Skoda Octavia review - MPG, running costs & CO2

​Low running costs have always been part of the Octavia's appeal, and the latest version promises better real-world efficiency than ever. Petrol automatic engines now feature 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, harvesting otherwise wasted energy as the car slows down. This is stored in a small battery, with a small motor capable of giving the engine a boost under acceleration. This also allows the car to coast with the engine temporarily switched off, and for the stop and start to work more effectively in traffic, and an 'e-TEC' badge indicates it's fitted.

A plug-in hybrid Skoda Octavia iV offered the lowest running costs, combining a 1.4-litre petrol engine with a 13kWh battery pack and potent electric motor, but it’s no longer available. When charged from a home supply or public charging post, this will offer up to 43 miles of electric-only range. The Octavia vRS, reviewed separately, has also been available with a PHEV powertrain along with petrol and diesel engines.

Skoda Octavia MPG & CO2

The latest petrol engines are very compelling, and that includes the 1.5-litre unit with 148bhp fitted in the Octavia. Using clever tech including cylinder deactivation – where not all of the engine is used until more power is needed – it can manage up to 53.3mpg, with CO2 emissions from 119-131g/km depending on trim level. This puts the Octavia in the middle Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) bands for company-car drivers, and during an extended test we found a figure of 47mpg was realistic in real-world conditions.

Beneath this you’d previously find a 1.0-litre petrol engine, but this was replaced by a 114bhp version of the 1.5-litre TSI engine as part of its facelift. With an automatic gearbox and ‘e-TEC’ mild hybrid this can return up to 57.5mpg, which is really rather impressive.

Long-distance, high-mileage drivers are still likely to be drawn to the 2.0-litre diesel, which comes with either 114bhp or 148bhp. They can return up to 66.2 and 63.4mpg respectively, with CO2 emissions putting them in similar BiK bands to the petrol. Trying the former on motorways and back roads, we were reminded how well diesels can perform for high-mileage drivers; it returned a solid 66mpg according to the trip computer.

The Octavia iV PHEV was in another league when it came to economy figures, but sales were suspended in late 2022 due to supply issues, and it’s not touted to return following the facelift. Its electric range of 43 miles was handy, and helped fuel-efficiency jump to more than 250mpg, according to official figures, with CO2 emissions of just 22-24g/km.

Insurance groups

The Skoda Octavia lineup now ranges between insurance groups 14 to 22 out of 50, depending on the trim, so it shouldn’t be very expensive to insure. This excludes the hot vRS performance model, which doesn’t yet have published insurance group information. We’re happy to see that these groupings are broadly the same for the facelifted car as they were from before, though the entry-level model sits in two groups higher, most likely because it now offers more equipment as standard.

Warranty

Skoda offers a fairly run-of-the-mill three-year/60,000-mile warranty, matching Ford and Volkswagen, but some way behind the five years and 100,000 miles of cover Hyundai and Toyota offers, as well as Kia's seven-year warranty.

Servicing

Skoda usually tailors servicing to its customers, so you may be asked how many miles you drive per year and what sort of journeys you usually take. Cars driven less frequently for shorter trips will be candidates for an annual service, while cars that spend most of their time on the motorway can be better suited to longer gaps of up to 20,000 miles and two years.