Buyer's guide: Skoda Octavia

May 2008

	You tell us the Octavia scores the lowest running costs for any family car in the survey's top 100 - Driver Power 2008

More than 30,000 readers took part in Auto Express’s Driver Power 2008 owner satisfaction survey, and this is the car that scooped top honours: the second-generation Skoda Octavia.

It also won in 2007 and came sec­ond in 2006, and is cheap to run, reli­able and spacious. VW’s transformation of the budget brand is complete.

History

The latest Octavia went on sale in May 2004 as a five-door hatchback, with the estate following six months later. In January 2005, a four-wheel-drive load-lugger took its bow, with the choice of 2.0-litre petrol or 1.9 TDI diesel engines. A 2.0 TDI arrived in dealers in August 2006. Meanwhile, for those buyers who need something for light mud-plugging, the chunky Scout debuted in January 2007.

Enthusiasts will prefer the hot vRS, which hit the road in January 2006. The evolution of the family continued in June 2007, with a 1.8T edition join­ing the range – this was powered by the VW Group’s tried-and-tested turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol engine.

What to look for

In terms of what goes wrong, there’s not much to worry about. Even the items in our checklist aren’t especially common, so you’ll be unlucky to find a car with any significant faults.

But there are other considerations, as you can save money on running costs by finding an example with the variable servicing system fitted. This feature potentially allows you to visit your local Skoda dealer only every two years, instead of at 12-month intervals. And although each service works out more expensive, potentially only half as many checks are needed – assuming you cover no more than 10,000 miles each year and don’t drive the car especially hard. See running costs (right) for more details.

Alternatives

If you want a lot of metal for your money, the Ford Mondeo is a tough package to beat as it’s well built and great to drive. Supply is also plentiful. The Vauxhall Vectra is well worth considering, too. It was facelifted in July 2005, and later models look and ride better, plus come far more generously equipped as standard.

Less obvious alternatives include the Mazda 6 and Honda Accord; both cars are reliable and handle well.

How much?

Early 1.4-litre Octavias can go for £5,000 privately – if you’re lucky. You’re better off with at least a 1.6-litre engine anyway, and you’ll pay at least £6,500 for an 04-plate Classic at a dealer, or £7,500 for a 1.6 FSI Ambiente of the same age.

Mind you, for the same money you could get the keys to a 1.9 TDI diesel. The excellent 2.0 TDI starts at £8,300 for an 04-plate Ambiente. A sporty 55-plate petrol vRS costs from around £12,000. Automatic gearboxes add £300-£500, and this is the difference between a hatch and an estate, too.

Running costs

All Octavias could be specified with a variable service indicator, allowing up to 20,000 miles or two years between check-ups. Otherwise, intervals are fixed at 10,000 miles or 12 months. With the variable set-up, service costs alternate between £180 and £220, while standard checks start at £73 (at 10,000 miles), and then progress to £140 (20,000), £75 (30,000) then £200 (40,000), before the cycle starts again.

On top of this, the air-con needs recharging each year (£69), fresh brake fluid is required every two years (£48.49) and coolant should be renewed every three years (£70). Replace the cambelt every four years or 80,000 miles on diesels; for petrols, it’s four years or 110,000 miles. Typical cost is £400.

* All prices correct at time of publishing

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