Skoda Octavia 1.5 TSI 2020 UK first drive

Skoda may be an automotive synonym for utility but I guarantee this won’t be at the forefront of your mind when you clap eyes on the the new Octavia. 

Still available in both hatchback and estate form, nothing aside from the introduction of hybrid powertrains has changed radically since the third-generation car, and yet the sharper creases, sharper lighting and surprisingly sharp silhouette deliver a car more striking in the metal than many of the Octavia's recently refreshed including the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Seat Leon. 

Naturally, the new Octavia is also less expensive than its rivals, and the upcoming entry-level 1.0-litre TSI should drop below £20,000. Models equipped with the ultra-smooth Volkswagen-built 148bhp 1.5-litre TSI tested here aren’t quite so exceptionally affordable, but do still undercut most rivals. 

And they do it despite the inclusion of Skoda’s new 10.25in virtual cockpit display, five USB-C ports, cruise control, light and rain sensors, two-zone climate-control, smartphone wireless (wireless for Apple CarPlay) and rear parking sensors as standard. 

There is then the not-so-small matter of space. The Octavia uses the same MQB platform as its Golf cousin, only with the gap between the axles widened by 67mm. Slimmer seats (with dedicated phone pockets) then free up even more legroom in the back and the sloping hatch results in 600 litres of boot space, compared to a paltry-looking 380 litres for the others. So despite its sharp new suit, clearly the Octavia remains very much The Pragmatists’ Choice in this class.

The price to pay is that this latest Skoda also remains far from being The Drivers’ Choice.

Glitzy scrollers on the steering wheel and slick touch-points elsewhere in the cabin – the door handles genuinely look as though they could have come out of a Type 57 Bugatti – demonstrate where Skoda has chosen to spend its money, and perceived quality is high.

More than almost any other, the brand knows its customer base, but this doesn’t change the fact that the steering and gearshift action are then wholly light and inert, almost to the point where it impinges the accuracy of your inputs. Turning into a bend can feel a little like that phantom extra step you weren’t expecting at the bottom of the stairs.

Like almost any modern hatch, the car can be hustled effectively and safely, and this petrol engine is willing, but the Golf is more assured on the move, the Leon marginally more involving and the Focus simply in another galaxy of satisfaction. At least the Octavia is noticeably refined at a cruise, where its well appointed, well isolated and airy cabin defies the low asking price, and where this 1.5-litre TSI returns more than 60mpg. TDI versions will do better still.