The new Skoda Octavia hatchback impressed us with its size, and as Mat declared - size
does matter, well it does doesn't it?
So if it's more room for luggage that you need, look no further than the practical Estate
version.
It is longer and wider than the previous estate model and comes complete with practical roof
rails fitted as standard and a huge 610-litre boot earning it more practicality brownie
points.
The longer wheelbase means there is acres of room inside, in both the front and the
back.
Back to that huge boot...
In fact it is the biggest in class (and 30 litres bigger than before) dwarfing its rivals
with its immense space.
And
to create even more space fold the seats down, like this.
The rear seat folding mechanism is now much simpler to operate from the rear of the car
thanks to a new remote lever positioned here.
As is the case with the hatchback, there is plenty of legroom and headroom, which the
estate also offers in abundance thanks to the longer wheelbase and larger dimensions.
The controls are logically laid out, the dials easy to read and the entire dashboard looks
smart and well put together.
There are plenty of soft touch materials as well, making the new Octavia estate feel much
more upmarket.
Talking of touching this screen senses when your finger is near and lights up the buttons
- I like this clever feature.
Spec levels are generous with all models coming with 7 airbags, air conditioning, cooled glove
box - for my Orangina - and alloy wheels.
Despite
being slightly heavier than the hatchback, this estate drives very well.
The controls are nicely weighted yet easy to operate and it handles well thanks to a
decent suspension setup.
Plus you can adjust the settings of how it drives here.
Now, Mat shocked us with his recommendation for the tiny 1.2-litre petrol engine in the
hatchback, but what about the estate?
Due to its extra bulk, this model suits the TDI diesels a bit better, especially if you
intend to tow a trailer or caravan.
For example the 1.6 TDI can return 74.3 miles per gallon and the more powerful 2.0 TDI can
achieve 67.3 miles per gallon, although obviously not with a trailer attached.
All can be paired up with a manual or DSG automatic gearbox and if for the smaller 1.6
diesel it's free to tax.
Yes free, that has to be everyone's favourite price tag.
Having said all that you might like to be one of those estate people that needs all
that room for their really cool hobbies such as rock climbing, abseiling, surfing, deep
sea fishing and BMX'ing but wants a powerful fast car to squeeze all the equipment into.
That will be the vRS version then with a 0-62 time of less than 7 seconds to keep up with
your fast paced hobby list.
Now we have praised this estate car so much, it is now time to move on the negatives.
After awarding the hatchback with best family car 2013, it is rather hard to find fault
in it.
I do have one though...
Yes I know it's huge, HOWEVER it does have downsides.
The load lip although smaller than the outgoing model, is still large.
The seats don't fold completely flat and the boot is an awkward shape so very large items
such as washing machines will be difficult to transport.
Just like the hatchback though, these are very minor points, and overall the Skoda Octavia
Estate is the perfect blend of practicality, comfort and it's cheap to run!