Skoda Octavia - MPG, CO2 and running costs

At just under £27,000, the Skoda Octavia range has a fairly modest starting price when compared with many of its most popular competitors, and undercuts the entry-level version of the Volkswagen Golf by around £250. While Skoda’s badge might not have the same appeal to some, you’re getting a physically larger car for less money, so that seems like strong value.

It’s a shame that diesel has been so demonised in recent years, because the Octavia proves a modern diesel can still return mpg figures that even the most efficient petrols (or electrically assisted PHEVs) will struggle to match, especially on a long motorway run where the Octavia diesel will easily surpass 60mpg. That means it should be possible to top 500 miles on longer journeys despite a fairly modest 45-litre fuel tank. 

That’s not to say the petrol models aren’t impressive, though; expect fuel economy of 50-plus mpg on a similar journey, while those engines equipped with mild-hybrid tech cut the power for short periods and when coasting to minimise unnecessary petrol usage.

The Octavia vRS focuses more on performance than economy, but official figures in the 40mpg range are still pretty impressive for a model that’s not designed to be frugal.

Coming soon will be the plug-in hybrid Octavia iV, which will use the same powertrain as the VW Golf eHybrid and faster GTE. The 201bhp version manages a claimed 288.1mpg in the Skoda on the official test cycle, while the 242bhp version in vRS-spec can achieve up to 233.4mpg, and, when fully charged, should deliver up to 28 miles of all-electric range.

Tax 

Since the plug-in hybrid Octavia iV hasn’t landed in showrooms yet, the Octavia won’t be as great a choice for company car drivers as the plug-in versions of Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra. The least expensive option for Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) drivers is the 1.5-litre TSI e-TEC SE Technology, which currently sits in the 27-per-cent bracket, which means basic-rate income taxpayers will face bills of more than £1,500 each year.

Insurance groups

Depending on which Octavia you choose, its insurance groups range between 14 for the 1.5-litre TSI SE Technology and 22 for the 2.0-litre TDI, all of which are roughly standard for this category of car. The powerful vRS model has a higher rating of 27.

Depreciation

Residual values are a little below the class average for the Octavia, particularly if you go for the higher-spec diesel models, which are predicted to hold onto barely 40 per cent of their initial value after three years or 36,000 miles. 

The safest bet financially is the base 1.5-litre petrol powertrain in SE Technology trim, which is predicted to maintain 46.5 per cent of its original price over the same time and mileage.

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