Mitsubishi Outlander vs Skoda Octavia

What's the difference?

Mitsubishi has leaned into its strengths with this Outlander update, spending its money in subtle areas to upgrade what was already a widely appealing mid-size SUV.

The local tuning has made a notable difference to the refinement and comfort of this version, while subtle updates to the software and interior trim help to refine things even further.

If you’ve had an Outlander before, you’ll love this one, although it doesn’t help the brand to challenge new players on the value front. This leaves you with the decision of whether to pick a brand with the reputation and network of Mitsubishi, or roll the dice on a far more affordable new player.

For what it’s worth, it’s genuinely tough to pick a sweet spot here. I think the best picks are at either end of the spectrum, with the ES being outstanding value, and the Exceed being particularly plush.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

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.

Blink and you’ll miss the changes. Actually, squint and you still might miss them. Aside from the eye-catching new 20-inch wheels on the Exceed and Exceed tourer grades and the new ‘Moonstone Grey’ paint colour, it’s hard to tell the new Outlander apart from its predecessor.

Look closer and there’s new lower garnish designs front and rear, a tweaked grille and a smoked appearance for the rear tail-light clusters.

It’s very subtle stuff, but Mitsubishi has chosen to spend its time and money on upgrades on unseen areas.

For example, the bonnet is now steel rather than aluminium, which helps with noise insulation (and also has the side-effect of removing the high-speed ‘fluttering’ effect the aluminium bonnet had on the previous version), there’s additional sound insulation throughout the car, and cladding in the transmission tunnel to make the cabin a quieter place.

Back on the topic of appearance, though, the dash and console has also been tweaked a little. For example, the new screen looks a bit more contemporary, with a much smaller bezel and more attractive software. The console has been rearranged to move the bottle holders to one side of the electronic gear shifter, which makes for a larger centre console.

High-grade leather seat trims also now have alternate patterns, but the range follows the same trims, from cloth on the ES and LS, while the Aspire gets a microsuede and synthetic leather blend, while the Exceed and Exceed Tourer get the ‘high-grade semi-aniline’ leather trim.

A wagon, by its very nature, is a vehicle with a low and long body style. And the Skoda Octavia Select mHEV wagon adheres to that design expectation.

At 4698mm long, 1829mm wide and 1468mm high, it’s low and sleek, especially compared to the taller and bulkier SUVs and utes I usually test, and this wagon’s lower entry/exit height takes a bit of getting used to. It feels like I have to do a contorted yoga pose every time I get in and out of this wagon.

The interior has a premium feel about it, despite bearing fabric seats, expansive use of durable plastic and the like, and it does feel squeezier inside than expected.

In design terms, this Octavia holds its own against mid-sized wagon rivals and even mid-size SUV competitors.

The previous Outlander was already known for having a spacious and versatile cabin, and this continues for the new car with a few small tweaks.

The width and satisfying seat positioning continue, and seats in all grades are generous and comfortable, but particularly the leather seats on the Exceed and Exceed Tourer grade we tested.

Adjustability is good in all positions, and the digital instrument cluster has an attractive dual-dial layout and functional display options. While not the best in class, it’s far better than many rivals.

The touchscreen’s new software is meant to be faster, but I found it a bit laggy still, although the integration of Google’s API into the navigation suite is an excellent tweak, making it relevant and useful for much longer.

The tweaks to the centre console make the area more space efficient and useful, but the new cupholders seem strangely shallow, potentially causing large bottles to tip. The tweaked centre console box is nice and large, and the wireless charger is nice and accessible, although its surface is not quite rubbery enough to stop your phone from leaving the charging area in the corners.

The back seat is noticeably stadium – you sit a fair bit higher than in the first row, which eats into headroom in cars equipped with a sunroof for adults. However, width is good, as is the seat comfort.

The rear doors open nice and wide, which should make fitting a child seat easy enough, and the floor is surprisingly flat, too, which makes the middle position more useful.

The third row, which I sampled in an Aspire grade, is both hard to get into and tight once you’re in there. The second row can slide forward on a rail, offering just enough room for me, at 182cm tall, to fit back there, with my knees hard up against the seat in front, and my head nearly touching the roof.

It is for this reason Mitsubishi calls seven-seat versions ‘5+2’. Good for kids, maybe, but not adults for any extended period of time.

The boot is enormous with two rows in use (485 litres in five-seat versions, or 478 litres in seven-seaters), and for this update, the space now has a wider aperture that should make loading objects easier. Space with seven seats up is 163L. Five-seaters get a full-size spare under the floor, while seven-seaters get a space saver.

Braked towing capacity is a middling 1600kg for petrol-powered variants. The brand says not many Outlander buyers are focused on towing as a key capability for the mid-sizer.

This Octavia has a neat and functional interior with a low-key premium feel about it, even though it’s a lower-spec variant in the line-up.

The front seats are manually adjustable and offer a reasonable degree of comfort and support, and there are enough hard-wearing plastic surfaces and handy storage spaces throughout the cabin to please the fussiest of drivers and passengers.

There are two USB-C outlets and 45W charging upfront and in the rear seat.

Bonus: the multimedia system is easy to pair with your phone and to use in general driving.

Second-row passengers are well catered for with charge points, storage spots and even a small portable bin in the passenger door pocket. That, and the umbrella in the driver-side door, are among the many nice, welcome touches Skoda does so well.

The second-row seats – in a 60/40 split configuration – are comfortable with adequate room for everyone. The fold-down centre armrest has cupholders.

For child seats, it has two ISOFIX points on the outboard seats in the second row and three top-tether anchor points.

At the back, there is a 640-litre boot (when all seats are up and in use) and luggage capacity expands to 1700 litres when the second row is stowed away.

The rear cargo area has a luggage compartment cover, a 12V outlet, net pockets and four tie-down points.

This Skoda has a listed unladen mass of 1388kg and a gross vehicle mass of 1910kg, so payload is approximately 522kg, which is reasonable but not overly generous.

It’s rated to tow 700kg (unbraked) and 1500kg (braked).

As a practical vehicle, this Octavia holds its own against mid-sized wagon rivals and even some mid-size SUVs.

The Skoda Octavia Select mHEV in wagon form has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $43,490, excluding on-road costs. Our test vehicle has optional paint (Graphite Grey Metallic) so it has an RRP of $43,790.

Standard features onboard include a 13-inch multimedia touchscreen system, a 10-inch digital driver instrument cluster, heated front seats, hands-free electric tailgate, keyless entry and driver-assist tech includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and front and rear cross-traffic alert. 

Exterior paint choices on this variant include Moon White (no extra cost), or choose from Black Magic, Race Blue, Smoky Silver or Graphite Grey Metallic (on our test vehicle), any of which will set you back $300.

Other optional extras include a Signature Pack (which costs approximately $6500) that adds a head-up display, leather interior trim, ventilated/massage front seats and matrix LED headlights to the package.

This wagon offers impressive value-for-money against its rivals, such as the Mazda 6 or Subaru Outback, or even against mid-size sedans like the Hyundai Sonata or Toyota Camry.

The petrol-powered Outlander soldiers on with a drab non-turbo, non-hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission.

The brand calls this combination “proven” and it’s hard to argue given it hasn’t cropped up with any major reliability issues in the pre-facelift car.

Still, it produces a middling 135kW/244Nm, not as punchy as many turbo options, and nowhere near as efficient as hybrid alternatives.

Those seeking a more powerful fuel-sipping option may want to wait for the PHEV version arriving later this year.

The Skoda Octavia Select mHEV has a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol mild-hybrid set-up, with the engine producing 110kW at 5000-6000rpm and 250Nm at 1500-3500rpm. It’s paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

This combo generally offers smooth acceleration once you’re underway, but the Octavia wagon takes some urging from initial foot down to fuller vehicular movement and the dual-clutch should cop most of the blame for that.

This wagon’s mild-hybrid set-up includes a 48-volt electric motor and a lithium-ion battery, and this system is designed to assist the engine during acceleration, but this vehicle can’t drive on electric power alone.

It has regenerative braking and allows engine-off coasting, which aims to reduce fuel usage.

While the mild-hybrid set-up adds little to the Octavia package, this powertrain delivers enough in terms of drivability to keep it on level terms with its rivals.

As a result of its relatively old-school sounding powertrain, fuel consumption isn’t at the forefront of the petrol-powered Outlander, with official consumption ranging between 7.5L/100km for the lightest five-seat ES 2WD version, to 8.1L/100km in the heaviest, top-spec Exceed Tourer AWD.

C02 emissions are also on the high side, which the brand will no doubt be off-setting with the new PHEV version which will offer even more emissions-free driving range than before.

One benefit of this long-serving engine, though, is it can be fed entry-level 91RON unleaded, better for the back pocket. The petrol-powered Outlander has a 55-litre fuel tank.

Official fuel consumption figure on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle as 5.2L/100km and on this test I recorded 6.5L/100km.

This Skoda has a 45-litre fuel tank so you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 690km from a full tank.

Worth noting it takes premium unleaded petrol (95 RON minimum).

The Australian team had a significant amount of input on the driving dynamics of this new Outlander, but does it make a big difference behind the wheel?

We were granted the chance to drive the old one alongside the new version to find out, and the changes are significant.

