Skoda Octavia Mk3 overview
Range overview: petrol or diesel; manual or automatic; front- or all-wheel drive; hatchback, estate and crossover estate
Reliability: above average for class
Cost to repair: average for class
Most common: Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI hatchback
Best for economy and long-distance driving: Skoda Octavia Combi 2.0 TDI 150 DSG
Best for urban driving: Skoda Octavia 1.0 TSI 115 DSG hatchback
Our favourite performance version: Skoda Octavia Combi RS 230
Skoda's third-generation Octavia is an excellent family car option, mainly because it is based on the same underpinnings as the Volkswagen Golf Mk7, but in terms of size and prestige, it feels like a vehicle from the class above - populated by the likes of the Ford Mondeo and more.
With a good spread of turbocharged three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, the option of four-wheel drive on some models, two main body styles (hatchback - regularly referred to as an Octavia 'saloon' - and Combi estate) and also an off-road-themed Octavia Scout variant, there's plenty of choice for buyers after a good example of this third-generation Skoda. And for those who want performance, there's an impressive array of faster RS models, too.
On driving the Octavia Mk3 for the first time, CompleteCar.ie said: "Skoda describes the Octavia as being in a class of its own. It is a car that carries the price of a compact hatch with the space of a mid-size saloon. Bigger and better appointed than before, this is the car for buyers who want Volkswagen quality but for whom the Golf is too small. Styling may be predictable and the drive not as exciting as it could be, but neither of these factors are likely to affect the Octavia's sales."
Next section: Engine and range options for the Skoda Octavia Mk3