Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Skoda Octavia - Interior, design and technology

A sharp exterior design and improved on-board tech means the Skoda Octavia looks and feels upmarket

Interior, design and technology rating

4.4

How we review cars
RRP
£27,390 £39,285
Avg. savings
£2,212 off RRP*
Find your Skoda Octavia
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The facelifted Skoda Octavia has revised daytime running lights, a sharper looking front bumper, fresh tail lights with animations, and some new alloy wheel designs and colour options to choose from.

The facelift also saw some trim level and engine changes. The base model is now SE Technology, which has 16-inch alloys - great for comfort - LED lights, umbrellas in the front doors, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 13-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless phone charging, dual-zone air-con, keyless start, and heated front seats.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Mid-range SE L specification includes bigger 17-inch alloys, adaptive cruise control and front parking sensors, while SportLine models get 18-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint, a black spoiler, tinted windows, chrome exhaust pipes and sports seats.

What is the Skoda Octavia like inside?

The fourth-generation Skoda Octavia took a noticeable leap forward in design over its predecessor when it was released, with the old car’s worthy but slightly dull design replaced with something much more contemporary. 

The horizontal dashboard arrangement – it does away with its predecessor’s monolithic central dashboard layout – is dominated by a large touchscreen display, with a few key short-cut buttons, such as shortcuts to the climate-control menu and driver-assist functions, located below the infotainment screen.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Octavia

2022 Skoda

Octavia

25,433 milesManualDiesel2.0L

Cash £15,806
View Octavia
Octavia

2020 Skoda

Octavia

16,579 milesManualDiesel2.0L

Cash £18,299
View Octavia
Octavia

2024 Skoda

Octavia

54,809 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £12,948
View Octavia
Octavia

2024 Skoda

Octavia

11,886 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £15,083
View Octavia

Unfortunately, this means that the climate controls are primarily operated through the touchscreen. While it’s a logical set-up for its type, we’d still prefer to have physical buttons to work these functions.

What is the interior quality like?

The knurled thumbwheels on the two-spoke steering wheel, the slender chrome-finished door handles, and the soft materials that cover the dashboard all add up to make the Octavia’s understated and neatly laid-out cabin feel a cut above almost anything else in the class. 

It’s got the edge over the Volkswagen Golf, with only one or two alternatives, such as the Peugeot 308, able to deliver a similar sense of occasion. The buttons on the dashboard feel well damped, and the overall architecture looks sturdy. Even the font on the digital driver’s display is understated and classy.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

All versions of the facelifted Skoda Octavia have a 13-inch touchscreen. It’s very similar to the system fitted to the VW Golf, but it comes with unique Skoda graphics and colours. 

Over-the-air updates keep the infotainment system up to date with the latest navigation and traffic data for the standard sat-nav system, and also allows Skoda to introduce firmware revisions. The screen responds quickly to touches, and its interface is largely straightforward and easy to work out. Also included is wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a standard wireless charging pad.

There’s no volume knob, with a slider function located beneath the screen allowing you to adjust the level. This works okay; at least you can tap the slider to a point for your desired volume.

There are also no physical climate dials, with the dual-zone temperature controls integrated into the bottom of the touchscreen. There are pre-set climate-controlled commands to warm your feet or cool your face, but you can also set everything up as desired in a dedicated climate settings menu on the screen. Overall, having some of the climate controls on permanent display at the bottom of the screen is a positive step, but we’d prefer a few more analogue controls, such as the smart dials that feature on the Skoda Superb and Skoda Kodiaq.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    1.5 TSI SE Technology 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • RRP
    £27,390
Select car

Most Economical

  • Name
    2.0 TDI SE Technology 5dr
  • Gearbox type
    Manual
  • RRP
    £29,935
Select car

Fastest

  • Name
    2.0 TSI vRS 5dr DSG
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £39,285
Select car
Chief reviewer

Alex joined Auto Express as staff writer in early 2018, helping out with news, drives, features, and the occasional sports report. His current role of Chief reviewer sees him head up our road test team, which gives readers the full lowdown on our comparison tests.

New & used car deals

Skoda Octavia

Skoda Octavia

RRP £21,750Avg. savings £2,212 off RRP*Used from £12,648
Skoda Superb

Skoda Superb

RRP £35,925Avg. savings £2,880 off RRP*Used from £13,420
Skoda Scala

Skoda Scala

RRP £19,520Avg. savings £1,807 off RRP*Used from £9,495
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £5,075 off RRP*Used from £14,448
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025