Overall, the character of the car hasn’t been fundamentally altered. This is still a somewhat plush and soft-around-the-edges family SUV, but redeveloped new suspension parts and even very minor, nerdy modifications like the thickness of sway bars have added up to a much more pleasant vehicle to spend an extended amount of time in.

The first thing you’ll notice is the retuned steering. Mitsubishi’s engineers tell us the tweaked feedback was all down to the software in the rack, and it’s a big difference, upping the firmness of the steering at low speeds, keeping the vehicle on track with more confidence while heading straight, and also removing a slight twitchiness with sudden adjustments.

Next is the cabin ambiance. The new Outlander is a relatively quiet place to be thanks to the extra insulation throughout. It combines with the new steering to give the car much more of a sense of heft than before. The engine is reduced to a distant thrum, and the road is damped away for the most part. Mitsubishi says the 20-inch wheels are a particular hit with buyers, which to me is a shame because I’m willing to bet it’s particularly comfy on the lower-grade tyres.

Elsewhere, the Outlander has a softer initial response to bumps thanks to retuned shocks, and the reduced width of the front sway bar makes for less ‘head toss’ for front seat occupants.

Does it make a significant difference? Yes. The new Outlander is all-round better balanced and better suited to our road conditions. It might not have the sophistication of more expensive options, and it still might be a tad off what the also balanced-and-comfortable RAV4 offers, although it will be interesting to get one back to see how it compares to rivals in a like-for-like test.

Just expect a much more comfort-oriented option than some rivals. These changes don’t make the Outlander as fun to drive as a Mazda CX-5 or a Skoda Kodiaq. For example, while the 2.5-litre engine and CVT combo provides a surprisingly urgent initial response, it's a dull, rubbery power application from there on.

At 4698mm long, with wheel tracks of 1543mm front and 1535mm rear and 142mm ground clearance, this wagon has a low, squat stance at rest and yields controlled ride and handling on the move.

The driver’s seat is manually adjustable, so you can approximate your preferred position, but because this is a long and low wagon, visibility for the driver is a bit pinched along the sides and at the rear, compared to the view you're typically afforded in a slab-sided SUV.

The Euro-oriented steering wheel controls (indicator stalk on left, windscreen wipers on right) take some getting used to if you’re not already familiar with that arrangement and the cruise control stalk is in an awkward position at the bottom left of the steering wheel column. Annoying.

Otherwise, the Octavia offers a pleasant overall driving experience – smooth, comfortable and refined – except for that aforementioned initial lag from a standing start.

The four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and mild-hybrid set-up yields enough all-round pep without being too lively and there’s no drastic change in performance when the 48V motor cuts out after assisting acceleration.

Steering is well-weighted and precise at all speeds and with a 10.4m turning circle this Skoda feels highly manoeuvrable around the suburbs and in the city.

The suspension (MacPherson strut with lower triangular links and torsion stabiliser at the front and semi-independent compound link crank-axle at the rear) is firm.

The Skoda’s Laufenn S Fit 2 (205/55x17) all-season tyres are reasonable for urban roads and rough back-country roads. This wagon has a space-saver spare, not ideal but not unusual, either.

The Octavia mHEV is a smooth cruiser and more than holds its own against its rivals.

The Skoda Octavia Select mHEV wagon has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in March 2026.

Standard safety features include eight airbags, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, front cross-traffic assist, front and rear parking sensors, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition and rear cross-traffic alert.

It has two ISOFIX points on the outboard seats in the second row and three top-tether anchor points.

The level of safety gear onboard here keeps the Octavia easily competitive against its rivals.

Mitsubishi continues to offer its near-industry-leading 10-year/200,000km warranty, conditional on the car being serviced at a Mitsubishi dealer. Otherwise, it reverts to a five-year/100,000km promise.

The 10 years of warranty is joined by 10 years of capped-price servicing required at 12 month or 15,000km intervals.

Prices are tame, varying between $320 and $680 per visit, for a total yearly average of $434. It’s not the cheapest yearly average out there, but most brands also don’t have capped price servicing extended this far, so it seems like a good deal regardless.

Skoda’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty applies to this wagon and it’s pretty impressive.

Roadside assistance is offered and extended for up to 12 months following each completed scheduled service at an authorised dealer.

Servicing is scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km whichever occurs soonest and the cost per service was, at time of writing, $413 (12 months/15,000km), $707 (24 months/30,000km), $396 (36 months/45,000km), $1090 (48 months/60,000km), $396 (60 months/75,000km), $801 (72 months/90,000km), and $396 (84 months/105,000km).

Service packs (which include the roadside assistance provision) are available and cost $2590 (five years) or $3490 (seven years).

There are 39 Skoda sales and serviced dealers across the country with eight service-only sites in key rural and regional areas.