In-depth Reviews

Skoda Octavia hatchback (2013-2020): owner reviews

Name: Skoda Octavia hatchback
Brand: Skoda

"Not only does it have lots of space, the Skoda Octavia is also well built and affordable to run"

by Carbuyer team

24 Jun 2020

Carbuyer Rating

3.8 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.1 out of 5

Price

£18,870 - £34,980

Buy used for less at Buyacar SPECIFICATIONS

79%of people would recommend this car to a friend.

Owner Rating

8reviews
3reviews
2reviews
1reviews

Common Problems

Other (4 cases)
Brakes (1 cases)
Engine, Other (1 cases)
Brakes, Electrics, Engine (1 cases)
Suspension (1 cases)
Engine (1 cases)

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.4 TSI

Year of registration

2015

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Having never owned a Skoda before I didn't know what to expect but after doing some research and taking the car for a test drive I thought it would be a good car to own and so far it has not let me down. I've done just over 30,000 miles with no mechnical issues. The only issue I've had is with the rear washer where the water jet nozzle got blocked. Easy to fix though. Lovely car to drive. Very smooth and quiet and feels very stable on the road at all speeds. Very spacious inside, the biggest boot I've ever seen. Cheap to run. I'm still in love with the car and would happily buy another one in a few years, though I would probably get one of the new Skoda SUVs as they are easily to get in and out with my bad knees.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Very reliable so far, no mechnical problems. Minor issue with rear wiper water jet.

Performance

5 out of 5

Great performance for a 1.4 especially in sports mode.

Running Cost

4 out of 5

Cheap to run and servicing costs are very reasonable even from main dealer.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.4 SEL DSG hatchback

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Bought the car on the Internet from Happynewcar who gave excellent service , full makers warranty and no-hassle, no-haggle discount of about 20 per cent. The combination of 1.4 petrol engine and dsg is excellent, smooth and very quiet. It is a pleasure to drive particularly on long journeys where the gearing of 32 mph per 1000 rpm makes it extraordinarily smooth at 70 mph. The seats are very comfortable and the boot is fantastic. Over 4000 miles the true mpg is 51 mpg - the dashboard readings are about 7 per cent optimistic! The rear extra camera has a poor picture. The only problem has been an intermittent (and alarming) failure of the brake servo which took a while to diagnose, find the right part and fix. Simpsons of Colne have been good to deal with. It is the best car I have owned, and would buy another.

Reliability

Good - only one problem with brake servo.

Performance

Lots of smooth power at top and bottom end. There is an annoying hesitation if you accelerate sharply when it is on Eco setting. Gear changes are barely detectable. Feels very safe when overtaking and cornering

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Cheap to tax and insure, and genuine 51 mpg overall. No oil use.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 TDI CR SE 5dr HATCH DSG

Year of registration

2013

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Love the car, best ride and handling I have known in over 50 years motoring - knocks spots off Volvo ( I had Volvo Estates for 25 years ). Brilliantly low fuel consumption in all conditions and when the MOT was done this week emissions were so low that the test machine could barely give a reading!! Only minor complaint is that road noise is a little high and the rear window wash is U/S - had it repaired once but now failing again. What is not good is the Skoda after care because they act as if they don't care! They sent me a reminder that the 1st MOT was due and I phoned the dealer 3 weeks before the due date to be told they couldn't find a free appointment until a week after due date; what happened to customer care? Also they sent me an invitation to extend the warranty for a year - seemed a decent deal so went online but Skoda website did not allow viewing of the support T&C etc. I used the website to send a suitable message to Skoda 10 days ago and have still not had a reply. Whilst I recommend the car the Skoda support experience is offputting.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Excelent

Performance

Fine

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Excellent

Version

1.6 tdi

Year of registration

2012

Average annual mileage

More than 20,000

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Had this car for just over two years from new and it's a right lemon, been back into Skoda 14 times! Yes, fourteen! Now the warranty is over I'm left high and dry. Avoid this 1.6 tdi engine at all costs, EGR valve will cost you over £1,000 to replace! Would I buy another one, well there is more chance of me walking from Lands End to John O' Groats, with broken glass in my shoes!

