The Octavia is now Skoda’s best-selling car, and it’s easy to see why.
It offers exceptional practicality in both hatchback and estate form, and also tremendous value for money, regardless of which version you go for.
While an all-new model might have just been revealed, the outgoing version still makes a lot of sense if you act quickly. Here’s a quick guide that helps to explain the range.
What engines are available?
We’ll start with the petrol engines, and the range kicks off with a 113bhp turbocharged 1.0-litre unit, which is the most efficient of all the petrol powertrains – returning up to 50.4mpg, with CO2 emissions as low as 111g/km. It’s paired to a six-speed manual transmission. Next up is a 148bhp 1.5-litre unit available with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission. If you opt for the SE L version in estate form you can also choose a 187bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine paired to a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission.
Switching to diesel gives you the option to choose a 113bhp 1.6-litre unit paired to a five-speed manual transmission or the popular 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI unit, which is linked to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission. The 1.6-litre engine is the most efficient – returning up to 56.5mpg, with CO2 emissions of 109g/km.
We can’t forget about the vRS hot hatch version either, which is offered with the option of a 242bhp 2.0-litre petrol, or a 181bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine that comes as standard with all-wheel-drive. All vRS engines feature a DSG automatic gearbox, too. The 242bhp version is the quickest in the line-up, as it’s able to accelerate the Octavia from 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 155mph.
What trim levels are offered?
As the current Octavia nears the end of its lifespan, Skoda has trimmed down the line-up to three grades. Equipment highlights and prices for each are listed below.
SE Drive – from £20,310 (hatch), £21,510 (estate)
Standard equipment on SE cars include 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel, cruise control, rear parking system and a driver attention monitoring system. It also features an eight-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as automatic lights and wipers, dual-zone air-conditioning and LED rear lights.
SE L – from £23,140 (hatch), £24,340 (estate)
Upgrading to SE L adds full LED headlights, headlight washers, privacy glass, electric folding door mirrors and a microsuede and leather interior. On the safety front, it also adds automatic emergency braking and high beam assist.
vRS – from £28,765 (hatch), £29,965 (estate)
The flagship vRS adds 18-inch alloy wheels, a sports styling pack, vRS sports seats, LED interior lighting and aluminium pedals. It also features LED fog lights, an electronic limited-slip differential, lane-keep assist and the option of a separate ‘Sport’ mode to unlock further performance.
What about personalisation?
Skoda is a firm that prefers functionality over unlimited personalisation, so the options to change your Octavia are not extensive. With the regular model there isn’t a great deal of choice, but shades such as Maple Brown and Race Blue add a bit of colour to the range. Choose for the vRS and you can also pick model-specific colours – including Meteor Grey and Rallye Green, too.
Upgraded 18-inch alloys are also available across the range, while further optional extras include a heated steering wheel (£160), along with electric memory front seats (£935). An upgraded 9.2-inch touchscreen is also available as a somewhat pricey £1,075 extra, too.
