Skoda Octavia estate car review – cost efficient competence

Skoda Octavia Combi 1.6 TDI DFP

What is it?

The Skoda Octavia Combi, or estate to you and me, is the load carrying workhorse version of the saloon already on UK roads.

In common with the saloon, styling is sharp and contemporary. Underneath, the Octavia is based on the same ‘MQB’ platform as the Audi A3 and the VW Golf.

Build quality is every bit as good as its German built cousins

Also in keeping with the factory’s ‘value-for-money’ marketing approach, the estate claims to deliver class leading carrying capacity with 610-litres of boot space swelling to a van-like 1740-litres with the rear seats folded down.

Skoda UK has chosen not to import the most powerful 1.8-litre TSI with 180PS but instead believe the most company car friendly will be the 105PS 1.6-litre TDI DFP five-speed manual boasting 74.3mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of a tax friendly 99g/km.

Prices, though, are perilously near the ‘premium’ market with the 1.6 TDI in ‘S’ trim tipping the scales at £18,785 albeit with Bluetooth connectivity, USB and Aux connections and stop/start engine function as standard.

What’s hot?

Despite increased length and width over the old model, the 1.6 TDI still manages good performance figures with a 0-62mph time of 11 seconds and 119mph top speed from its 105PS turbodiesel.
Claimed combined fuel economy of 74.3mpg is identical to its hatchback cousin. With tax-busting CO2 emissions of 99 g/km and company car tax rates from 14%, the 1.6 is clearly attractive for company car drivers.
The Skoda brand has shrugged off it’s budget-buy trappings though lacks the cachet of the Germans
The extra equipment as standard puts up to £5300 of extra value into the new Combi at the range-topping Elegance level while the entry level ‘S’ boasts Bluetooth connectivity, 8-speaker DAB digital radio hi-fi, start/stop engine, 7 airbags, automatic post-collision braking, tinted glass, black roof rails and 16-inch alloys as standard.
Build quality is every bit as good as its German built cousins and the bodywork design is distinctly Skoda while still achieving the authority and style of well crafted business attire.
A chassis weight saving and improved aerodynamics have boosted efficiency and help the car handle challenging driving surprisingly well, aided and abetted by revised suspension set-ups front and rear.
Class leading storage capacity of 610 litres swells to 1740 litres with rear seats folded. The interior also enjoys several load combinations with a new two-level rear boot compartment plus section dividers for separate front and rear stowage options. A remote rear seat folding mechanism speeds up the process and there is the option of an electric tailgate. With the front passenger seat folded, the car can carry items of nearly 3-metres in length.
Advanced infotainment comes with touchscreens and proximity sensors as standard supporting gesture control to allow users to ‘swipe’ through menu options.
The DSG six-speed automatic option is an attractive alternative offering quick up and down ratios that work with little of no noticeable lag that can plague similar systems from other manufacturers.

What’s not?

Design image still errs on the safe ‘sensible’ side and does not have a particularly individual stance on the road. The use of the Skoda ‘c’ rear lamps do not give the rear aspect much of a ‘premium’ look.
Safe, too, is the drive with very little by way of driver involvement. The car is destined to be used as a reliable workhorse rather than an enjoyable driving experience.
For the majority of user-chooser corporate drivers, the pricing, which at the top Elegance specification is nudging £22k, could place the car dangerously close to the more desirable badges from VW and Audi.

Business Car Manager Road Test Verdict

Skoda has long-since shrugged off its budget-buy labels of yore and the previous model became a top-seller in the European market.

However, the strengthening of the pricing policy could count against the latest estate in the UK with more attractive badges not so very far away from the new car especially in the higher specification versions.

In its favour is the strong no-nonsense business car proposition it represents. Sharp design, big comfortable interior, good levels of equipment, and of course the vastly improved build quality over Skodas of yesteryear.

We think the hatchback is a brilliant company car; the estate is very good indeed – but with rivals such as Ford’s Mondeo offering enhanced value packages at similar prices, it finds itself in what’s become a hotly contested sector.

You should also read our review of the Skoda Octavia hatchback.

The Low Down…

Doors and body style	5-door estate
Engine/gearbox	1.6 litre 4-cyl turbodiesel/5-speed manual
CO2 Emissions	99g/km
Economy	74.3mpg
Power/torque	105PS/250Nm
0-62mph/top speed	11 secs/119mph
Insurance group	13E

…and what it costs

P11D Value	£18,785
Monthly business rental (ex VAT)	From £266
Road tax (VED)	Band A
Company Car Tax Bands 2013/14 to 2015/16	14%, 15%, 17%
Benefit in kind 2013/14 to 2015/16	£2630, £2818, £3193
Annual/Monthly fuel benefit (20%)	£591/£49
Annual/Monthly fuel benefit (40%)	£1182/£98
Annual/monthly company car tax (20%)	£526/£44
Annual/monthly company car tax (40%)	£1052/£88
Figures correct at time of posting
For latest figures	Use our company car tax calculator