Audi Q5 vs Skoda Octavia
What's the difference?

Audi Q5

$82,500 - $100,400

2026 price

View pricing & specs

Skoda Octavia

$39,590 - $59,990

2026 price

View pricing & specs

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz Eqb250

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLA35

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC300

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2026 Audi Q5

2026 Skoda Octavia

By Emily Agar

By Marcus Craft

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Inline 4, 1.5L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.7L/100km (combined)

5.5L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Interior glow-up is gorgeous
Comfortable ride with well-tuned suspension
Strong standard tech and safety features

Smooth driving
Packed with features
Impressive value-for-money

Dislikes

Still manages to remind you its a base-grade
Rear seat & boot space on smaller side
Steering assist tends to overcorrect

Some lag in initial acceleration
Space-saver spare
Mild-hybrid adds little

2026 Audi Q5 Summary

Audi’s latest Q5 Sportback brings mild-hybrid power, updated underpinnings, more technology and a genuinely impressive interior glow-up.

It’s clearly aimed at buyers drawn to a more athletic take on the mid-size SUV, where style plays a bigger role than outright practicality. We're testing the base petrol spec to see how it sits alongside the BMW X4 xDrive20i, Genesis GV70 2.5T and Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Coupe.

View full pricing & specs

2026 Skoda Octavia Summary

Once a solid mainstay on our roads, wagons have fallen out of favour somewhat as a result of the ever-growing popularity of SUVs and utes.

But is a wagon actually a better and more family-friendly daily driver than a bigger, taller SUV or ute? Perhaps.

And throw a mild-hybrid system into the mix and it could be an even more appealing purchase.

Skoda’s Octavia has built a strong following in Australia and now comes its new mild hybrid grade, available as a wagon or liftback.

So, what’s the Skoda Octavia Select mHEV wagon like as a daily driver for families?

Read on.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Audi Q5 2026 Skoda Octavia

Verdict

The updated Audi Q5 Sportback TFSI is a strong example of a luxury base-grade SUV, ticking most of the boxes in styling, comfort and features. It may not always outperform its rivals on paper, but it delivers where it counts, offering a refined, practical and engaging package that will satisfy.

Verdict

The Skoda Octavia has always been impressive in wagon guise and this mHEV variant is no different. While the mild-hybrid set-up adds little to the Octavia package there’s still plenty to like about this wagon. It’s smooth and refined to drive, packed with features and has ample appeal as a value-for-money buy.

It’s no surprise if this wagon is at or near the top of your vehicle shopping list.

Audi Q5 vs Skoda Octavia What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi Q5 vs Skoda Octavia
What's the difference?