We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Car website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookies at any time
The start point for the best source of fleet information |
|
|
||||||||||||
I never used to see the appeal in estate cars. They just look like stretched hatchbacks. Why wouldn't you just buy an SUV instead? Well, after running the Skoda Octavia Estate for six months, I've completely changed camps. Given that the wife and I frequently take our two young kids and our dog on long drives up and down the country, the idea of driving anything but an estate, frankly, has me feeling a little apprehensive.
The list of qualms I have about the Octavia Estate is extremely short. Annoyingly so, in fact, as it makes critiquing the thing pretty difficult. Avoid the part-suede seats option - it makes cleaning up toddlers' messy treats a little difficult. If you can afford it, opt for a model with a reversing camera - the lack of one in our model made parking in shallow spaces tricky. The beep you get from the lane keep assist system when deviating from your lane can be a tad grating - but you can deactivate this.
So what about the list of pros? It's rare for a car to be adaptable in every long- distance, family-orientated, home-renovating situation. But somehow, the Octavia Estate pulls it off with aplomb. Like an automotive chameleon. We've battered the Octavia Estate during our time with it. And over 7,000 miles or so, it really hasn't missed a beat.
The practicality aspect of the Octavia is arguably its best quality. Whenever we've had to tackle something new - be it an additional child seat, long IKEA furniture, heaps of bin bags, rows of timber - it has seemingly stretched to accommodate it. The wide, square boot is excellent, as is its underfloor storage, quick release levers for the back seats and middle-seat ski hatch. The rear cargo area is tall enough to house our dog's travel crate too.
Rear passengers - adults and kids alike - haven't had any complaints either. Leg and headroom is in abundance, and the two USB C charging ports have helped keep tablet-toting occupants happy.
From a driver's perspective, the Octavia Estate just. works. There's deep door bins for sports bottles and wrappers, plenty of visibility, the steering isn't too labour-intensive, the ride is supple and all smartphone connectivity features work seamlessly.
That latter point regarding Android Auto is a massive boon and is something a lot of modern cars frustratingly fail to get right. My experience with the Octavia's Android Auto system has been unanimously positive. Initially connecting was simple, it automatically connects whenever I step into the car, and the on-screen menus for my most-used apps - Google Maps and Spotify - are easy to operate on the go.
The fuel economy we achieved in the Octavia has been fairly impressive too. We've been driving the VW Group's ubiquitous 150hp 2.0-litre TDI unit mated to a DSG automatic gearbox - and although its efficiency will likely be trumped by the myriad hybrid options on the market, its performance has still been admirable. In urban environments, we've been looking at around 47mpg. On the motorway, 59mpg. Overall, our long-term average has been hovering somewhere around the 54mpg mark, which is very agreeable for a car of its size.
Would I buy an Octavia Estate myself? Absolutely. As a family of four, it's hard to find a reason not to. Considering that the next six months will see me driving a hatchback, I am already starting to feel like the Octavia Estate is the one that got away.
The past month has been a little bit crazy. We have welcomed our new daughter into the world - who joins our excitable three-year-old boy. Naturally, as with any lead-up to a big occasion, we have been frantically trying to get our ducks in a row - which has manifested itself in several trips to the tip, IKEA and the supermarket.
I have already talked at great length about how practical the Octavia Estate is when it comes to day-to-day practicality. The boot fits our dog crate - with room to spare - the rear seats boast enough space for our three-year-old (and an adult or two), and the cabin has a plethora of sweet and coffee-cup-friendly cubbies.
I'm sure many will agree, however, that the great leveller when it comes to cars and practicality is the IKEA trip. Nothing can quite prepare you for the stress you'll feel upon realising that the big box you just bought does not fit in your car. And we went all out on our recent trip, tackling one of IKEA's big wardrobes. Yes, the 236cm tall ones.
Well, as you can see by the images, we got it to fit, and our little boy was very happy to be a part of it. Not only did it fit, but we even got the boot to fully close.
Another hurrah moment for the Octavia's rear practicality came in the form of a fully loaded trip to the local tip. For me, a square boot floor and flat-folding rear seats are the ultimate practicality combo for a car. The aforementioned criteria allow for strategic stacking and organising of kit, rubbish and thingamajigs. With the Octavia Estate, I was able to shift large plasterboards, long lengths of timber and drainpipe, bathroom tiles and bin bags, all in one trip. And without even realising it, I found myself having fun loading the car up Jenga-style.
After hitting the tip hard, all that was left to do was to ensure the Octavia could accommodate our two little ones. Although the Octavia Estate has ISOFIX fittings in two of the rear passenger seats - and in the front passenger seat - we've opted for seat belt-secured base seats with both of our kid's seats. The ISOFIX flexibility is still worth noting however.