Reliability

1 out of 5

When it's not in the garage being fixed it's ok!

Performance

2 out of 5

It's a taxi so no, I don't hammer it.

Running Cost

3 out of 5

They're ok when you're not buying parts!

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.4TSi Elegance DSG

Year of registration

2013

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

My second Skoda. Chose petrol this time as there are too many DPF problems on diesel for low mileage users. Great spec and a definate improvement over the 2009 model I had prior to this car. Seriously quick for a 1.4 with 140PS, drives like a 2 litre. (Check the spec) Plan to keep it for five years. I ordered mine with a spare wheel and tools as it comes with can of foam otherwise. Good looking car in metallic grey and also very roomy. Liverpool dealer very customer orientated nothing too much trouble.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.2 TSi S

Year of registration

2013

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I've done 10000 miles in this entry-level version with no issues at all. It's comfortable and spacious and does everything I need. Huge boot. Not the most rapid car I've driven but excels on the motorway and the payback comes at the pump.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 TDI Elegance DSG

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

I have enjoyed owning and driving this car - my 3rd Skoda Octavia. Good points: Fabulous automatic gearbox; great space; very comfortable; very reliable; economical; great load lugger with rear seats folded down; quiet for a diesel; clever features - rear wiper starts automatically when reverse gear is engaged; handy clip for displaying parking tickets; reasonably priced fixed price main dealer servicing; excellent on-board computer. Could improve: 18" wheels are a menace - too easy to 'kerb' the wheels and low profile tyres give a hard ride; cooling system gave trouble

Reliability

5 out of 5

Very pleased. Much better than many more expensive brands.

Performance

5 out of 5

Can't fault the performance. Very spritely and good road holding. Brakes do their job well. Steering positive with good feedback.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Very reasonable. Liked the fixed price servicing. Good main dealer experience. Tyres last well.

Version

2.0 tdi cr

Year of registration

2013

Average annual mileage

More than 20,000

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

This car should have replaced the excellent 54 plate model that I owned for 7 years. After 3 months it was in and out of the dealers being "repaired" after 18 months ownership and several limp mode occurrences I had to decide to return it to the dealer and get what they would give me for the car.

Reliability

1 out of 5

very poor

Performance

3 out of 5

0-60 in 8.6 seconds so quite good if the front drive wheels will let you put that 150 bhp and 320nm of torque into the tarmac?

Running Cost

50 mpg as to be expected but I was hoping that it would be better than the model that it replaced.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

ambtion 2.0 tdi 150

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

5.5

Review

I liked the interior of the car for being spacious and practical especially the boot space.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.4 TSI Elegance DSG

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

This is my third Octavia and definitely the best yet. It's spacious and very comfortable, the petrol turbocharged 1.4 engine is nippy and well paired with a smooth 7 speed DSG automatic gearbox which makes it very easy to drive. Fuel consumption is a bit far from what Skoda declares, however I can't complain at all. In town it easily returns 30mpg while at motorway speed it's not difficult to obtain 48-50mpg. The Elegance trim is very generous and the car looks and feels much more upmarket than what the price tag may suggest. I can't really think of anything I dislike about this car. Oh yeah, perhaps the door cards are a bit too "plastic", although in general the level of quality and comfort are really good. Seats are also comfortable, however tend to be a bit hard on long journeys. I've had this car for almost 10 months and it still puts a big smile on my face every time I get a chance to use it.

Reliability

5 out of 5

No problem at all so far, but the car is still fairly new.

