Skoda Octavia Ambition Estate 2016 Review

Skoda Octavia Ambition Estate
Long Term Test (Introduction)

SUVs are king, but do you really need a big, heavy, fuel-guzzling family truck when under-rated and sharply-priced station wagons like the recently updated Skoda Octavia exist? To find out, we’ve added an entry-level Octavia Ambition Estate to the motoring.com.au long-term garage, complete with thrifty 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine, slick seven-speed DSG transmission and some snazzy options. Let’s take a closer look…
Most people of a certain, let’s say middle age have fond memories of family trips in large station wagons. They were often Oz-built, could easily pull a caravan and had more space inside than many so-called SUV family wagons on the market today.

It was about 15-20 years ago when the humble station wagon started being gradually replaced by their high-riding SUV equivalents, to the point where Aussie sales of ‘low-ride’ wagons are trickling compared to the flood of ‘high ride’ SUVs departing showrooms annually.

Apart from the herd factor, I reckon a major reason people buy SUVs is not because they provide a superior driving position, often offer seven seats (how many families have that many kids anyway?), or look like the sort of proper four-wheel drive in which many Aussies dream of one day escaping into the Outback.

No, I think people opt for big, heavy, often all-wheel drive SUVs (and increasingly, dual-cab utes) so they can be lazy drivers. The extra road clearance allows you to ride roughshod over kerbs and median strips, barrel recklessly over speed bumps, and pay little attention to whatever else is halting your progress, without fear of ripping off precious bodywork or kerbing a wheel.

Anyway, that was my thinking after a week-long stint in motoring.com.au’s latest long-termer – a medium-sized, five-seat Skoda Octavia wagon. Despite its traditional, low-slung stature, this particular car provides a good argument for ditching the skyscraper SUV for a modern, well-equipped station wagon. Especially for those unlikely to head off the bitumen (which, let’s face it, is most of us), it does a similar job but more efficiently and dare I say it, enjoyably.

First up, the recently updated and better equipped Octavia offers a value-for-money proposition that can’t be matched by many entry-level SUVs.

Even in the base Ambition grade, which starts at $26,990 MRRP, it’s far from a poverty pack with adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking with Front Assist, tyre-pressure monitoring, a reversing camera with rear parking sensors, and Smartlink connectivity including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, among the standard equipment.

About the only things missing in the entry-level model are rear side airbags, but it still has seven airbags in total for a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

While nice to have, the various options fitted to our test car, which take the price to $34,090 and include a Sports Pack ($3400), Tech Pack ($3200) and metallic paint, are really just icing on the cake. Except perhaps for the seven-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox ($2300), which makes the daily commute far less of a chore.

Slide into the supportive, fabric-covered driver’s seat and the Octavia’s cabin oozes with the sort of quality you expect from a company that also makes Audis and Lamborghinis. Sturdy items like the ratchet hinges on the centre console storage lid also provide some reassurance that things are going to last.

The multi, manual-adjust seat allows for comfortable, long distance drives, despite the lack of lumbar support on the Ambiente model. The Euro-style finish also means you forgive some of the ‘old school’ features in the base model like manual air-con and the traditional hand brake.

Part of the Tech pack, the eight-inch touchscreen (up from the standard 6.6in) comes with a Columbus sat nav system along with Apple Carplay, Android Auto and Bluetooth connectivity, and voice control. We didn’t get to play with all the features (we’ll leave that for a later update), but suffice to say, what I did use (touchscreen menu, sat nav, Bluetooth) worked faultlessly.

I also like the ‘roller’ controls on the optional, flat-bottomed leather-trimmed steering wheel, that allow easy scrolling through the informative trip computer located in the instrument panel. Another nice touch is the disc player in the gloveboox, which frees up space on the dash for the bigger screen.

Good news for growing families, the Octavia wagon offers excellent rear-passenger and decent rear-cargo space. There’s room to seat three adults in the back, and the rear seats fold 60/40 to free up more storage space.

While not huge, the boot is big enough for average family outings, and we can vouch for the mat-protected, tub floor, in its ability to contain a dirty dog and other wet, muddy stuff.

There’s also a handy storage pocket behind the rear wheel well, and lifting the base reveals a 16in steel, speed-limited spare wheel. Another slight disappointment is the lack of a 12V socket in the second row (there’s one on the dash and in the boot).

The driving experience is also a step above most entry-level SUVs, and hard to fault except for a couple of minor issues, as we’ve previously discussed.

Delivering 110kW at 6000rpm and 250Nm between 1500-3500rpm, the 1.4-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine delivers fuss-free performance that belies its small capacity.

With an official 0-100km/h time of 8.2 seconds, the front wheel drive, 1234kg wagon zips around in most conditions. It’s also refined and quiet, with only tyre noise at highway speeds disturbing the peace.

Competent cornering and nicely-weighted electro-assisted steering add to the driving pleasure, and it’s really only the firmish ride that occasionally spoils things. Bumps are noticeably transmitted on any surface but smooth bitumen; probably made worse by the sports suspension, 18in wheels and low-profile tyres fitted with the Sport pack.

But unlike bulky SUVs, the Octavia is a breeze to see out of as well as manoeuvre and park in busy shopping centres, and the all-round sensors (front sensors are part of the optional Tech pack) and high definition rear camera limit the chance of the dreaded carpark dent.

Fed a minimum diet of RON 95 unleaded and taking advantage of an idle stop system at the lights, fuel economy was as high as 9.0L/100km around the inner city, dropping down to 7.0L/100km once some freeway runs were thrown into the mix.

So for someone who spends the majority of his time ‘bash’ testing SUVs and dual-cab utes, the Octavia wagon proved a real surprise package.

There’s no doubt lazy drivers will continue to flock to ubiquitous, jacked-up SUVs. But for everybody else, a more nimble, efficient and in the case of the Octavia, better-value station wagon, makes an awful lot of sense…

2016 Skoda 110 TSI Ambition Estate pricing and specifications:
Price: $34,090 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder
Outputs: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual clutch
Fuel: 5.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 123g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
Ford Mondeo wagon (from $35,040)
Hyundai i40 Tourer (from $32,490)
Mazda6 wagon (from $33,790)

Long-Term Tests
motoring.com.au aims to make your choice of vehicle easier. Our Editorial section does this via our mix of news, international and local launch reviews as well as our seven-day tests.
From time to time we also take the opportunity to spend more time in a vehicle. These longer-term tests can be as short as a couple of weeks, but more recently we've settled on a three-month period as indicative of 'normal' ownership.

Long-term tests give our staff writers and contributors a chance to get to know a car as an owner would. While the car is with us, we pay for fuel, pay for the servicing and generally use and live with the car as a new owner would.

We believe long-term tests give car buyers an added insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and nameplate. The extended period also allows us to touch base with the dealer networks in question.

It comes as no surprise that manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Three months is plenty long enough to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nitpick – just like real owners do.