2018 Hyundai Elantra vs Skoda Octavia

What's the difference?

The Hyundai Elantra Active is a good buy if you’re after a small sedan that will do its duty diligently while being backed by a strong ownership plan. So, if you like it, and you can get a good deal, it might be a contender for you.

But it does fall short on some fundamentals, including the latest safety equipment and technology - and if you’re paying retail, you’ll be getting the short end of the stick. Bargain hard, or - better yet - maybe wait for the updated model.

The Skoda Octavia 2018 Sport wagon may run the same 110TSI drivetrain as the regular base model car, but its chassis and design tweaks make it a worthwhile model to consider if you want something that stands out a little bit from the rest of the Octavia pack.

If you want an RS wagon but can't afford one, you really ought to take a look at this car. 

There's a big update coming soon for the Elantra, so the 2018 version is the last that will wear this rather conservative design language. It's not offensive, but nor is it overly attractive - especially in this entry-level spec.

You've got to like the fact Hyundai fits 16-inch alloy wheels to even its base model car, and you get a full-size spare wheel, too. And the LED daytime running lights add a bit of modern bling, but they're backed by halogen lamps, which aren't modern or blingy.

The shape of the Elantra is sleek, and it looks a bit old-school in comparison to Hyundai's newer models… a bit like its bigger brother, the Sonata. Neither are as eye-catching as some of the brand's SUVs (the Santa Fe and Kona, namely) and the Elantra's small hatchback sibling, the i30, is more European looking, and just better looking in general.

It's equal parts unassuming and unremarkable, and that could be exactly what you want. But for me, there are better looking small sedans out there, like the Renault Megane - which, even as a base grade, looks more expensive than it is.

I didn't like the new look for the Octavia when Skoda revealed it early in 2017, and I wasn't alone. The once-handsome Czech mid-size model had been taken to with the ugly stick, with the dual-headlight look appearing to make the model look, well, nothing like a model.

In some colour combinations it's not too bad - a red RS245 with the black gloss grille, for example, looks tidy. But the Octavia Sport model you see here in white just looked a little bit… spidery, I'd say. Yeah, spidery.

The Sport model is accentuated by black pinstripes here and there, and look, I reckon the design of the wagon is a lot more becoming than the hatch. But if you value style as much as substance, consider the svelte Mazda6 is available for close to the same money…

The dimensions of the Skoda Octavia vary between the hatch and wagon, and the regular model vs the RS - yep, there's a bit of a size difference, but it's pretty miniscule. Here are the main numbers you need to know.

The hatch is 4670mm long (2686mm wheelbase), 1461mm tall and 1814mm wide. The regular wagon isn't as long at 4667mm (2686mm wheelbase), but sits a bit taller (1465mm) and is the same width (1814mm).

Thankfully the interior dimensions are accommodating, and the design in the cabin is very, very smart.

The 'small car' category can be misleading, because some models - like this Elantra - have a lot more space than that tag suggests.

Seriously, the space on offer in the Elantra is better than some mid-sized models in the next class up - specifically, vehicles like the Mazda 6, which don't boast as much back seat room or boot capacity as you might expect them to.

If you have a family of four, you will find the Elantra to be fine and dandy in terms of space - even if you have tall teens. My 182cm frame slotted in behind my own driving position with ease: there's enough leg and shoulder room, and while three across may be a squeeze, parents will appreciate the fact there are window-seat ISOFIX attachments and three top-tether points. No rear air-vents is a bit of a downer.

There's access to storage elements like a mesh map pocket in the back seat, plus a flip-down armrest with cupholders and bottle holders in the back doors. The front has excellent storage, with a big cubby in front of the gear selector, bottle holders in the doors and big cupholders between the seats, plus a covered centre arm rest and decent glove box.

The boot, too, is generous. Hyundai claims 458 litres (VDA) for the cargo capacity, making it larger than a Mazda 3 sedan (408L) and Holden Astra sedan (445L). And you can lower the back seats in a 60/40 formation if you need extra load-through space, but there is a lip to contend with if you are carting long items. 

Annoyingly, the boot doesn't get a button to open it remotely - so, you need to have a hand free and the key with you to open it, or you can open it from inside. But no release on the boot lid is a spectacular bit of cheapness. And not cheap in a good way.

So, it's spacious and (mostly) thoughtful, but is it special? Er, not really. The Elantra Active feels like an entry-level car, but the materials are all of a high standard, the controls feel good in the hand, and the media display - a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, plus USB connectivity and Bluetooth. No sat nav, though - not on any Elantra, in fact. 