Performance

The 1.4 TSI turbocharged petrol engine is very refined and comes with an efficient start-stop system to help reducing co2 and fuel consumption. Performance is remarkable especially bearing in mind the size of the car and the relatively small engine size. I also really like the 7 speed DSG automatic gearbox which is very smooth and quick in shifting gears.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

I didn't pay a single penny in road tax for the first year and from now on it's going to cost me £30 a year. Absolutely pleased with this. Fuel consumption is more than adequate for the type of car and performance.

Version

1.5 TSI

Year of registration

2017

Bought Car

Used

Review

I like the styling, the driving position is comfortable, it has good visibility and plenty of space for passengers and luggage. Unfortunately the 1.5 TSI engine, including when used in VW and SEAT models, has a fault that causes the car to jump like a kangaroo, most noticeably in first gear. In my experience it's worse in colder conditions. I have been waiting 12 months for a fix, having initially been told there is no fault. Now I am told Skoda knows about the issue. Until there's a fix, I can expect a very unpleasant drive in colder conditions.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0Tdi CR Elegance

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I have owned several deisel Octavias and this is definitely the best yet. I did consider other makes such as Audi and VW when I came to renew the car but they dont give the same value for money as the Skoda. Skoda have improved the quality of the interior in particular. I have only had one problem a registration plate light came loose but this was fixed under warranty. The economy has been outstanding for such a large car and on long journeys I can achieve up to 65mpg. The car is very roomy too and regularly takes a large amount of luggage, although with the seats down the step can be a little annoying when trying to get large items in. The dealer support has been first class as always. The Elegance comes well fitted but I did have the heated front seats and heated Windscreen option fitted. I also had the Race Blue metallic paint option which really looks good. The only minor downside is the fitted Sat Nav which is dreadful. I have had messages where it says "there are traffic problems on your route and an alternative cannot be recommended" ; not what you expect a Sat Nav to say!! Overall I am very pleased with this car and would definitely consider another one on renewal.

Reliability

5 out of 5

I have traveled 33000 miles without any mechanical issues.

Performance

5 out of 5

There's plenty of power for overtaking being a 150PS engine and with plenty of torque, pulls smoothly. It is a relaxed cruiser on the motorways.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Excellent fuel economy for a 2.0l diesel averaging over 60 mpg.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.2 SE Automatic

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Spacious, comfortable, quiet and reliable with a great auto gearbox. No problems in 20,000 miles, just one service costing £146.00 and next service not due for TWO years. Plus £30 Road Tax and average 55 mpg - what more does a driver need? Then there's the smart, unfussy interior with everything working as it should. Auto heating/ventilation, cruise control, rear parking sensors all excellent. Any criticism? Well, the suspension is not the best as it rumbles a bit on uneven surfaces but that is a minor irritation far outweighed by the rest of this brilliant, cheap to run car.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Excellent after 2 years and 20,000 miles. No problems at all

Performance

3 out of 5

What you would expect from a 1.2 litre petrol engine. Not the fastest by any means and the turbo is slow to kick in on a quick getaway but this version is built for the economic driver, not the boy racer.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Cheap to run, 55 mpg, £30 road tax and one service costing £146 at a main Skoda dealership.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 tdi DSG

Year of registration

2013

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

excellent car economical and reliable with loads of space love the 7 speed DSG would recommend it to anyone so smooth and comfortable to drive, originally considered a VW Golf diesel but after a test drive I found it a lovely car to drive the problem was the lack of space and high price for less money I got the octavia with much higher spec and a better warranty including 3 year servicing.

Reliability

5 out of 5

never had any problems

Performance

if you want performance go for the VRS

Running Cost

5 out of 5

for the size of car you will not get better DSG always in the correct gear no high engine revs.

Next Steps

Book a test drive Used car deals

Skoda Octavia hatchback (2013-2020): owner reviews

"Not only does it have lots of space, the Skoda Octavia is also well built and affordable to run"

Owner Rating

Common Problems

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Owner Review

Next Steps

Continue reading

Most Popular

carbuyer news & reviews

Signup today for regular updates