Our newborn's car seat has a support leg which extends down to the footwell in the rear, and even with this protruding leg, there's still plenty of space in the footwell for a baby bag or cache of shopping.
In general, rear-facing baby seats tend to stick out towards the back of a car's front seats, making it difficult to lift the seat in and out. This can be a nightmare if your baby is sleeping, and you're having to rag the seat left and right to make it fit. Due to the extensive leg room on offer in the back of the Octavia however - and the subsequent space between the front and rear seats - this isn't an issue.
In fact, there's enough space between the baby's car seat and the seat in front, that I can reach across to either child, from either side of the car, very easily.
A practicality concern I had with regards to having two child seats installed was the inability to easily fold any of the rear seats flat. This is indeed the case with the Octavia Estate, as the seats are 60/40 split - unlike some family cars that have 40/20/40 folding seats.
However, thanks to the handy ski hatch that is mounted on the back of the middle seat, sliding longer objects of cargo through - without having to disturb either child - is possible. And this ski hatch effectively gives you similar practicality to the aforementioned 40/20/40 configuration.
Fish and chips. The Beatles. A Spanish all-inclusive. "Die Hard". You know exactly what you're getting with these, every single time. They might not be the most adventurous option out there, but you can rely on them to deliver. The Skoda Octavia Estate can be added to that list.
Running a long-term test car alongside other weekly test vehicles really helps put things such as comfort, tech and practicality in perspective. What do we really need? What can we do without? What matters to drivers? And what is a must-have for passengers?
The past month has seen me drive a few different cars, all of which - on paper - were more technically proficient than the humble Octavia Estate. Yet, when returning behind the wheel of the Czech-branded car, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and ease.
The VW Group has long been finessing its family car chemistry, carefully tweaking specific elements that make each car universal, yet seemingly bespoke, to every driver and family. And indescribable quality shared by almost every car in the group. There's a reason people say "it's just the same car, but with a different badge on it" when referring to Volkswagens, Audis, Seats and Skodas. The Octavia Estate is a prime example of this formula at its best.
![20230408_095459[73] Copy](/media/3832059/20230408_095459_73__copy_500x360.jpg)
The past month has been filled with long-distance work trips up and down the country, busy family days out - and even a trip to the golf course. And when clocking up a lot of miles, it's the little things that count. A quiet cabin, a comfy driving position, seamless tech integration - all of which the Octavia offers.
Just to be clear, the Octavia isn't likely to blow you away like a new-fangled, tech-drenched Mercedes. It hasn't got a 17in Tesla touchscreen. Its suspension doesn't go up and down with the press of a button. But it's amazing how the absence of certain basic creature comforts can turn you into a giddy child when you get them back.
With that said, I'm frequently surprised by the amount of people who think the Octavia's interior is lavish and eye-catching. Maybe I'm just used to the clean-cut VW Group approach to design, but I've had several occasions where people who own a five-year-old car have been blown away by the Octavia's fit and finish.
During the two weeks I was driving other cars, my wife quickly got sick of hearing me say things like "the Octavia's X is better than this" and "you don't get that kind of Y in the Skoda".
The Octavia Estate really is a pleasure to drive. From a comfort point of view, the hushed cabin, cushy suspension and well-weighted steering makes everything from navigating twisty roads to changing lanes on the motorway, child's play. From a family perspective, we've always got plenty of boot space, the heated seats keep us warm, the three-zone climate control keeps us cool, and the quick connect Android Auto keeps my demanding three-year-old's music taste at bay. It would be nice to have a reversing camera though. but I'm being picky.
We are due a new baby in about three weeks, and I'm certainly happy that I'll be jumping behind the wheel of the Octavia during our intense, contraction-ridden drive to the hospital.
When you're spending countless hours schlepping up and down the motorway, a car's imperfections and nuisances become apparent, fast. Uncomfortable seats, a fiddly touch screen, intrusive assist features. Thankfully, the Octavia has been close to a perfect travel companion the past month, which has seen us clock up around 2,000 miles up and down the country.
Right off the bat, I'll highlight the moans and niggles I have with the Octavia, of which there are only a few. The two cup holders in the cabin aren't all that flexible and are a little on the small side - which is surprising for a Skoda - so I'd err on the side of coffee-cup caution.
The under-arm storage in the centre console could be a little bigger too, as I've found even small-ish items like sunglasses cases and water bottles struggling to fit. At least the door bins are big enough to swallow hefty gym bottles and lots of other bric-a-brac.
The two USB charging ports in front of the gear selector are USB C. For some, this is fine, but with many people still relying on type A ports to charge their phone - my wife included - it's a bit of a bummer.
