Skoda Octavia vs Subaru WRX

What's the difference?

VS
Skoda Octavia
Skoda Octavia

$39,590 - $59,990

2026 price

Subaru WRX
Subaru WRX

$48,190 - $63,990

2026 price

Summary

2026 Skoda Octavia
2026 Subaru WRX
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Inline 4, 1.5L

Fuel Type
Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency
5.5L/100km (combined)

Seating
5

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

  • Thirsty engine
  • No extra power over rest of range
  • No rear parking sensors
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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2026 Subaru WRX Summary

The Subaru WRX – do we even need to introduce this iconic beastie at all? With its rally winning roots to being a legend in its own suburb, the ‘Rex’ is a sports car that’s affordable and fun – although the one we’re testing here is one of the pricier versions: the WRX tS Spec B.  

So what is a tS Spec B? Well, the old king of the WRX world – the STI – was retired at the end of the previous generation. Now this new grade – the tS Spec B – is the new WRX monarch. 

So does this mean the tS Spec B has more superpower than the rest of the line-up? Does it have a bigger engine? How much more does it cost? Does it have a manual gearbox? So many questions – the answers are below.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Skoda Octavia 2026 Subaru WRX

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