A round of improvements for the big-selling, big-bodied family hatchback
JAMES ATTWOOD @atters_j
TESTED 15.5.24, SOUTH MORAVIA, CZECH REPUBLIC ON SALE JUNE
Skoda likes to make much of its ‘Simply Clever’ features, from fuel-filler ice scrapers to door-hidden umbrellas, but that description seems to fit the whole ethos of its best-seller, the Octavia.
Across four generations, in both hatchback and estate forms, the family car has won more than seven million sales with its blend of understated charm, immense practicality and strong value.
The Mk4 Octavia that arrived in 2020 was an altogether more mature offering than its predecessors, with bolder styling and a plusher interior, and this mid-life facelift builds on that with small but significant improvements in key areas: refreshed exterior styling, upgraded infotainment and a revamped powertrain line-up.
The exterior styling changes are best described as subtle, largely confined to a new light design (LED as standard, matrix LED on higher trims) and a revamped bumper.
There are a few more changes visible inside. Our German test car is in Selection trim, which broadly matches the UK’s SE Technology. It features a number of recycled and sustainable materials, which are unfussy and neat.
While SE Technology is the base trim, it offers pretty much everything you need, including a new 10.25in digital instrument display and a new 13in touchscreen (as seen in other recently updated MQB-based Volkswagen Group cars). The operating system has been revised slightly and works efficiently, and while there is a new AI-aided voice control system, most of the key controls can still be accessed via actual buttons.
Space remains a key selling point of the Octavia: thanks to its 4698mm length, adults will be perfectly comfortable in the back, and the 600-litre hatch boot is substantially bigger than that of most rivals.
The powertrain line-up is a simple mix of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines: you won’t even find a plug-in hybrid. The old 108bhp triple has been replaced by the 114bhp 1.5-litre four tested here, which is driven through a relatively rare treat in 2024: a six-speed manual gearbox.
There’s also a more potent, 148bhp version of the 1.5 TSI, and both engines also offer a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox along with an integrated starter-generator. The 48V mild-hybrid system doesn’t increase outright power but smooths out acceleration and enables engine-off coasting to boost efficiency.