Skoda is a marvel when it comes to interior packaging, and the Octavia is perhaps the most impressive exponent of this. It really packs a lot in to relatively compact dimensions.

Boot space is perhaps one of the biggest advantages to the Octavia, with the hatch's luggage capacity spanning 568 litres, and the wagon offering up 588L (that measurement is to the window line). There's a spare wheel under the boot floor (you get a space-saver in RS models) and the back end features a dual-sided mat so you can put damp items in the back without damaging the carpet. 

Of course there's a couple of clever inclusions like flip-down shopping bag hooks, remote release levers for the split fold seats (they go down in a 60:40 fashion, and there's a clever ski-port for loading through longer items), and there's a dual-action cargo blind. You get a mesh net system, a removable torch and an umbrella, too. 

Plus the space on offer for occupants is very good. A family of five, plus luggage, will fit in here easily, with the back seat offering enough rear legroom, headroom and shoulder room for adults, too. With the driver's seat in my driving position (I'm 182cm) I had easily enough room to sit comfortably. 

Storage is well thought out, too, with bottle holders in all four doors, map pockets in the back, rear air-vents and a flip-down armrest with cupholders. The materials aren't as plush as you'll find in a Volkswagen Golf or a Mazda6, but they're not scratchy or harsh. 

Up front there are big door pockets, a pair of shallow cupholders, a good sized box in front of the gearshifter for your phone and wallet, and a reasonable glove box. 

The media system in our test vehicle was the upgraded 9.2-inch unit, which is crisp to look at an offers good resolution, plus the added usability that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can't be ignored. But the lack of a volume knob is frustrating, and it can be hard to figure out if you should be pressing Home or Menu when navigating through the systems array of pages.

One of the main reasons you might be drawn to the Skoda Octavia is its attractive pricing. So, how much does the the mid-size model cost? 

Without running through the full price list of the Skoda Octavia models sold in Australia, we can tell you that Skoda prefers to deal in drive-away pricing, so that's what you see here.

Kicking off the range is the Octavia, which is priced at $25,490 for the manual hatchback, and $26,990 for the manual wagon. Stepping up to a dual-clutch (DSG) automatic adds $2500 in both instances.

The base model Octavia is pretty well equipped, with niceties such as an 8.0-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, a cooled glovebox, and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

The wagon model has silver roof rails, but sadly, there's a chrome strip at the nose end, and this model comes with halogen headlights but the tail-lights are LED units. Standard-spec Octavias come with 17-inch alloy wheels, and all Octavias get front fog lights.

The Sport model costs more, with the hatchback version listing at $32,990 drive-away, and the wagon priced at $34,490 drive-away. Both of these are auto-only, though. 

In comparison to the entry-grade model, the Sport adds auto LED headlights with adaptive lighting and LED daytime running lights, auto wipers, an extra pair of airbags (for rear side protection) and it rolls on 18-inch alloy wheels. 

Sport models have different front seats with integrated headrests (still manually adjustable), privacy glass, and the seatbelts feature a tightening feature if the car's computer predicts a crash (the windows wind up, and if there's a sunroof, it'll close). 

Plus the Sport has a black pack, including black door mirror caps, plus side and tailgate decals, there's a rear spoiler (black for the hatch model and body-colour for the wagon), and it rides on a lower sports suspension set-up. The Sport wagon has black roof rails.

If you're interested, the RS model line-up consists of a few different variants. The petrol manual hatch costs $41,990 drive-away, the petrol auto hatch is $44,490 drive-away, and the diesel auto hatch is $45,590 drive-away. Add $1500 for a wagon.

Then there are the top of the range RS245 models, with extra punch and more kit again. The sporty petrol-only RS245 model costs $46,490 for the manual hatch, and $48,990 for the auto hatch. Wagon versions add $1500.

Some notable elements: you need to option keyless entry and push-button start, no matter the model you choose, and a sunroof will cost you $1500 for the hatchback and $1700 for the wagon. You can get a power tailgate as an option on all trim grades of the wagon, too, at $500.

Now, option packs.

The 'Tech Pack' consists of the upgrade to the 9.2-inch screen with nav, LED headlights, semi-automated parking, adaptive chassis control (on RS and RS245 models only), keyless entry and push-button start, 10-speaker Canton audio, drive mode select (already on RS and RS245 models), manoeuvre braking assist (auto braking in reverse), and a driver profile set-up (already on RS and RS245 models).

