Our cars


Exploring our new estate…


Skoda Octavia SE L Estate 2.0 TDI 150PS DSG


P11D price £29,450 As tested £33,940 Official consumption 58.6-62.3mpg Our average consumption 59.3mpg Mileage 777


Standard equipment:  Adaptive cruise control, Wireless Smartlink for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio, 17in Rotare AERO alloy wheels, Columbus satellite navigation with 10in touchscreen display, front heated seats, Microsuede upholstery, Climatronic dual zone air conditioning


We get our hands on a new long-term Skoda Octavia Estate and throw it in at the deep end of busy family life.


Richard Bush


You can so easily become spoiled with cars. After having a well-specced Skoda Kodiaq for the past six months, I’ve grown accustomed to certain welcome, yet arguably unnecessary, niceties. And swapping that Kodiaq for a more affordable Skoda Octavia Estate has left me wanting for a few bits of tech. A classic case of first- world problems.


I want to get my moans and niggles out of the way early, because the Octavia Estate has pretty much been all hit and no miss since I hopped into it. No, it doesn’t have a reversing camera, wireless phone charging, a clever cup holder that doubles up as a nick-nack organiser, or convenient dash-mounted climate control buttons - all of which my outgoing Kodiaq had. But that car was £6,000 more expensive, bigger, and arguably more fitting of above- and-beyond, practical, family-friendly features. Anyway…


The Octavia Estate is typically-Skoda inside. It has a conservative VW-group feel, with a few splashes of flare to add intrigue - like a silver inlay stretching across the dash, chrome-coloured highlights and suede inserts. It feels more like a saloon than a stretched hatchback.


Finding a comfortable driving position is simple, with my only criticism being the


Why we’re running it


to see whether the family estate still thrives in a world of SUVs.


46 | May 2023 | www.businesscar.co.uk


small, angular door mirrors, which make it seem as though your seat needs to be moved a smidge forward - or backward - at all times.


Powering our Octavia Estate is a 2.0- litre 150hp diesel. The biggest gripe I had with the Kodiaq we tested was its slightly mismatched 1.5-litre petrol. The 2.0-litre TDI however is perfectly matched to the Octavia Estate, and is an absolute dream on the motorway. Low down the rev range - specifically under 2,500 revs - the Octavia guzzles away like your typical diesel. But push past idle pace and it becomes extremely hushed and settled.


Thus far, fuel economy has been excellent. We’ve clocked up 600 miles in just a matter of weeks. And with a mixture of motorway, B-road and town driving, we’ve averaged 59.3mpg.


Behind the wheel, the Octavia has an undeniable VW-group familiarity and likeability. It just goes. It’s not particularly fun to drive, but the ride handles anything you throw at it and the seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox ticks away without hassle. For family life, I’d argue that familiar-feeling, comfortable characteristics are more important than anything else. In fact, one of the first family outings we had in the Octavia was driving from Liverpool to Manchester, as I was taking part in the Manchester Marathon. Even though I had another car on the driveway - which I only had for a limited time and should have been testing – I opted to jump in the Octavia. It has a no-nonsense, predictable character which was exactly what my sore legs needed after the marathon run, and I felt instant vindication


when I jumped back in.


Aside from its general comfort, there are a few key pieces of kit fitted to our SE L model that help round off its easy drive. The adaptive cruise control is simple to set and will effortlessly ease your speed if you get too close to the car in front. There’s also wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay - the wireless bit being the most important part of that. With this, you can hop in and out of the car, wire-free, and your phone will instantly connect, giving you access to your mobile’s Google Maps and Spotify apps - other apps are available - from the car’s touchscreen.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53