Skoda Octavia: why it's a 5-star What Car? family car

What Car? also commented positively on how easy the technology is to use when on the move. “Helpfully, Skoda has positioned the 13.0in infotainment touchscreen in the Skoda Octavia high on the dashboard so you don’t have to take your eyes far from the road to see it.All models come with Bluetooth, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, a DAB radio, built-in sat-nav and wireless phone-charging with a phone-cooling system.

“The latest infotainment system’s graphics look sharp and it responds to inputs quickly enough. You can also add your most frequently used shortcuts to the top corner of the screen for convenience.”

So we know the dashboard is well-sited and easy to use, but how does it look and feel? Well, What Car?’s experts awarded the Skoda Octavia four stars for interior quality, particularly extolling the upmarket feel of all the major touchpoints. 

“Plush, squidgy plastics are present on the top and front of the Skoda Octavia's dashboard and above the armrests on the doors,” What Car? said. “There are some harder plastics lower down, but they're pleasingly textured and everything feels solidly screwed together. SE L trim gets a faux-suede surface for part of the dashboard, lifting the ambience further. 

“The stalks behind the steering wheel feel good to use, as do the steering wheel buttons. All in all, the Skoda Octavia is as solid inside as the Toyota Corolla, but a little plusher – and miles ahead of – the Ford Focus.”

#2 Exceptional space and practicality

As we mentioned earlier, the Skoda Octavia has, on several occasions, been crowned the most practical family car money can buy at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards. And it’s easy to see why. Let’s start up front, where What Car?’s experts were very fond of the Skoda Octavia’s clever storage solutions. 

“There’s plenty of space in the front of the Skoda Octavia,” What Car? said. “A very tall driver will be able to get comfortable even with a panoramic glass roof fitted. Storage is better than in most rivals, too: each door pocket can take a 1.5-litre bottle of water and the cooled glovebox is big enough to keep your lunch fresh.

“Behind the gearlever are two fixed cupholders that will keep your coffee-to-go secure and, ingeniously, can grip drinks bottles tightly enough that you can twist off the cap with one hand. In front of the gear selector is a handy tray with two USB-C ports that’s big enough for a large mobile phone to sit next to your house keys and wallet or purse. There’s also a large covered storage space under the front armrest for hiding electronic devices and other valuables. Like the glove box, it's cooled, so it's ideal for a second round of sandwiches.”

Further back in the Skoda Octavia, What Car? were impressed with the width of the rear bench, which helps to make those big family adventures even more effortless. 

“The Skoda Octavia is pretty generous on rear-seat space,” What Car? said. “Behind a tall driver with their seat pushed back, even taller passengers will be able to lounge in comfort, and there’s loads of elbow room. The Skoda Octavia’s rear seat is surprisingly wide, making it a very comfortable car for three back-seat passengers to sit side by side in. A central armrest with two cupholders is standard on all models and the rear door pockets are a decent size. Every model has a map pocket on the back of each front seat, along with a smaller smartphone pocket, plus sizeable rear door bins.”

But, for the Skoda Octavia, the crown jewel comes in the form of its boot. The Skoda Octavia hatchback offers between 600 litres and 1555 litres of luggage space (depending on whether you fold the seats down), while the Skoda Octavia Estate yields between 640 litres and 1700 litres. Now, that’s big.

First, let’s talk about the hatch, where What Car? commended its sheer vastness compared to competitors. “With 600 litres of storage, the Octavia’s boot is not only huge compared with similar-sized rivals but also beats most competitors from the class above. Its load area is longer and taller than in most comparably priced hatchbacks, and a squared-off shape. 

“As standard, there’s a 12V socket, a couple of bag hooks and a couple of fenced-off areas that will stop your de-icer and other boot clutter sliding around. Options include a space-saver spare wheel that sits under the boot floor. An electric tailgate with hands-free gesture control is standard on SE L trim.”

Then we come to the Skoda Octavia Estate, which takes family practicality to a whole new level. “Boot size is a major highlight,” What Car? said. “The Skoda Octavia Estate’s 640-litre boot is huge compared with similar-sized rivals, and even manages to beat that of the Mercedes E-Class estate (at 615 litres with the rear seats up).

