New Skoda Octavia review

23 Jan, 2013 10:50am Comments

We travelled to Portugal to drive the all-new Skoda Octavia for the first time

The brand-new Skoda Octavia has landed and we’ve been to Portugal so see if it’s as good as the VW Golf on which it is based.

By using the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, the new Octavia shares its underpinnings not only with the Golf, but the upmarket Audi A3 and forthcoming SEAT Leon.

With prices starting at only £15,990, it undercuts the VW by almost £400. Standard kit is good, too, with all cars getting alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity and a DAB radio. Mid-range SE cars add automatic air conditioning, body coloured trim and front fog lights.

Engine choice is limited to a pair of petrols and two diesel motors, with a super-frugal Greenline model set to join the lineup in the near future. The most efficient model until then will be the 1.6 TDI, which claims an average 74.3mpg and emits just 99g/km of CO2.

So check out the video to see whether or not the all-new Skoda Octavia can finally trump the all-conquering VW Golf.

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Submitted by GeToD on Fri, 2013-01-25 13:44.

I do not get it. If you need over 500 litres of trunk space you are not going to compare it to a Golf. I do not understand why everybody is trying to compare it to a Golf.... it is more of a cheaper Jetta than a Golf. Or would it be too embarrasing to compare it to a Focus, or as was mentioned in the video, a Mondeo.

Submitted by vagfan on Fri, 2013-01-25 13:59.

I'd have an Octavia over any Golf, Mondeo etc, for many reasons, namely the size, the excellent quality, the brilliant consumer survey results, plus it has classier looks than the Ford or Vauxhall or Mazda rivals - more like an Audi. Easily will shoot to top of class - it's already beaten the Passat in a german mag test.

Submitted by bob on Fri, 2013-01-25 22:44.

@GeToD The Skoda Rapid is more of Jetta/focus category and I agree the golf should be in with that categroy too...the Octavia is more Mondeo/Vectra sector., But My god!!..doesnt this new skoda look soo much like an Audi A4 now, i prefer the previous styling

Submitted by Misotonic on Sat, 2013-01-26 15:50.

Great video review, and I totally agree with the verdict - it does seem like a seriously good car.

Submitted by BEREAL on Thu, 2013-02-07 22:39.

NICE & PLAIN & SIMPLE, CHEAP & CHEERFUL DOES THE JOB, NOT UPTO MONDEO OR INSIGNIA QUALITY AT ALL IT'S JUST A CHEAP JETTA HATCHBACK, CLEARLY CHEAPER PRICE & QUALITY, & A RAPID IS A POLO SALOON/HATCH NOT A FOCUS/GOLF SIZE CAR.

Submitted by MOT1 on Mon, 2013-11-25 12:15.

The quality in terms of build and design outstrips a Vauxhall (speaking as a current Astra owner), but what a fat headed remark to make '...the sum of its parts doesn't add up to a Golf', no your right it's an Octavia, so no surprise there. Why compare two entirely different types of vehicle to begin with simply because they are out of the same stable? Not a useful review at all, in fact I have just been robbed of six minutes of my life!

For an alternative review of the latest Skoda Octavia Hatchback visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk