Skoda Octavia Elegance 110 TDi wagon

For the uninitiated Australian car buyer, the Skoda car company is something of an unknown quantity, but with strong advertising campaigns and sponsoring of events like the cycling "Tour Down Under" in South Australia, its brand awareness is becoming much better.Skoda has been in the car making business for more than100 years and is today wholly owned by the Volkswagen Group.
Skodas are made in the Czech republic and are renowned for their build quality and reliability. Last year the company sold more than a million cars around the world.
Slowly but surely the brand is becoming more popular here in Australia, sold around the country in dealerships that also sell VWs.
Customers often remark about the Skoda's value for money when comparing similar Skoda and VW models.
The Skodas are as a rule, less expensive but just as good as the Volkswagen equivalent.
This is the Octavia Elegance 110 TDi wagon.
When it first went on sale in 2008, I thought the Octavia's styling was a little too bland, and almost indistinguishable from everything else on the road.

That's all changed however with the latest model. Sharp crease lines on each side of the body and redesigned front grille and rear end have lifted the Octavia's visual appeal.
Its clean crisp lines make it a smart, styling standout.

The Octavia's engines and other mechanicals are all VW sourced.
The 2.0 litre turbo diesel in the wagon on test here is a beaut and will be familiar to anyone who's driven the VW version. 110kw and 320 nm. combined with an fuel consumption average of just under 5 litres per 100 kilometres.  
Loads of torque and almost silent operation add to the driving experience. At highway speeds the Skoda is a very pleasant and quiet place to be.There are no gear shift paddles on this Elegance model, but the console shifter for the DSG box is easy to use, and in Sport mode the Octavia is a really swift  performer. On steeper downhill runs the DSG box will change to a lower gear unassisted, to give extra engine braking. 
The ride is a little on the firm side but I could live with it. It only slightly loses composure over really rutted roads. 
The Octavia's underpinnings owe much to the VW Golf, and as such the handling through bends is exemplary, neutral and well controlled, with good feel through the wheel. 
Doors open wide for easy entry and exit, and they all close with a satisfying thud. Once inside you'll be impressed with the space.

Plenty of leg and headroom for all occupants, and an easily adjusted driver's position thanks to a reach and rake steering wheel.The dashboard layout is neat. Everything falls easily to hand, and the white on black instrument faces are easily read, day or night.

There's ample padding for arms and elbows and even the handbrake lever has a padded leather grip.
This Elegance model, comes with very comfy leather seats, sat nav, Bluetooth connectivity, and a reasonable sound system. There's no reversing camera, but a pictogram of the car instead, with warning beeps and animation if you're too close to an object when parking.
Opening the front doors at night reveals a red safety light in the lower edge, unlike even some luxury cars that make do with a square of reflective tape. The heated wing mirrors fold when the car is switched off and also contain puddle lights. It's all in the detail folks. 

The cargo capacity is enormous, plenty of room for large loads, four hooks for shopping bags,and there's a full sized spare beneath the floor.
There's even the option of self parking and lane assist, similar to the recently tested E class Mercedes. Lane assist gently steers the Octavia back on track if the car starts to wander off line. Not too shabby for a 40 K car.

Quality is not an issue with Skoda vehicles. The latest global customer satisfaction survey by the influential JD Power, has the Skoda Superb, Octavia's larger sibling, named as the best in the world in terms of quality and reliability, followed by the Skoda Yeti, ahead of Jaguar's XF.  By the way, the Superb was once awarded UK Top Gear Magazine Car of the Year. The previous winner was a Bentley. High praise indeed!
The Superb remains one of my favourite vehicles and the smaller Octavia is also well up on my list of cars I wouldn't mind owning. If you need more performance, Skoda has that covered as well, with its RS models in sedan and wagon.
The petrol RS is a Golf GTi underneath and there's also an RS TDi if diesels are your go. Not a bad selection. If you're looking for a Camry/Accord/Cruze sized family car, don't forget to also stop at the Skoda shop. Prices start at 23K for the base model sedans.
I'm confident you'll be both surprised and impressed.
Peter Sellen