“We managed to fit nine carry-on suitcases under the Skoda Octavia’s parcel shelf, just two shy of the larger Skoda Superb Estate. The Octavia's load area is longer and taller than in most comparably priced estates, and it’s a practical squared-off shape. When the back seats are folded down, the space is truly vast. As standard, you get a 12V socket, bag hooks and a couple of compartments at the side to stop your boot clutter sliding around.”

#3 Superb value and low running costs

Skoda has long been a bastion of exceptional value, and the Skoda Octavia – in both hatchback and estate forms – continues that legacy. To start, the broad range of frugal petrol and diesel engines will help keep your daily expenses down, while the What Car? team heaped praise upon the Skoda Octavia’s generous levels of equipment compared to rivals.

“Entry-level SE Technology trim comes with 16in alloy wheels, heated front seats, keyless ignition, dual-zone climate control and cruise control. It's available with the TSI 116 petrol engine, the 1.5 TSI e-Tec and the TDI diesels,” What Car? commented. “If you go for our recommended TSI 150 petrol engine, you have to step up to at least SE L trim (which is our pick of the range anyway). That gets you larger 17in alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, ambient lighting, keyless entry, a heated front windscreen and adaptive cruise control.

“Sportline is a sportier equivalent to SE L and comes with 18in alloy wheels, a small black rear spoiler, sports front seats and aluminium pedals.”

And the value doesn’t stop there. The What Car? team were impressed by the plethora of deals to be had on a Skoda Octavia. “Skoda is usually generous with deposit contributions, so expect a competitive monthly PCP finance rate.”

#4 Great visibility and safety tech

Whether you’re embarking on a big family weekend away, commuting to work or threading the needle through your local supermarket’s car park, both the Skoda Octavia hatchback and estate make every journey easier, safer and more relaxing thanks to a commanding view of the road ahead and heaps of advanced safety equipment.

“The Octavia has large side windows and relatively slim windscreen pillars so looking forwards, left or right at junctions is easy,” What Car? said. “With large side windows and relatively narrow pillars front and rear, the Octavia Estate has great all-round visibility. It makes this relatively big estate car one of the easiest to manoeuvre in tighter spots. 

“To help relieve parking worries, all versions come with front and rear parking sensors. A rear-view camera is standard on Sportline trim (it’s an option with other trims), while a system called Park Assist that will steer the car into a space is part of an expensive Assisted Drive Package Plus.

“Bright LED headlights and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror are standard across the range, but they can be upgraded on Sportline trim at a cost to adaptive matrix LED headlights. The matrix lights are twice as bright as the standard units on full beam and automatically adjust the light pattern to avoid dazzling other drivers.”

Both the Skoda Octavia hatchback and estate were awarded a maximum five-star rating by Euro NCAP, helped by the inclusion of automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and an e-call system that notifies the emergency services if you’re involved in an accident, as standard.

If you want even more safety tech, blind-spot monitoring can be added to SE L trim for a reasonable cost to warn you of following traffic approaching. Adaptive cruise control is standard on SE L (optional on SE), which maintains a steady gap between you and the car in front, braking to match its speed where necessary.

Finally, both the Skoda Octavia hatchback and estate are available with confidence-inspiring four-wheel drive, so you can take those big adventures even further off the beaten track.

#5 Supple ride and engaging handling

Striking the perfect balance between comfort and sportiness is something many family cars struggle to achieve – but that’s where the Skoda Octavia is different. What Car? were particular fans of the Skoda Octavia’s motorway cruising (especially in estate form) and accurate steering.

“The Skoda Octavia estate’s ride is, on the whole, excellent,” What Car? commented. “It’s noticeably softer than a lot of its rivals, including the Ford Focus estate and its wafty bent also makes it particularly adept for relaxed jaunts on motorways and A-roads. It’s also fine around town when you encounter rounded-off lumps in the road, such as speed bumps.”

Both versions of the Skoda Octavia are more than capable of cutting a shape when the going gets twisty, too. “Despite the softness of its suspension, the Skoda Octavia is perfectly capable when it comes to corners,” said What Car?. “In particular, its steering is precise and has plenty of reassuring weight, providing you with a good sense of connection to the road through the front tyres. The Skoda Octavia also grips quite resolutely through bends and it's never anything less than stable and secure if you're driving normally.”

So, those are the five big reasons why the Skoda Octavia has been awarded a full five stars by the experts at What Car?. Maybe it’s time to try it for yourself.