Skoda Octavia 2014 Review

Skoda still lags in perception in the minds of many Australian car buyers. Which is a shame because the Skoda Octavia Elegance station wagon gives you a quality Euro vehicle for a pretty modest price.

Indeed, the sort of money that normally only gets you a car from Japan or South Korea lets you put a European machine -- albeit one from the Czech Republic rather than Germany -- in your driveway.

A Skoda might not give you the prestige of an Audi or Volkswagen -- with which it shares most of its out-of-sight components -- but the Octavia does give you that lovely solid feel that many admire in a German car.

That's because the all-new Skoda Octavia uses the MQB platform that's used in several of the most recent Audi and Volkswagen models. This platform is an immensely clever design that not only gives the body significantly greater rigidity, but also strips up to 100 kg from the mass of the Octavia.  Incidentally, the Audi A3, a close relative to the all-new Skoda Octavia, has just taken out the title of World Car of the Year for 2014.

STYLING

There's nothing to get excited about in the midsize model. The Skoda Octavia is unashamedly aimed at people who buy sensible, practical cars.  At the front there are hints of Audi's latest squared off lines, which is no bad thing. At the back there's the sort of squared-off Golf wagon shape that's likely to be timeless.

ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS

Our test car had the turbodiesel engine that produces 110kW of power and 320Nm between 1750 and 3000rpm. Meaning most drivers will be running with the engine at its maximum efficiency almost all of the time. Two turbo-petrol engines are also on offer. With capacities of 1.4 and 1.8 litres, their peak power outputs are 103, 132 and 110 kilowatts.

Six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG transmissions are installed, the choice varying from model to model. Our diesel wagon had the six-speed dual-clutch DSG. Frankly, you really don't need any more than six ratios with the sort of torque this diesel puts out.

SAFETY

All Skoda Octavias have a five-star ANCAP crash safety rating. Crash prevention and/or minimisation uses the latest in European design that has the Octavia looking ahead for possible danger, advising the driver of problems, then taking over to brake automatically if need be.

DRIVING

The Skoda didn't appear to be as quiet as the Audis and VWs using the same underpinnings. You certainly wouldn't call the Octavia noisy, but it didn't have the utter serenity they provide. The large volume of the Octavia's wagon body makes it harder to suppress sound, so our complaint is probably a minor one.

Handling is good thanks to the solid platform, with a nice feel through the steering. The big Czech has an easy going nature and made light of harsh Australian country roads. The latest generation diesels from the Volkswagen Group are impressive units and it didn't surprise us that fuel consumption on the open road and motorways was generally in the low fives. Around town this rose to a still acceptable six to eight litres per hundred kilometres.

Skoda's interiors are all about space and practicality. Octavia isn't a big car but has interior room similar to cars a full size larger. There's room for two six-footers sitting behind one another without the person in the driving seat having to move their seat further forward than normal.

Skoda Octavia's back seat is better suited to three children for width as adults will tend to rub hips and shoulders. That's pretty well normal in this class so hardly a criticism.

The luggage area is impressive in its volume and usability. The tailgate is full width to give maximum access to the area. Boot depth is exceptionally good. The boot mat is reversible, with carpet on one side and rubber on the other. The seatback has a 60/40 split fold.  There are tie-down hooks on the boot floor and plastic clips on the upper surfaces at the side from which to hang supermarket plastic bags and the like.

This Skoda has a really clever feature; small folding plastic folding pieces with Velcro on the bottom that can stick to the carpet in any position to wedge things into place.

VERDICT

The latest Skoda Octavia is all-new from the ground up and continues the longtime design that gives maximum interior space with excellent occupant comfort. It has been reduced in price compared with the model it supersedes and is being promoted as providing Asian value and European image.

MODEL RANGE

Ambition 103TSI 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: from $21,690 (manual), $23,990 (DSG)
Ambition Plus103TSI 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: from $24,490 (manual), $26,790 (DSG)
Elegance 103TSI 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: from $32,190 (DSG)
Elegance 132TSI 1.8-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: from $34,690 (DSG)
Elegance 110TDI 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: from $35,490 (DSG)
Ambition 103TSI 1.4-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: from $23,040 (manual), $25,340 (DSG)
Ambition Plus103TSI 1.4-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: from $25,840 (manual), $28,140 (DSG)
Elegance 103TSI 1.4-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: from $33,540 (DSG)
Elegance 132TSI 1.8-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: from $36,040 (DSG)
Elegance 110TDI 2.0-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: from $36,840 (DSG)

2014 Skoda Octavia
Price: from $36,040 (Elegance 132TSI wagon DSG)
Engine: 1.8L four-cylinder petrol turbo, 132kW/250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed DSG, FWD
Thirst: 5.1L/100km, 142g/km CO2