Gatwick to Stansted and back at 60MPG! Not bad for a 5 door family 1.6 diesel with a 7 speed DSG box; not bad at all.
The new Octavia is quite a package, especially, in my view, when it comes with the VW group’s brilliant auto gearbox. At the touch of the gear stick you can select full auto Sport and Economy modes as well as clutch-less manual changes if you feel so inclined. I stuck mostly with the economy mode and this proved more than capable for the busy M25/M11 route between airports. The resultant MPG was surprising good.
This was a well equipped car, with Sat Nav, full auto air con, reversing sensors and all the other gadgets you’d expect.
Build quality is easily up to the usual SKODA standard; a standard which is winning business from drivers of some unexpected marques. Savvy, value- seeking motorists seem to be switching from more traditional luxury brands and as a result SKODA has seen good share growth in recent years. SKODA’s tend to be a bit larger than the equivalent from other VW group badges; this one has an especially large boot, accessed as though it’s a hatchback, even though it looks like a saloon car.
The new Octavia offers a lot for the money and is well worth a test drive.