Downsizing engines is not a new concept, but placing a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0 litre petrol in a car as big as the Skoda Octavia hatchback goes against the grain somewhat.
Replacing the 1.2-litre in the line-up this year, on paper this little 115hp engine impresses offering improved fuel economy of 8% and reduced CO2 emissions over the outgoing unit at 62.8mpg and 104g/km respectfully.
Our test car is fitted with larger 18-inch alloys, which has a small compromise on these figures, though, with fuel economy at 61.4mpg and CO2 emissions at 106g/km.
On the whole-life costs front the Octavia’s 41.7p per-mile figure is competitive with its Audi A3 stablemate (fitted with the same engine) and the Ford Focus with its 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine under the bonnet. It betters the comparable Peugeot 308’s 43.1p figure too, despite its 1.2-litre PureTech’s superior fuel economy and CO2 figures.
Residual values cannot compete with its German relative, however the Octavia comes out on top verses its Peugeot and Ford rivals.
Surprisingly nippy
When it comes to outright pace, you wouldn’t be alone if you were expecting the 1.0-litre to be slow in comparison to other engines in the line-up. But thanks to the 115hp and 200Nm of torque, the car can accelerate from 0-62mph in a whisker under 10 seconds.
There’s enough low-down torque to make decent progress away from the lights or on the slip road, although the engine is quite noisy when accelerating. Overall the drive is accomplished and the car proved composed and neat in the corners. Mated to the engine is a slick six-speed manual, the cars lightweight chassis means the Octavia feels nippy around city streets too and the steering is well weighted, although lacks feedback.
The Octavia excels in the comfort department, the ride quality is very good, despite our cars upgraded 18-inch alloys and on the motorway, even with this smaller engine, the Octavia still does its best work. Although a conservative drive, the little 1.0-litre’s rev-happy nature creates a little extra fun on the road.
Hugely practical
A car which majors on practicality, the Octavia offers a carnivorous 590-litre boot that eclipses its main rivals (the Volkswagen Golf offers just 380 litres) and interior space is plentiful with enough leg and headroom to accommodate five adults comfortably.
And the practical features don’t end there either, the firms range of ‘simply clever’ features like the ice scraper in the filler cap, the ticket holder in the windscreen and the Smartphone holder, are genuinely useful for everyday use, plus storage options inside are plentiful including large door bins, a huge centre cubbie and a practical glovebox.
The cabin is a little on the basic side but the quality of materials used are good throughout and the centre console, although starting to look quite dated, is easy to control.
Inexpensive options
The Octavia in this combination is an inexpensive car to buy, so it seems unfair to judge any lack of standard equipment too harshly.
That said, it’s still disappointing to see features like automatic lights and wipers or cruise control missing on this mid-range SE’s standard specification.
There is however a variety of other kit as standard, like rear parking sensors, Bluetooth, cruise control, DAB radio, dual-zone climate control, a driver fatigue sensor and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
Our test car also includes over £3000 worth of options, the most expensive is the satnav system which costs an additional £800, while upgrading to front parking sensors will cost £350 and the aforementioned upgraded 18-inch alloys cost £750. The heated seats are particularly reasonably priced at £250.
Skoda Octavia 1.0 TSI SE Hatch |
Model price range: £16,515 – £27,990 |
Residual value: 31.2% |
Depreciation: £12,355 |
Fuel: £4830 |
Service, maintenance and repair: £1468 |
Vehicle Excise Duty: £40 |
National insurance: £1412 |
Cost per mile: 41.7p |
Fuel consumption: 61.4mpg |
CO2 (BIK band): 106g/km (18%) |
BIK 20/40% per month: £51/£102 |
Warranty: 3yrs/60,000mls |
Boot space: 590 litres |
Engine size/power: 999cc |