Skoda Octavia Estate (2013-2020) Review

The Skoda Octavia Estate is a sensible family car, with the added bonus of a gargantuan boot and tonnes of rear seat space

Strengths & weaknesses

  • Great value for money
  • Wide range of engine and trim choices
  • Huge amounts of passenger and boot space
  • Sensible cabin can underwhelm
  • You can find better warranties elsewhere
  • Only performance versions are fun to drive

Skoda Octavia Estate prices from £8,699   Finance from £141 per month

In a market where buyers looking for family cars are increasingly considering SUVs, the straightforward and practical nature of a family estate car can often be overlooked. But you be hard-pressed to better the Skoda Octavia Estate’s combination of space, practicality and value for money. Better still, prices for this family-friendly estate are much more affordable than many pretend off-roaders.

Let’s talk boot space first, because this really is the Octavia Estate’s trump card. Buyers in the market for an Octavia Estate might also have a Volkswagen Golf Estate, Ford Focus Estate, Seat Leon ST, Kia Ceed Sportswagon, Hyundai i30 Tourer or a Peugeot 308 SW on their list. The Octavia comfortably has the measure of all these, with 610 litres of boot space that rises to 1740 litres when you drop the rear seats. The one car that comes close is the 308 SW, offering a little more boot space, but much more cramped rear seats.

Beyond the exploits of its accomodating dimensions, the Skoda Octavia Estate also manages to perform admirably on the road, much like its smaller hatchback sibling. The quality of its interior isn’t up there with a VW Golf – or even a Kia Ceed or Peugeot 308 – but it’s certainly robust, and thoughtfully laid out and more than acceptable at this price.

There's plenty of equipment too, with all models getting an eight-inch touchscreen media system that is set up for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, DAB radio and air-conditioning, while all but the best level models get dual-zone climate control and rear parking sensors - both very worthwhile pieces of kit.

The Octavia is also a very capable cruiser, as Skoda has prioritised a comfortable ride rather than driving pleasure. The diesel engines can be a little grumbly and big wheels make the ride a touch firm on rougher roads, but most trips will feel smooth and serene, if rarely exciting.

There’s a broad range of petrol and diesel engines on offer, providing a reasonable mix of performance and economy – even the little 1.0-litre petrol is strong enough. The 148hp 2.0-litre diesel offers plenty of torque and power while delivering decent economy, while the high-tech 1.5-litre petrol offers cylinder deactivation technology to minimise its fuel use.

If you’re looking for more serious speed then the sporty vRS model is the one you want. Available with either a spritely petrol engine or a gutsy and economical diesel. Those who might need to tackle the odd rutted farm track can go for the 4x4 Scout model with rugged plastic body cladding and a raised ride height.

Best Skoda Octavia Estate for...

Best for Economy – Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI 115 DSG SE

There’s not really such a thing as a thirsty Skoda Octavia, but the 1.6 TDI diesel engine in Skoda’s family estate can be coaxed into some impressive fuel economy figures – you can easily better 55mpg on normal roads if you’re careful.

Best for Families – Skoda Octavia 1.5 TSI 150 SE L

Opt for SE L trim, and you get some family-friendly touches such as rear electric windows, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, emergency brake assist and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The clever 1.5-litre petrol engine also combines effortless power with a quiet, unobtrusive smoothness.

Best for Performance – Skoda Octavia 2.0 TSI vRS

The sporty vRS comes in two flavours – petrol and diesel. Both are impressively punchy, but of the two it’s the petrol model that will keep most enthusiastic drivers interested. Its 245hp motor is basically the same as you’ll find in a VW Golf GTI, turning this sensible pair of shoes into flamboyant running trainers.

One to Avoid – 2.0 TDI 150PS DSG 4x4 SCR Laurin & Klement

The Laurin & Klement models represent the top of the tree as far as Octavia trim options go and, although they offer all sorts of luxury goodies, they also push the price of the Skoda somewhere very close to BMW 3 Series territory. As nice as the Octavia is, this end of the range does not represent its sweet spot.

