Skoda Octavia 2014 review

The Skoda Octavia sedan is unique in the mid-size segment, disguising a five-door hatch within a sedan silhouette.

Five-door hatches are becoming a bit of a rarity in this class in any form, with the Octavia joined by just the Ford Mondeo hatch now that Mazda’s 6 has gone sedan and wagon-only.

This is partly due to the Australian market’s inexplicable preference for sedans over hatches, but the Czech-built Octavia offers sedan looks, with the practicality of a giant hatch opening in the rear.

Sitting beneath the hot Octavia RS, the Octavia 132TSI Elegance is available in hatch or wagon guises, with a lengthy spec list and a warm petrol engine that offers more herbs than the turbodiesel and smaller petrol units. 

Design

Under the skin, the Octavia sedan is essentially the same as the much-celebrated Mk7 Volkswagen Golf, but the 132TSI scores an extra 60mm in the wheelbase to total 2680mm (2686mm on 103TSI and 110TDI models), and the extra rear overhang of the Golf and Octavia wagons.

This makes for more legroom in the back seat, and a massive 568-1558-litres of cargo space – just shy of the wagon models.

Like everything built on the VW Group MQB platform to date, the Octavia represents the cutting edge of mainstream weight minimisation and the eternal challenge of balancing ride comfort with chassis dynamics.

The Octavia 132TSI is the only Australian-spec model to score the Golf’s multilink independent rear suspension though, with the 103TSI and 110TDI models using the cheaper but less rough-road friendly torsion beam rear setup.

Value

The Octavia 132 TSI is only available in the high-grade Elegance trim, which includes leather seats, dual-zone climate control, an eight inch multimedia screen with satnav, 64Gb media storage, Bluetooth phone and audio, folding side mirrors, and 18 inch alloys.

Front and rear parking sensors are also standard, but the detailed proximity display in the multimedia screen is only a partial substitute for a lack of reversing camera availability.

Our 132TSI was also fitted with the optional Tech Pack, which adds adaptive cruise and automated braking, adaptive Xenon headlights, multiple drive modes, an auto parking function, proximity keys, and 10-speaker Canton audio.

Engine/transmission

The Octavia is also available with either 103TSI petrol or 110TDI turbodiesel engines in Elegance trim, but the 132TSI’s 132kW/250Nm 1.8-litre petrol turbo is second only to the hot RS for performance.

This engine is found elsewhere in the VW empire, but not in the Golf lineup and is paired exclusively with a seven-speed dual clutch auto in Octavia guise.

Safety

Like all Octavias, the 132TSI Elegance comes with a five star safety rating. Features include dual frontal, driver’s knee, side and curtain airbags, ABS, EBD, and stability control.

The Elegance also includes rear side airbags, driver fatigue detection, and Passenger Protect Assist collision preparation.

Driving

On the road, the Octavia 132TSI embodies all of the qualities celebrated in the Mk7 Golf.

The whole package is beautifully refined for a mainstream model, with little road noise and a great perception of quality.

There’s plenty of suspension travel to help disguise the low profile 18 inch wheels, and there’s no shortage of grip from the big tyres, and there’s a light and precise feel to the Octavia’s handling.

The DSG dual-clutch auto works beautifully with the bigger petrol engine, which makes max torque all the way from 1250-5000rpm and the turbo’s boost is delivered in a more linear fashion than the 103TSI 1.4-litre.

This power delivery often feels more like a non-turbo 3.0 litre six than a 1.8 litre four, and the 132TSI will do 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds. Balancing this performance is a respectable official combined fuel figure of 5.9L/100km.

Verdict

Medium hatches like the Octavia are a rare breed these days, and there’s a lot to be said for their balance of driveability, form and function.

If you’re after a relatively unique European that works very well, and offers petrol performance without having to stretch to the hot RS, the 132TSI is the Octavia for you.