Skoda Octavia Elegance 132TSI 2014 Review

EXECUTION OF INTENDED PURPOSE
Comfort was not an Octavia strongpoint in our judges’ opinion. It had the firmest seats and smallest seat squab (reducing thigh support), while the seats' lower quality partial-leather upholstery didn’t help matters. Partial-leather, for the record "may constitute blends of real and synthetic leather", according to Skoda.

The rear bench was likewise narrow, and squeezing three adults across proved more difficult than the others. This can be partially attributed to it being the shortest (4695mm) and thinnest (1814mm) vehicle of the trio.

Where the Octavia shone, however, was in incidental storage, with plenty of options for storing various junk. It had the deepest, largest and most versatile boot, with the 568 litres capacity trumping the Mazda 6’s by a whopping 130 litres.

Outward visibility was fine, and changing lanes and entering T-sections was less stressful in the Skoda. It was also the quietest vehicle under hard acceleration with arguably the smoothest drivetrain once moving. It was loudest but not by much on our interior decibels test; perhaps due to its noisier Continental OEM rubber.

However, the Skoda stood apart with its unmistakable but difficult to quantify European 'feel'. It’s a combination of the way the doors shut, the buttons pushed and the way the dual-clutch transmission snicked through gears. It was as though everything had been screwed together just that little bit tighter.

The Octavia was also the pick ergonomically. The infotainment system and instrument panel screens were well placed and easy to read, while the touchscreen was easy to operate on the move.

The Skoda's controls were top-notch, too, using a fair amount of Volkswagen design and technology. A shame then the brake pedal sat rather pronounced (high) of the throttle meaning you needed to lift your leg when hopping from one to the other.

Unlike the Altima there was no discernible difference in paint tints between metal and plastic surfaces. Panel gaps and uniformity were equal to the Mazda 6’s, and the under bonnet appearance visually neater.

The doors closed with a reassuring ‘thunk’, and so well sealed you could even hear the last bit of air escaping as the doors met the jamb.

Inside, the Octavia appeared quite monotone, but offered enough faux metal and chrome touches to lift the ambience. Harder plastics were met with appropriate amounts of soft-touch surfaces where appropriate, though the upholstery was showing signs of ribboning in heavy-use areas, like the driver’s seat cushion.

The instrument panel, centre stack, infotainment head unit and console were clearly in another league in this company, making the Octavia feel more premium than its price suggested.

Up back, the large hatch revealed an orderly and smartly finished cargo area complete with 12V power outlet, six tie-down points and plush carpeting. No interference from the boot lid hinges, either.

Although it’s a small point in the scheme of things, we also liked the Skoda’s fuel filler. The lid could be opened from the outside (when the vehicle was unlocked), negating the need for a pull lever inside the car, and the interior of the lid itself was well finished, without exposed metal framework like the Altima’s or Mazda 6’s.

On the road the differences in throttle and transmission response between Sport and Normal modes was obvious. The Octavia was certainly sharper in the former, the transmission shifting down under braking to improve balance into corners, and provide better drive out of them.

The 132kW/250Nm 1.8-litre turbocharged engine, in conjunction with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, presented a moment’s step-off lag before compensating once the torque hit arrived from 1250rpm. It’s an unnerving action at first, and took a little while to adjust to after the linear action of the Altima’s continuously variable transmission and the 6’s epicyclic automatic.

Under acceleration the Octavia was impressively athletic and, despite being slower to 60km/h than its rivals, was faster across every other increment (see performance figures, below).

It also showed a flair for cornering with superb body control aiding confident changes in direction. The steering was well-metered and provided the best combination of weight and feel; ditto the braking which saw the Octavia stop flatter and more quickly from 60km/h than the Mazda or Nissan (14.1m v 14.5m and 15.1m respectively).

We had high hopes for the Octavia’s fuel economy, though contrary to the ADR Combined figure of just 5.9L/100km, its turbocharged four-cylinder petrol just equaled the Mazda’s normally-aspirated unit with an on-test average of 8.0L/100km.

From $34,690 (plus on-road costs), the Skoda Octavia Elegance 132TSI is priced lower than its rivals – until options are added, then it becomes almost as pricey as the Mazda 6.

That said, the Tech Pack ($3300) adds some really cool features that none of its rivals get such as an automatic parking assistant, intelligent speed-regulating radar cruise control and swivelling xenon headlights.

Standard features were par for the course, with dual-zone climate control, a large colour touch-screen with satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, parking sensors, plus automatic headlights and wipers.

However, the Octavia was the only car on test to miss out on electrically adjustable seats.

Three years free roadside assistance was nice, as was capped-priced servicing for six-years/90,000km (whichever comes first). The Skoda’s service intervals of every 12-months or 15,000km (again, whichever comes first) and with a first interval cost of $400, made it the cheapest to service on an annual basis.

However, the Skoda performed poorly in the residual value stakes. Compared to the Nissan and Mazda, which after three years and 70,000km retain 60 and 59 per cent of their value respectively, the Skoda can only muster 49 per cent.

That means the Octavia on test will be worth just $17,000 after three years. The reason? Brand value. Australian customers are still unsure of the Skoda nameplate, which is a shame considering how strong a contender it is in almost every other respect.

Set amongst the Skoda’s shiny dash was an 8.0-inch touchscreen home to a raft of tech features, including satnav, Bluetooth connectivity, voice control – which all worked as well if not better than its rivals.

The screen itself was well-positioned and offered superb resolution, intuitive navigation pathways and clearly labelled buttons.

Other driver-assistance highlights and category winning features included adaptive cruise control with front assist and emergency braking, front foglights, xenon headlights with cornering function, keyless entry and alarm, automatic park assist and a premium 10-speaker German Canton sound system.

The Skoda Octavia was not only better equipped than the others, it offered the most seamless, user-friendly interface – hands-down – which saw it score close to full marks in this category.

Skoda Octavia Elegance 132TSI pricing and specifications:
Price: $38,465 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol