Skoda Octavia Estate review: family-friendly motoring with a price to please
The SkodaOctavia is one of the roomiest hatchbacks you can buy, so the estate version was always going to be very practical.
It's available with everything from a 1.0-litre petrol engine to a 2.0-litre diesel, and is an affordable choice, whether you're a private buyer or a company car driver. Rivals include the Volkswagen Golf Estate and Peugeot 308 SW, while adding to the Skoda’s appeal is a wide range of versions that includes a four-wheel-drive Scout model with a raised ride height for light off-roading, and a performance-oriented vRS.
A mid-life facelift in 2017 resulted in a new headlight design, more safety features and revised infotainment systems, adding appeal to an already successful formula.
Space 9/10
More than enough room for most families
Four six-footers will have plenty of space in the Octavia. And while life isn’t as comfortable for those in the back when you’re travelling five up, this is also the case in rivals.
The Octavia also has a boot can swallow a family’s holiday luggage with ease, offering slightly more room than the already commodious hatchback, although a Peugeot 308 SW is larger still. Its tailgate opens high and wide, plus has a flat loading lip, which helps with getting stuff into the car.
A grab handle that hangs down from the open tailgate ensures even smaller adults can close it. Meanwhile, numerous in-car storage spaces and an ice scraper positioned behind the fuel cap cover add further to the practicality.
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A grab handle that hangs down from the open tailgate ensures even smaller adults can close it. Meanwhile, numerous in-car storage spaces and an ice scraper positioned behind the fuel cap cover add further to the practicality.
Comfort 7/10
Does a good job for most of the time
The Octavia Estate feels a bit firm in town, even on the smaller wheel options, so if most of your miles are in an urban environment then it’s worth noting that a Volkswagen Golf Estate would soak up bumps a bit better.
Fortunately, the ride settles with speed, so the Octavia Estate makes an excellent motorway cruiser, with little in the way of wind or road noise to disturb the calm.
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The petrol engines are particularly smooth, whether you go for the 1.0-litre or one of the bigger units. And while the diesels are more vocal at low speeds they settle down once up to speed.
The front seats are big and comfortable, and they feature adjustable lumbar support if you go for the mid-level SE specification or above.
Dashboard layout 8/10
Touchscreen systems look neat and work well
Skoda used to be a budget brand. However, that’s no longer the case, and the Octavia Estate’s dashboard reflects this because it looks and feels classy.
You also get rotary air-conditioning controls that make it easy to tweak the temperature inside the car, while the stereo, vehicle settings and satnav are all controlled through a user-friendly 8-inch touchscreen system (a 9.2-inch version is also available, but some will prefer the smaller unit for its shortcut buttons and physical volume and tuning knobs).
That all models feature Apple Carplay and Android Auto is typical of Skoda’s generosity when it comes to equipment.
Easy to drive 8/10
Generally very simple to drive
The Octavia Estate is a long car, but is actually easier to reverse than the hatchback because of the almost flat rear windscreen. Even so, we’d recommend adding parking sensors if they aren’t already standard on your chosen spec.
The steering, pedals and gearshift are all precisely weighted, so the Octavia Estate is an easy car to drive smoothly. And even the entry-level 1.0-litre engine can pull the car without the help of frequent gear changes.
If you want an even easier life, you can specify a smooth-shifting DSG automatic gearbox on almost every Octavia.
Fun to drive 6/10
Not bad, but other estates do it better
The Octavia Estate’s precise controls make it a pretty enjoyable car to drive, and it feels happier on a twisty road than most big family cars, with all of the engines having a decent among out pulling power. The 1.4-litre petrol engine is particularly impressive for the way it blends good pace with respectable fuel economy.
The sportiest model in the range, the vRS, makes overtaking easy, but its sheer size stops it feeling properly sporty; you’ll have more fun in a Seat Leon Cupra ST.
Reliability 9/10
Skoda has an excellent customer satisfaction record
Skoda finished first out of 24 manufacturers in the 2016 JD Power UK Dependability Study, and frequently tops customer satisfaction charts, too.
Skoda also gives you the reassurance of a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. This is in line with the warranties on the Ford Focus Estate and VW Golf Estate, but it falls short of the five-year, 100,000-mile warranty provided by Toyota, let alone Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
Fuel economy 10/10
Performs well in tests - and in real word driving
The most fuel efficient Octavia Estate is the 1.6-litre diesel, which has an official average of 74mpg. In the real-world economy won't be quite as impressive, but you can still expect in the region of 60mpg, or more if you're careful.
For a more powerful diesel Octavia Estate the 2.0-litre TDI is a good bet, returning 50-55mpg in normal driving and having decent pulling power. Even the 1.0-litre petrol has an official average of almost 60mpg and will deliver 45-50mpg in real-world conditions, and the turbocharged 1.4-litre litre petrol isn’t far behind that either.
Affordability 8/10
Estate carries a £1,200 premium over the hatchback
There’s a £1,200 premium to pay for upgrading from an Octavia hatchback to this Estate version, but you need to bear in mind that the increase in load space isn’t huge. Even then, compared with rivals Octavia Estate looks like good value, whether you opt for one of the base models with a 1.0-litre petrol or 1.6-litre diesel engine, or move higher up the range.
Insurance and servicing costs won’t break the bank, either, and the Octavia holds on to its value well, which is good news when you come to sell it.
Both the 1.0-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel emit little more than 100g/km of CO2, which adds to their appeal as company cars - in fact, there’s no penalty in terms of fuel economy or CO2 emissions for opting for the Octavia Estate over the equivalent hatchback.
Safety 8/10
Good in a crash, but some equipment costs extra
Every Octavia Estate is fitted with a stability control system that helps prevent skids. Plus there are seven airbags, including two that run the length of the car at window level and one beneath the dashboard to protect the driver’s knees.
These features helped the Octavia earn a five-star safety rating when it was crash tested by independent safety assessors Euro NCAP, although the VW Golf finished ahead for adult and child occupant protection.
From the 2017 facelift the Octavia Estate is available with pedestrian detection for its Front Assist autonomous emergency braking system, which automatically applies the brakes if it senses that you’re going to run into another car or a pedestrian in stop-start traffic.
Blind spot monitors and a rear cross traffic alert system that will warn you if a car is about to cross your path when you are reversing are also on the options list.
Standard spec 8/10
Good if you choose the mid-range SE model
Stick with the cheapest, S spec and you get alloy wheels, electric front windows, air-conditioning and an 8-inch touchscreen including a digital radio and full smartphone connectivity.
We’d be tempted to upgrade to the SE version of the Octavia Estate, though, because this brings electric rear windows, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors and a system that warns if the driver is showing signs of fatigue.
The diesel-only SE Technology adds satnav, a Wifi hotspot and front parking sensors, while the SE-L includes Alcantara and leather upholstery, emergency city braking and LED headlights.
Other Octavia Estates are the four-wheel-drive Scout, which has more of an off-road look consisting of increased ground clearance and plastic body cladding, or the sporty vRS with larger alloy wheels, sports seats and a bodykit to complements its more powerful engines.
At the very top of the range sits the Laurin and Klement complete with heated leather seats, the 9.2-inch touchscreen and keyless entry.
Our favourite version: SE 1.4 TSI, list price £20,730
Options you should add Metallic paint (£555), steering wheel-mounted stereo and phone controls (£155) and space saver spare wheel (£100), Front Assist autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection (£315), Variable boot floor (£150)
Verdict 8/10
The Skoda Octavia Estate doesn’t have quite the boot space to match the Peugeot 308 SW, and nor is it as comfortable at low speeds as a VW Golf Estate.
However, it offers great value for money and is good for long journeys thanks to its quiet engines and smart interior. It’s an excellent family car.
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