Skoda Octavia 90TSI 2010 Review

Skoda Octavia 90TSI

What we liked
>> Frugal engine
>> Balanced chassis
>> Standard equipment

Not so much
>> Tyre noise
>> Still thinking...

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 4.0/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 2.0/5.0

About our ratings

Priced at under $25,000, could this be the car that puts Skoda on the map in Australia? The arrival of the 2011 model year Octavia brings with it added features across the range, while the addition of a new model that delivers compelling value could make it hard to ignore for new car buyers.

Giving Skoda an affordable new model that undercuts its midsized rivals and positions it within striking range of many Asian small cars -- such as the i30 and Mazda3 -- the new Octavia 90TSI barely puts a foot wrong. It drives well, has an economical engine and a compliant ride, boasts VW-like build quality, has more boot space than a Commodore, and has a European-quality cabin.

It's a great little car missing only one thing -- a large customer base.

Indeed, Skoda is still a minnow in the Australian new car market, expecting to sell around 1700 vehicles by the end of 2010. Though this represents an impressive 50 per cent increase in sales compared to 2009, it's a drop in the ocean compared to the likes of Holden's annual sales of roughly 120,000 cars, for instance.

For the $24,990 price point you get a lot of gear in the Skoda Octavia 90TSI, including a very lean and green 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox (the seven-speed DSG auto is a $2300 option). Replacing the previous 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine, the more advanced 90kW TSI engine develops more power and torque, yet uses less fuel and emits less CO2.

Thanks to its turbocharged and intercooled engine with direct injection fuel delivery, the Octavia 90TSI is spritely enough to keep midsized offerings from Honda, Suzuki and Mazda keen during the traffic-light dash. It is also flexible enough to return an impressive economy figure of 6.7L/100km in the manual model. That figure drops even lower to 6.5L/100km if you option the DSG automated twin-clutch manual.

While the bulk of sales are expected to be of the DSG variant, the manual cog swapper is not a bad little jigger, with a well weighted clutch and a smooth gearshift that won't leave your left arm exhausted after driving through dense city traffic. The manual gearbox also gives the driver more control over engine speeds, and with an understated growl nearing redline you may find yourself sticking the boot into the feisty 1.4 more often than not.

The seven-speed DSG is a more effective transmission, however, able to change gears remarkably rapidly should you require a spurt of speed. It also comes in very handy in stop-start traffic. But like most twin-clutch gearboxes it's not flawless and does exhibit a touch of hesitation with light throttle inputs. Likewise on inclines it will roll backwards until the car's brain detects a suitable amount of throttle.

For the most part the seven-speed unit fulfils its purpose well, and is one of the most efficient gearboxes doing the rounds at the moment.

In and around town both the hatch and wagon models acquit themselves very well (the latter bodystyle adds $2000 to the pricetag) thanks to a combination of well cushioned seats, a relatively compliant ride quality and predictable steering.

The view from the driver's seat is also good, and with intuitive ergonomics and logically placed controls, the car is very easy to drive. It's not particularly large either, its 1769mm width taking the stress out of congested city driving and various parking manoeuvres.

The ride quality does deteriorate on rough surfaces and particularly at lower speeds, jouncing around a little, and out on the highway tyre noise does creep in on coarse chip surfaces. However, these are very minor grievances for what is, by and large, a very amenable car.

During the launch drive we also had the chance to test the cars' dynamics, during a brief dash through the Galston Gorge on Sydney's outskirts. We can report that the spritely 1.4-litre turbo Skoda has a nice little spring in its step, and like the rest of the Octavia range it doesn't mind being driven in anger. It's no sportscar per se (see the Octavia RS -- or RS-P!), but it is a very capable vehicle, accelerating through corners cleanly and confidently.

Competing against models in both the medium and small car segments, from the Mazda6 to the Subaru Impreza, the new cut-price Octavia 90TSI has a lot going for it, including an impressive standard features list. Packed with six airbags, ESP and ABS, the entry-level Skoda Octavia 90TSI gets all the safety mod cons, and also comes with an eight-speaker CD/MP3 stereo with auxiliary input for iPod or similar audio players.

Semi-automatic air-conditioning to keep the cabin at a pleasant temperature is also standard, as is remote central locking, power windows with one-touch auto operation, cruiser control, a multi function steering wheel with radio controls, plus 15-inch 'Pyxis' alloy wheels.

Much of this equipment is easily accessed thanks to good ergonomics and a logical centre stack layout, much of which is no doubt a result of the input Volkswagen has had with the company. From the one-touch electric windows to the new-look stereo display and soft-touch dash plastics, the interior not only feels good but looks good, with new white back-lighting a much nicer -- and easier to observe -- alternative to green or orange.

Driver and front passenger will find plenty of room and for a car that isn't overly large, measuring 4569mm long; egress and ingress are very good. Thank large doors for that. Rear seat room is adequate for adults, though legroom can get a little tight if the driver or front passenger decides to stretch out. However, there is bags of room for kids and unlike the VW Golf there are even rear air vents for this base model. A family car

The boot is absolutely colossal for a car of this size, 560 litres in the liftback and 580 litres in the wagon, and if you fold the rear seats down that space opens up to 1420 and 1620 litres respectively.

As Skoda's bread and butter model, the Octavia accounts for around 70 per cent of its inventory in Australia, and this impressive new Octavia has every chance of buoying the company by enticing new customers into dealerships. It certainly deserves the attention. Reasonably priced, fun to drive, and with a strong standard features list, the new Skoda Octavia 90TSI represents good value.

The Czech carmaker has been offering an impressive range of cars since its reintroduction to this country in 2007 but until now it hasn't been able to attack the budget end of market. Priced from $24,990, the new 90kW Octavia could be the car that makes more buyers stop and take notice of Skoda.

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