spoke leather-covered steering wheel, a trip computer, an eight-speaker stereo with a DAB digital radio and USB and AUX-in sockets and a hill holder clutch that stops you from drifting backwards on uphill junctions.

Cost of Ownership

The big news for Octavia buyers in recent times is that a turbo-charged, three-cylinder petrol engine has replaced the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder variant at the foot of the range. From its engine size of 999cc, the 1.0 TSI powerplant produces 115PS and is 8% more efficient than the previous 1.2 TSI unit. The hatchback with 7-speed DSG can return 62.8mpg emitting 108g/km of CO2, while the manual gearbox is similarly frugal and rated at 110g/km.

The rest of the engine range is also very efficiency-minded. Best of the bunch is the 1.6-litre TDI diesel, able to return nearly 70mpg on the combined cycle and put out 106g/km of CO2, thanks to a Start/stop system that cuts then engine when you don't need it, stuck in traffic or waiting at the lights. Opt for the pokier 150PS 2.0-litre TDI diesel and you can also expect nearly 70mpg and 113g/km of CO2. What else? Well, insurance ranges between groups 13 to 20 on the 1-50 scale for mainstream models. There's the usual three year / 60,000 mile warranty. And there's the choice between fixed or flexible servicing regimes, depending on whether your annual mileage is short or long.

Summary

Like its Korean competitors, Skoda sees a future in which it no longer competes as a 'value brand'. That market will be left to the Chinese. Instead, the Czech maker wants a higher quality image developed alongside higher quality products - cars like this one. They want the purchase of something like an Octavia to be viewed not as a cheaper choice but instead as rather a clever one. That time may already have arrived.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Skoda Octavia range

PRICES: £17,195 - £30,245 - on the road

INSURANCE GROUPS: 12E– 29E

CO2 EMISSIONS: 90-150g/km

PERFORMANCE: [2.0 TDI 150] Max Speed 135mph / 0-60mph 8.5s

FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.6 TDI 110] (combined) 80.7mpg

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Up to nine airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [5dr Hatch] Length/Width/Height, 4659/1814/1461mm