The last long-haul nuisance has been the beep from the lane keep assist system. In terms of safety, this system is fantastic, nudging you back into your lane on the motorway if your attention strays. However, if you maintain a consistently straight path on the motorway, the system can sometimes assume you've let go of the wheel and will give you a loud beep to remind you to grab hold of it. Great, I'm sure if you're a negligent driver, but frustrating when you're not.
Those few qualms are extremely minor compared to the Octavia's positives, however. One of the Octavia's biggest long distance convenience features is the seamless way the wireless Android Auto system works. With my phone paired, I'm capable of utilising apps such as Google Maps, Waze and Spotify, and operate these via Google voice commands if need be. Android Auto is a game changer, especially if you frequently do long motorway journeys.
The integrated Google Maps can also be displayed on the Octavia's digital instrument cluster that is behind the steering wheel for easy visibility, a neat, luxury saloon-esque bonus.
As previously mentioned, the lane keep assist is a handy failsafe to have during motorway journeys, as is the adaptive cruise control system, which varies your speed automatically in accordance with the car in front. The emergency braking alert is worth a mention here too, which is particularly handy when edging forward in slow moving rush hour traffic.
Another useful quirk I've noticed - but haven't yet used - is the USB C port mounted near the top of the windscreen, no doubt placed there to be used with
a dashcam.
With the ludicrously hot weather we've been having, the fast-acting climate control system in the Octavia has been a godsend. Even when hopping into a bonafide furnace, it only takes about a minute for the Octavia to create an air con equilibrium - and you'll quickly find yourself turning it off because you're too cold. Conversely, the Octavia's heated seats are solid as well.
Over a varied amount of motorway and urban mileage - around an 80/20 split respectively - we've managed to achieve an average of 57.2mpg from the
150hp 2.0 TDI. That's a little below Skoda's estimated average, but still fairly wallet friendly.
Over the past month or so our Octavia Estate has been kicked, punched and downright battered in the name of garden renovations - and it hasn't missed a beat. Tree trunks, roots, bags of leaves, stone and old garden toys are just some of the goodies it's been home to. And don't worry Skoda, we hoovered. Twice.
The Octavia Estate doesn't necessarily do anything groundbreaking - but it does
a lot of the small things effortlessly, which I guess in itself is pretty special.
The boot offers a no-nonsense square shape with storage extending to its wheel arches, with each arch housing a small cubby for odds and ends. The boot itself also sits nice and low and is devoid of any sort of load lip - which we were thankful for when loading hefty wooden appendages. The boot lid lifts up high and well out of the way, and the opening
itself is wide.
The parcel shelf neatly tucks away under the boot floor as well, which can be adjusted for two heights, effectively giving you underfloor storage as wide as the boot itself. There's still a decent amount of space under the boot floor in its lowest setting, which is big enough for shopping bags, a foot pump and trainers. Officially, the boot offers 640 litres with the seats in place, and 1,700 litres with the seats folded.
![20230429_094604[78] Copy](/media/3820455/20230429_094604_78__copy_500x375.jpg)
The rear seats don't fold completely flat - although sliding in long objects can still be done pretty seamlessly - but they do feature quick-release levers mounted
in the boot. These send the seats flying down in one fell swoop, with no need to walk around and squash them down.
Although unrelated to horticulture practicality - well, unless you're heading to the Diddly Squat Farm Shop - there's several cargo hooks for small bags, which has come in handy when securing delicate shopping.
The ski hatch in the Octavia came in particularly useful when loading long pieces of wood - especially considering that my two-year-old frequents B&Q with me, meaning that folding the rear seats down isn't always an option.
The ski hatch - which houses an armrest with cup holders - also makes it possible to load up the back seats with cargo while still accommodating long objects, and the wide opening rear doors help here.
The rear seats aren't anything especially ingenious - but they do manage to offer enough head room for six-footers and leg room akin to an SUV. There's space to slip your feet under the front seats as well. The hump in the floor can make moving about a bit of a faff, but the dual USB C charging capabilities make for a good peace offering for those in the rear.
I've been generally impressed with cabin practicality, although it is lacking compared with other larger Skodas. You can tell the Octavia has hatchback rather than saloon roots, with limited centre console storage and fixed cup holders - rather than Skoda's reversible cup holder/loose change tray thingy. These are small things however, and the estate's cabin is still practical, with its large door bins, dual USB C charging and knee-situated cubby storage, offering plenty of flexibility.
The only overarching thing I'd change with the Octavia Estate we have is the part-suede upholstery. Aesthetically, suede is an acquired taste anyway - but from a chauffeuring a two-year-old and dog point of view - yoghurt, mud and chocolate don't mix well with its
supple surface.
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 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.
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
BusinessCar magazine ©2019
Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
