Skoda Octavia Review (2004 to date)

Quick Summary

If you're comfortable with your self image such that you don't need an ego-boosting badge to prop it up, you should find something in the Octavia line up to your liking. The 1.6-litre FSI and the 2.0-litre diesel remain the standout models but there are some interesting alternative options such as the 4x4 estate and the punchy vRS.

Overall:

Models Covered:5dr hatch, estate: 1.4,1.6, 2.0, 2.0T petrol,1.9, 2.0 diesel [Classic, Ambiente, Elegance, Laurin&Klement, 4x4, Sport, vRS]

SECOND TIME AROUND

The Skoda brand has been rehabilitated. These days it's rare to find people cracking jokes about Skodas, as most know that they are seriously well built cars and the latest Octavia model is one that tests the limits of the marque's newfound desirability. Bigger, more sophisticated and, consequently, more expensive than its predecessor, the second generation Octavia builds on that car's success but hopes to move the Skoda brand that little bit further upmarket. Sales suggest that this move has been successful. Existing Skoda customers don't seem to have minded paying a little more for a manifestly superior product and new customers have viewed the higher prices as an indicator of quality. As a used buy the Octavia makes a lot of sense, offering rugged durability with no-nonsense affordability. Here's what to look for.
Used Skoda Octavia for sale

History of the Octavia

It's hard to credit that it was as long ago as 1991 that Volkswagen first took a stake in Skoda. Seven years later the original Octavia first appeared, at the time by far Skoda's most sophisticated vehicle. Since that time, we've not only seen the executive class Superb but also a whole range of exciting Skoda concept cars that hint at where the Czech company is going. The second generation Octavia arrived in summer 2004 and carried on where its predecessor left off, offering a wide range of spacious, well engineered cars to people who wanted Volkswagen standard engineering but with Volkswagen sized prices. Estates followed the next year with an interesting 4x4 model offered.With a budget 1.4-litre Classic model providing a headline lead-in price and an excellent 2.0-litre diesel available as well, the Octavia does sensible very well. It also does fun too, with the range-topping 197bhp vRS model, effectively a Golf GTI with a more spacious body on top, introduced in early 2006. The early 1.6-litre engine was phased out in 2005 with a more advanced FSI unit carrying the banner.
Used Skoda Octavia for sale

Skoda Octavia Road Test

The Octavia drives pretty much as you'd expect – assured, comfortable but nothing too sporting. The vRS is the anomaly – a sporty hatch that handles almost as well as a Golf GTI – and the almost is crucially important to Volkswagen Group brand managers. These days, even the more comfort biased chassis are so competent that it takes a genuinely ham-fisted development to result in a car that's no fun to drive. The latest Octavia benefits from Volkswagen's quest to endow the Golf chassis with Ford Focus-style driving manners. Even with the wick turned down a good few notches, it can't help but feel extremely capable when stitching a series of bends together.The steering feels like a good hydraulically assisted set-up but is in fact electro-mechanically assisted. Many of the early versions of this steering set-up felt unacceptably artificial but the Octavia's helm feels meaty and rewarding at speed, reverting to fingertip light at parking speeds. Impressive stuff. The gearchange is light and positive and the multi-link rear suspension keeps the sort of bump and thump that often afflicts cars with more rudimentary torsion beam setups at bay.Engine-wise, prepare to be faced with a 75bhp 1.4-litre, a 115bhp 1.6-litre FSI, a 150bhp 2.0-litre FSI and the 200bhp 2.0-litre turbo powerplant found in the vRS if you choose petrol power. Opt for diesel and there's a 105bhp 1.9-litre entry-level TDI with a torquey 140bhp TDI acting as the flagship diesel engine. If you prefer your Octavia to be the bit nimbler, the 115bhp 1.6-litre FSI engine represents probably the best balance between poise and power. The 2.0-litre TDI diesel is the car that many will be drawn to as it also offers a version of the VW Group's fantastic DSG dual clutch gearbox, albeit without the F1-style paddle shift. Another option is the 4x4 Octavia Estate, models of which give improved traction without sacrificing interior space.
Used Skoda Octavia for sale

Buying a Skoda Octavia

Ask a Skoda dealer what goes wrong with Octavias and you're likely to have a short, if slightly dull, conversation. In the words of one dealer, Octavias are 'bulletproof'. Certainly, they're every bit as well put together as a VW Polo or a Golf – a fact confirmed by VW Group in-house surveys. Still, check for wear to loading floors on the estate models and make sure that servicing has been properly carried out.
Used Skoda Octavia for sale

Skoda Octavia Typical Pricing

You won't need much more than £7,200 to get your hands on an 04 plated Octavia 1.4-litre Classic although many would feel that it was money well spent to cough up another £600 and land a 1.6-litre model instead. The 1.6-litre FSI-engined model opens at £9,100 in Ambiente trim on an 04 plate with an estate weighing in at £10,800 on a 54 registration.The 1.9-litre TDI represents a workable diesel option which prices starting at £8,700 for a Classic hatch and rising to £11,800 for an 04-plated Elegance, but the 2.0-litre diesel is so much better it's worth holding out. These are available from £11,000 in Ambiente trim on an 04 plate. The racy vRS is still in very short supply and it may be worth waiting a while to take advantage of wider choice.
Used Skoda Octavia for sale

Skoda Octavia Parts

(Estimated prices, based on a 2005 Octavia Ambiente 1.6) An alternator is a big ticket item at around £450, while a clutch assembly is around £215, making these parts of the Skoda ownership experience as upmarket as Volkswagen claim. Front brake pads are a reassuring £40 a pair, whilst somebody must have employed a pre-VW Skoda accountant when radiators were priced at £90. A starter motor is around £135, whilst a replacement headlamp is just over £100.
Used Skoda Octavia for sale