Is the saloon style worth it?
Exterior – Front
So, lets start with the styling then. So, at the front we get this big grill with a big chrome surround to make it stand out. It has a typical Skoda design and connects to the grill are a set of LED headlights. You can also upgrade them to LED Matrix headlights. With this you also get differently styled LED Daytime Running Lights that look like they are from a BMW. Lower down you get a large central air vent that stretches the full width of the car.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side of the Octavia and we get this plain but modern design. We have a crease going from the headlight all the way back to the taillight. We also have another in between the wheel arches and to finish it off we have a flared wheel arch affect which I do like.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back and unlike a normal hatchback, we get this saloon style rear. We get the Skoda lettering and a set of LED taillights that still look modern. The bumper for my liking is a bit plain but I can live with it as we don’t get any fake exhausts. Let’s have a look at what engines you get with the Octavia.
Car and engine specs and price
So, the range kicks of with the hybrid engines. The first one is the 1 litre, or 1.5 litre engine based on the petrol versions. The petrol only range kicks off with a 1 litre engine. This has 106 bhp and it is mated to a 6 speed manual. Next up is a 1.5 litre turbo engine. This has 146 bhp and this is again mated to a 6 speed manual gearbox. For the diesel range there is a 2-litre unit with 110 bhp and this can either be mated to a 6 speed manual or a 7 speed DSG gearbox. The price of the Skoda Octavia starts at £24,565.
Interior – Design
So, getting inside and we get a familiar and German layout. To start with you get a floating tablet style infotainment system that houses the climate control. This is the same infotainment system as what is in the Golf and Leon, but it works slightly better in this car. Moving across the dash we get this trim panel and some alcantara but apart from that we get a minimalist dash design which I do like. We also get a digital instrument cluster that is easy to read and is very customisable. Another thing I like is this steering wheel. I have mentioned it before. Usually, I don’t like 2 spoke steering wheels. But this steering wheel looks like a 3 spoke with the bit of trim on the bottom. On sportier models you get a 3 spoke steering wheel and that has a flat bottom. Moving down the centre console and you get a little gear selector just like what all modern automatics have. These seats are also supportive and comfy, and you could easily do long journeys in it. The only down side is that you do get some cheap plastics. Let’s look at the rear seats.
Practicality
So, getting into the rear of the car and we get a decent amount of legroom, but headroom is going to be tight because of the saloon style sloping roof. You get some chrome in the back and some leather on the plastic door cards. You also get phone pockets in the front of the rear seats. You also have an arm rest and some air vents as well as a rear climate control panel although that is an option. Sitting 3 in the back can also be done. For children and young adults, it is fine. You can see why Octavia’s are used as taxis.
Boot Size
So, before we look at the boot, just for comparison the Volkswagen Golf boot size and seat Leon boot size is 380 litres, the Vauxhall Astra boot size is at 422 Litres and the 308 is at 412 litres. The Skoda Octavia boot size is 600 litres. That’s almost double the Golf and Leon. Fold the rear seats down and you get 1,555 litres. This is competitive still in the class above which is Peugeot 508 and Volkswagen Passat territory.
Summary
So, what is the Skoda Octavia like. Well, it is a good German car. If you look past the Skoda badge and you will find a Volkswagen badge. This car is very similar to the Golf in terms of technology and engine options but you get this sporty and modern Skoda design. You also get a much bigger boot. Also, if you got it as a company car, you would be pleasantly surprised.
Exterior 4/5
Interior 4.5/5
Practicality 5/5
Total 14/15
Model | Skoda Octavia iV SEL |
Price | From £24,565 |
Engine | 1.5 Litre Turbo Petrol, 146 bhp |
Transmission | 6 Speed Manual |
On Sale | Now |
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