History

January 2013 Introduction of third-generation Skoda Octavia Estate to UK

January 2014 More frugal GreenLine model joins the range

February 2014 SUV-style Octavia Scout 4x4 revealed

Spring 2017 Significant redesign with new-style grille and headlights

Autumn 2017 New 1.5 TSI petrol with cylinder deactivation

Understanding Skoda Octavia Estate names

Engine 2.0 TDI

The size of Skoda engines is given in litres (here it's 2.0). Diesel engines are badged TDI and petrol cars have turbocharged TSI engines.

Trim SE L

The Octavia Estate trim levels start with S, SE, followed by SE Drive, SE Technology, SE L, Sportline and the luxurious Laurin & Klement.

Gearbox DSG

All engines offer the option of either regular six-speed manual transmission or the highly rated DSG twin-clutch, seven-speed automatic gearbox.

Skoda Octavia Estate Engines

1.0 TSI, 1.5 TSI ACT, 2.0 TSI, 1.6 TDI, 2.0 TDI

All Octavia petrol engines are turbocharged and identified by the letters TSI. Even the entry-level 115hp 1.0-litre performs well, despite its tiny size. If you want more power, there’s a recently introduced 1.5-litre petrol that delivers 150hp and offers clever cylinder deactivation technology that makes it more efficient when the engine is under light loads.

The 190hp 2.0-litre petrol engine won’t be on a lot of buyers’ radars, as it’s only offered in top-spec Laurin & Klement trim. It does make the Octavia surprisingly fast, but average fuel economy suffers a little. Fans of performance will want the 245hp 2.0 TSI that’s only found in the vRS model.

Opening the diesel range is a 1.6-litre with 115hp and very similar performance to the 1.0-litre petrol. Next up is the 2.0-litre TDI diesel, a strong and smooth engine ideally suited to motorway cruising.

 

 

Fuel

Mpg

Bhp

0 - 62mph

top speed

1.0 TSI

Petrol

46.3mpg

115hp

10.2 secs

124mph

1.5 TSI

Petrol

44.8mpg

150hp

8.4 secs

134mph

2.0 TSI

Petrol

39.8mpg

190hp

7.4 secs

147mph

2.0 TSI 

Petrol

39.2mpg

245hp

6.6 secs

155mph

1.6 TDI

Diesel

54.3mpg

115hp

10.4 secs

123mph

2.0 TDI

Diesel

51.5mpg

150hp

9.1 secs

132mph

 

2.0 TDI

Diesel

50.4mpg

184hp

8.1s

145mph

Skoda Octavia Estate Trims

S, SE, SE Drive, SE Technology, SE L, Sportline, Laurin & Klement, vRS, Scout

The entry-level Skoda Octavia Estate S already offers plenty of equipment as standard. There’s air-conditioning, an eight-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth and a digital radio.

Upgrade to SE and you add rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, rear electric windows, a central front armrest, emergency brake assist and a Wi-Fi hotspot, among other goodies.

Next up is the SE L, which adds leather upholstery, power-folding mirrors, a rear central armrest, rain-sensing wipers and a multifunction steering wheel.

Sportline trim gets some sporty detailing inside and out with 18-inch alloy wheels but otherwise is similar to the SE L, while the even more luxurious Laurin & Klement models have bigger 18-inch alloys, bright xenon headlights, LED rear lights, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and parking assistance.

Skoda Octavia Estate Reliability and warranty

Customers are generally impressed by their Skodas – the Octavia tends to do well in Auto Express’s Driver Power survey. In the 2015 edition, the model was ranked as the 11th-best car overall out of 200 models by owners, with a 42nd place finish for reliability and 25th place rating for build quality. Skoda dealers are also very highly rated for their customer service.

The only fly in the ointment is the three-year/60,000-mile warranty. Toyota, Hyundai and Kia can all trump this.

Used Skoda Octavia Estate

As a used car the Skoda Octavia Estate is an excellent choice. It holds on to its value well, but the car has been on sale for some time now so there are plenty of examples to choose from – so you should be able to find one that suits you.

Diesel versions are far more common than petrol models, so the right diesel car will be the easier one to track down.

Octavias are also popular as company cars, so there can be quite a few high-mileage diesels out there for sale. It’s probably better to keep an eye out for a lower-mileage example that was privately purchased and well specified from new.

Other Editions

Octavia (2013 – 2020)

The spacious and solid Skoda Octavia is one of the best-value new cars on sale today

Octavia (2020)

The Octavia is a practical and safe family car that now takes a step up market with new tech and hybrid power