SKODA OCTAVIA

Around of improvements for the big-selling, big-bodied family hatchback

- JAMES ATTWOOD

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 doorhidden 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.