Skoda Octavia vs Mazda 6

What's the difference?

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.

So, what did my family think about the Mazda6 20th Anniversary wagon? Firstly, I like that it drives well and how many luxe features are up front. The trims and body paint look divine but there's a disconnect with family practicality in the back seat. Besides the multimedia system, which 100 per cent needs to be improved, I don't mind the retro-feeling elements in the cockpit but my husband's first comment was that it looked old.

It may be better suited to a smaller and older family that isn't carting around a stack of gear but you get a lot of features for your cash in this model. So, this gets a 7.0/10 from me.

My son didn't spend heaps of time in this one but he liked the colour of it and the seats. He gives it a 7.0/10.

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.

At first glance there's not a lot that separates this from its siblings, it's not until you get up close that you notice more shiny chrome accents on the grille, those special anniversary badges on the side and its limited colour options – I hope you like red or white, as those are your only choices!

The wagon manages to look sporty with its 19-inch alloy wheels, full LED exterior lights and the classic protruding nose that Mazda seems known for now.

It's far more obvious in the interior though with the beautiful tan Nappa leather seats, synthetic suede trims and special embossing on the front headrests.

Surprisingly, the dashboard is still headlined by the older 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system. There's also the traditional gear-shifter and buttons/dials to deal with. All of which manage to nod to its long history while starting to feel like relics for such a special edition.

Overall, its pleasant and handsome but don't expect to be wowed, Mazda hasn't broken new ground with this one.

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 interior is comfortable and well-proportioned but front passengers will enjoy the most room. You'll still feel like you'll be jostling for premium armrest position, though!

Up front, the individual storage is adequate and the open utility tray is large but my phone slid around in it, making it hard to use the wireless charging pad.

There are enough charging options throughout the car to satisfy four people, with two USB-A ports in each row. Curiously, you can only utilise the backseat USBs when the armrest is down, which makes this feel more suited to a smaller family.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen is small and the graphics aren't super clear. You can use it as a touchscreen or opt for the rotary dial but I found switching between the two awkward. Especially, since the touchscreen is disabled while using the (wireless) Apple CarPlay or (wired) Android Auto.

The back seat is quite lean when it comes to amenities and storage. Although, the heated outboard seats are a nice touch, but again, you can only access the controls when the armrest is down.

You can fit up to three (skinny) child seats but with the low roofline, you might not want to be bending over to buckle them in.  The door apertures are not too wide either but my six-year-old had no trouble climbing in and out.

For this class, the boot is an okay size at 506L. There is a temporary spare wheel under the level loading space and it's great how the cargo-blind lifts up and away from the space because it's attached to the boot lid.

Unfortunately, this doesn't come with a powered tailgate and I did miss having that feature this week.

As the name suggests, this is a special edition and it bumps the Atenza from its usual 'top spot' in the model line-up. Yet, for a top-model it is spectacularly well-priced at $54,935, before on-road costs.

That places it below the Volkswagen Passat 162TSI Elegance ($57,190) and above the Skoda Octavia RS 180TSI ($53,090) wagons.

You get all of the features of the Atenza, like the luxurious heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, heated steering wheel and a sunroof.

Then, you'll also be enjoying the 20th Anniversary badging on the exterior, tan Nappa leather seats with that same badging embossed on the headrests and a delightful synthetic suede trim on the dashboard.

Other features include some nice tech, like wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, dual-zone climate control and a premium Bose sound system with 11 speakers, but more on tech below.

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.

This shares the same engine with the Atenza and that's a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol one. It has a max power output of 173kW and 420Nm of torque. Plenty of oomph to get you (and your gear) to where you need to go.

The 20th Anniversary edition is a front-wheel-drive and has a six-speed auto transmission. It's not the smoothest combination at lower speeds but let it stretch its legs and you'll be happy with the results.

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).

Let's talk about efficiency. It has a combined cycle fuel figure of 7.6L/100km but I only managed to achieve 10.9L. I reckon that's pretty thirsty considering how much open-road driving I did this week but it's not outrageous for a turbo. Expect a higher figure in an urban setting.

Based on the combined figure, you should be able to get a driving range of around 816km, which is perfectly respectable for those wanting to do a road trip.

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.

This is a car that knows what it is and stays in its lane. It's not trying to be the best but it certainly comes close with how it handles itself.

The lower centre of gravity and responsive steering make it hug corners and the car feels firmly situated on the road.

There's enough power that this is a comfy open-roader and you're confident overtaking or getting up to speed but you do feel like you're starting to dig when you hit steeper slopes.

The suspension is a little firm but your backseat passengers will feel that more than you will. Still, it absorbs enough of the bumps that you feel cushioned, even on rough country roads!

The cabin space is fairly quiet but you will get wind noise at higher speeds. Otherwise, all passengers should be able to chat without raising their voices.

I didn't find this to be a bother to park but the 360-degree view camera is terrible. It's very blurry and on the 8.0-inch screen, the image looks small, too.

That said, I love the 11m turning circle and the front and rear parking sensors. Overall, you won't have much trouble parking this one.

Safety is important on any car, but more so on a family one. I'm happy this has the usual specs, like daytime running lights, lane keeping aid, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree view camera, front and rear parking sensors and intelligent seatbelt reminders.

I like the fact the adaptive cruise control now has a stop and go function and that traffic sign recognition and a head-up display are included.

The autonomous emergency braking (and forward collision warning) with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection, is operational from 10–80km/h (a little slower than the average 5.0km/h).

It has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it was done a while ago in 2018. It only has six airbags which is a bit low for a family vehicle now but that does include curtain airbags covering both rows.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard rear seats and three top-tether anchor points across the back. You may get lucky with three skinny child seats but two will fit best.

A 0-4 rearward facing child seat can be installed but will encroach on front passenger comfort, especially if they're tall.

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.

The ongoing costs match the purchase price for their affordability. This has a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is pretty normal for this class.

However, on the five-year servicing plan, services average $501 per service - which is very competitive for this class! Servicing intervals are also reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

You're not even getting hit with the fuel pricing you can see on other mid-range models because this accepts a minimum of 91 RON petrol and is even E10 suitable.