Skoda Octavia review

Is the Skoda Octavia a good car?

A recent update for the Skoda Octavia tweaked the looks, but nothing much changed in terms of whether you should buy one; if you need a hugely practical family car that’s comfortable, refined, good to drive and well-equipped, then the Octavia should be near the top of your shopping list. 

The Octavia is available in hatchback and truly cavernous estate forms, and it’s the former that we’re focusing on here. It’s Skoda’s biggest-selling car – more than seven million units have been shifted in the Octavia’s 28-year lifetime – and it has now reached the mid-life refresh of its fourth generation.

How much does the Skoda Octavia cost?

In some ways, the Skoda Octavia has transformed significantly over the years, but in the key areas where it excels - comfort, practicality and value for money - it hasn’t. The fourth generation arrived in 2020 and was given a handful of styling changes and a revised engine range earlier in 2024. However, it’s still the same high-quality family car with a huge amount of space that it always has been.

The current Octavia was crowned Auto Express Car of the Year and Family Car of the Year in 2021, and the estate model took the honours in the Estate Car of the Year category in 2021 and 2022. The facelift arrived while the car was still at the top of its game, so the revisions - a refreshed look and updated tech - didn’t need to be major to keep the car competitive.

The most notable tweak to the range is the arrival of a ‘low-power’ 1.5 TSI petrol engine. This replaces the previous 1.0 TSI three-cylinder, and is the same four-cylinder motor that’s found elsewhere in the range, but it has been detuned to make 114bhp (5bhp more than the 1.0 TSI) and 220Nm of torque. The result is a smoother and more responsive unit that offers similar fuel economy. The more powerful version of this engine has 148bhp and 250Nm of torque.

Both engines come with the option of six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG  automatic gearboxes, with the latter featuring mild-hybrid tech to keep emissions down. There’s also a 2.0-litre diesel with 114bhp in manual form and 148bhp in automatic form, though the diesel auto doesn’t come with the mild hybrid set-up. 

The Skoda Octavia vRS models will be available with a 261bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine. We’ve loved previous versions, but we’ve not tried the facelifted car yet.

Although the Octavia is still available as a five-door hatchback or estate, Skoda has trimmed the trim levels slightly, with SE Technology, SE L and SportLine options available. Prices for the well-equipped SE Technology start from around £27,000, which is a similar entry point as the Volkswagen Golf – a car that was previously sold at a price premium. Higher-spec SE L and SportLine versions with the most powerful engines come in around £35,000 mark, while the vRS is closer to £39,000.

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The Skoda’s engine range is simple but still offers something for everyone. The most basic 114bhp 1.5-litre petrol is great, but there’s also a more powerful 148bhp version. There are two diesels that are great for long-distance drivers and have the same power outputs as the petrols. There’s also a sporty vRS model for those after even more performance. All versions are smooth and easy to drive, and there’s a choice of slick manual or DSG automatic gearboxes. Read more about the Skoda Octavia's engine, performance and drive…

The most economical Octavia is the diesel, which can get 66.2mpg according to official figures. Petrol models are nearly as efficient, though, and the most economical of those is the mild hybrid, which returns 57.3mpg on the WLTP test. All versions of the Octavia (bar the vRS) have official fuel figures in excess of 50mpg, which is pretty impressive. Read more about the Skoda Octavia's MPG, emissions and running costs…

The Octavia is as roomy as ever, and interior quality is impressive no matter which trim you choose, although lesser models have a bit more grey plastic on show. All versions feature a 13-inch touchscreen with smartphone connectivity, while heated seats are a fantastic addition to the standard kit list. Read more about the Skoda Octavia's interior, design and technology…

The Octavia hatchback is one of the most spacious cars in its class and features a gigantic 600-litre boot. There’s also an estate that offers more vertical space, but all versions of this Skoda are hugely practical. There’s legroom for tall adults in the back; it’s no wonder the Octavia is popular as a taxi throughout Europe. Read more about the Skoda Octavia's boot space, comfort and practicality…

Skoda has performed well in our Driver Power ownership surveys in the past, although more recently, the brand has slipped down the rankings. However, since the Octavia shares many parts with models from SEAT, Audi, Volkswagen and more, there’s no reason to think it will be unreliable. Read more about the Skoda Octavia’s reliability and safety…

Skoda Octavia alternatives

The Skoda Octavia shares its mechanical underpinnings, engines, and elements of on-board tech with the Golf, while there’s also the SEAT Leon rival within the Volkswagen Group family. Other competition includes cars such as the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda 3, but the family hatch opposition doesn’t stop there, because customers in this class are also likely to be considering the Hyundai i30, Kia Ceed, Peugeot 308, and Vauxhall Astra. What the Octavia offers over all of its rivals, though, is greater boot space, courtesy of the car’s long rear end.