One of the main reasons you might be drawn to the Skoda Octavia is its attractive pricing

The Tech Pack costs $4900 for the entry-grade car, $3900 for the Sport model, and $2300 for RS versions.

The other main pack is the 'Luxury Pack', which adds leather trim (base car; N/A Sport) and electric seat adjustment (base model and RS; N/A Sport), Alcantara/leather trim (RS; N/A Sport), heated front and rear seats, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, the added rear airbags (base model only), and auto folding door mirrors with dimming and puddle lights. This pack costs $4200 for the base grade, $1600 for the Sport model  $2800 for the RS, $1500 for RS245.

For those playing along at home, the model you see in these images is the Octavia 110TSI Sport wagon, fitted with the Tech Pack and an electric sunroof.

The other choice you'll need to make is on colours, with metallic paint adding $500. Check out Skoda's configurator to see if you like it in red, white, silver, blue, grey, green or black. There's no gold, brown or yellow, but there's a lightish beige hue called 'Cappuccino', which you can't get on higher-spec versions.

The Elantra Active and Elite models are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 112kW (at 6200rpm) and 192Nm (at a high 4700rpm). This is one of Hyundai's older engines, featuring multi-point injection rather than direct injection, and power outputs that are pretty low for the class.

It's available with the choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, though hardly anyone goes for the manual. 

Our pick is the Elantra SR, which gets a much zestier high-tech 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder with 150kW/265Nm, and it has a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

There are three drivetrains to choose from in the 2018 Octavia range, and the specifications step up as you move up the range.

Base grade models and the Sport variant have the 110TSI 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol unit with 110kW of power (5000-6000rpm) and 250Nm (1500-3500rpm). It is available with the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or seven-speed dual-clutch (DSG) automatic transmission in the base grade, but the Sport model is auto only. If you want more horsepower from your motor, you'll need to go for the RS.

There is no diesel option for the lower grades, and every model in the Octavia range sold in Australia is front-wheel drive (FWD / 2WD). In some markets there are all wheel drive (AWD) models sold, but there isn't a proper 4x4 version with a low range transfer case in any market, though. There is no LPG model sold here, either. 

Now, if you think you might consider towing with your Octavia, you'll need to know its capabilities - and towing capacity varies across the range.

The 110TSI hatch has a 620kg un-braked trailer weight capacity or 1500kg for a braked trailer (manual or auto); the 110TSI manual wagon can deal with 630kg/1500kg, while the DSG wagon is good for 640kg/1500kg. 

Fuel use is claimed at 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres for the manual version of the 2.0-litre, and 7.2L.100km for the auto. On test - which saw us primarily use the Elantra as a commuter from the Blue Mountains to Sydney, including some dense traffic and stop-start driving, we saw 7.5L/100km. Not bad.

The Elantra has a 50L fuel tank capacity, and if you wish, you can run it on 91RON unleaded fuel or E10.

Fuel economy is good for the 110TSI model we're testing, with claimed consumption rated at 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres for the DSG hatch and wagon, while the 110TSI manual hatch uses 5.4L/100km and the 110TSI manual wagon claims 5.5L/100km. 

Fuel tank capacity for all models is 50 litres, and your mileage will vary depending on how hard you drive. Based on my time in the 1.4-litre Sport wagon, I was going to do about 650km on a tank, with at the bowser fuel consumption measured at 7.3L/100km. The dashboard display was reading 7.2L/100km.

The Octavia requires 95RON premium unleaded fuel at a minimum.

If you want the zestiest Elantra experience, you really ought to look at the SR model - it has a perkier turbo engine, smarter transmission and model-specific tune to its suspension and steering. It's a proper menace.

That's not to say the regular Elantra isn't good to drive, though. Its engine and transmission are perfectly adequate for this type of car at this price point, but some competitors are moving towards offering punchy turbo drivetrains across their small-car lines, such as the Ford Focus and Renault Megane.

Even so, the drivetrain gets the Elantra along with decent ease, and while it can shuffle through gears a bit more than necessary at times. If you do a lot of highway kays, you'll barely notice it - but in slower-going commuting, or hilly country roads, you may be annoyed by the overactive auto.

If those hilly country roads have twisty sections, you may be surprised how well the Elantra handles itself in corners. Hyundai tunes all of its cars to suit local conditions, and typically the company has a bit of a tendency towards making the body feel quite controlled, and therefore it can be stiff over potholes and so on.

But the pay-off is taut suspension that limits rolling in corners, and it does a good job on bumpy country roads, too. Our base spec Active came with Kumho Ecowing tyres on 16-inch alloys, and the grip was fine, but not exceptional.

The steering is great at higher speeds, and decent at low speeds, too. But you might notice it can be a little heavy at times, particularly when you slow down from highway speed and turn into a side street (as I do everyday on my commute).

What makes the Octavia Sport worthy of that much-lauded, oft-overused badge? 

Well, it feels pretty sporty to drive, with the MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension both getting the harder-edge tune and sitting a few mm lower to the ground as a result (be aware of the car's ground clearance - it is lower, but it's not suctioned to the ground like a sports car). 

The regular Octavia model was already at the pointy end of the segment for dynamics and comfort, but this Sport version is more dialled into the surface below, with the combination of the stiffer chassis and the bigger wheels with grippy Bridgestone Potenza 225/40/18 rubber rewarding the driver, albeit at a slight penalty in terms of outright ride comfort. You can link bends together with ease, and the turning circle is pretty tight, meaning parking moves are easy enough.

The way the Octavia Sport finds its way through corners, almost telepathically, will have you thinking you've got more grunt than the 110TSI's outputs suggest - that comes down to the refinement at speed, where the torque of the small engine keeps momentum as the dual-clutch auto shifts clinically between gears. There are no paddle-shifters, but there's a manual mode to flick up or down on the shifter, and there are a few drive modes to choose from, each adjusting the throttle response and gearing. Sport was great, but Normal was where I spent most of my time.

In Normal mode there's a bit of stuttering at lower speeds when you're on and off the throttle, but it isn't as much of a deal-breaker as it might have been with earlier iterations of dual-clutch autos. Just make sure that if you're considering the Octavia (or any new car, for that matter!), that you test drive the car extensively, and try to put it through your regular day-to-day routine. 

As with many examples of cars built on the Volkswagen MQB modular architecture, there is some road noise - especially on coarse-chip surfaces. I didn't find it hard to live with - I just turned up the volume on the sound system. 

Over a week of commuting, driving in and around Sydney and more than a few hours on the city's motorways, I came away convinced that if I couldn't stretch to the RS, I'd be pretty happy in the Sport model.

Need more? Want a quicker 0-100 acceleration time, more speed, and better performance figures, and independent rear suspension? You really ought to read my review of the RS245 wagon.

All Skoda Octavia models currently on sale are still covered by the car's 2016 five-star ANCAP crash test safety rating. 

Safety features across all models include a reversing camera and rear parking sensors (with a visual park assist display), auto emergency braking (AEB), multi-collision brake, tyre pressure monitoring, fatigue detection and adaptive cruise control.

Of course, every model in the range comes with outboard ISOFIX child-seat anchor points in the back seats, and there are three top-tether attachment points, too.

Airbags for the Octavia are seven for the regular model (dual front, front side, driver's knee and full-length curtain) and nine for RS models (added rear-side protection). The extra airbags can be added to entry-grade models as part of the Luxury Pack, which will also bring lane keeping assist and blind-spot monitoring. 

Hyundai offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty for all of its models, which is becoming par for the course for a lot of brands. Hyundai was one of the first to adopt this, and it remains strong, but not as eye-catching as it once was.

The company does, however, go further than some competitors, offering a capped-price service plan that spans the life of the car. And it's an affordable ownership set-up, too.

Service intervals are every 12 months/15,000km for the non-turbocharged models (with an average cost per service of just $279), while turbo models need maintenance every 12 months/10,000km (cost: $277 on average).

And if you get your service done at one of Hyundai's authorised dealers, you can also get up to 10 years' roadside assist.

The Skoda vehicle range is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan, which is better than its parent company VW offers in Australia, and matches the likes of Mazda, which only recently upped its warranty plan. There's no extended warranty option, though.

The Czech brand allows customers to pre-pay their service costs by choosing one of its 'Service Packs, the cost of which can be bundled into finance or outright purchase price. The plans are three years/45,000km ($1150 no matter the model) or five years/75,000km ($2250 for non-RS models; $2700 for RS models).

The other option for customers is to pay for their maintenance as they go using capped price servicing for up to six years/90,000km. The average service cost for a standard Octavia is $416.50 and $453 for RS models, but that's before additional consumables like brake fluid. Also worth noting that the alarm system needs to be replaced every six years, at a cost of $411 - that might need to be considered in your resale value estimates. 

If you're concerned about common faults, problems or issues you may encounter check out our Skoda Octavia problems page. The value of a page like this is that it goes beyond standard features to give you a gauge of the reliability rating for the vehicle.