Facelift (What's New)
Let's be honest, the Skoda brand isn't one that typically sets pulses racing (RS models aside). The brand is known for practical, sensible and affordable cars, but that reputation hasn't always been this way.
130 years ago, Laurin & Klement (the company that would eventually become Skoda as we now know it) began making bicycles. The brand's history spans two world wars and the Iron Curtain, and early aspirations of making luxury vehicles have evolved into the brand we know today.
And no model best encapsulates the modern Skoda offering than the Octavia - unsurprisingly also the brand's best-selling model.
Four generations on, it continues to deliver a family-friendly combination of practicality, usability and accessibility. And now, the facelifted model has made its ways to Singapore's shores, in both liftback and wagon bodystyles, the latter of which we are testing first.
With this facelift, the changes are not incredibly obvious. On the outside, the grille has been lightly reshaped and looks wider and thinner than before.
The Octavia also gets updated lights front and back. The design of the head lights have been lightly reworked, whilst the taillights feature dynamic indicators now. The overall look is still familiar, but I do find the front fascia to be slightly unnecessarily busy, especially with the downward kink of the DRLs.
One thing that hasn't changed is the immense practicality offered by the Combi. The tailgate opens up to a huge 640-litre boot, which can be further expanded to 1,700 litres by knocking down the rear seats.
I also like the KESSY (Keyless Entry Start and Exit System), which automatically unlocks/locks the vehicle when you approach/walk away from it.
Slide into the cabin of the car and things feel very familiar. The general layout and configuration of the cabin is largely unchanged with this facelift, but the main update is the new 13-inch infotainment screen running an updated interface. The UI is neater and more slick than before, and I like that shortcut controls (like turning off the auto start/stop) are pinned to the top of the screen. There's also added functionality like a voice-controlled assistant called Laura, and navigation comes in-built now. Of course, you also have easy access to phone functions with wireless connectivity.
Now, Skoda touts its 'Simply Clever' features, like phone pockets and large storage bins, as well as an umbrella storage compartment in the driver's door. The umbrella storage is admittedly a neat space-optimising touch, though I will note that in practice it has some drawbacks. Given the monsoon weekend I drove this car, you generally want your umbrella inside the car at all times. Having it stored in the door means having to open the door to take it out/store it, which results in getting a little more wet than you should assuming you aren't in a sheltered carpark (my home carpark isn't sheltered).
It's also worth pointing out that the product offering has also been greatly simplified. Instead of different trim levels, there's just this one 'Selection' model offered. Standard equipment include a huge sunroof, electric memory front seats, interior ambient lighting, 18-inch wheels, and safety systems like Front Assist, Lane Assist and Side Assist. I also quite like the 'Suedia' material on the seats and some of the interior surfaces.
Now, let's talk powertrain. When the fourth-gen Octavia was introduced in 2021, it had a 1.5-litre engine making 148bhp and 250Nm of torque, putting it into Cat B COE. Then, it was swapped out for a Cat A-friendly 1.0-litre engine for the sedan model in early-2023, though the Combi variant continued to be offered with the same 1.5-litre engine.
On this facelifted model, the engine is still the same 1.5-litre mild-hybrid unit, but it has been downtuned to 114bhp and 220Nm of torque so that it qualifies for a Cat A COE. This certainly helps with the overall affordability of the model when considering the high Cat B premiums today.
That slight drop in power does dampen the car's accelerative capabilities (0-100km/h takes 1.8 seconds longer), but otherwise it remains a smooth and sufficient powerplant.
Otherwise, the Octavia delivers a familiar experience. The car is definitely set up for comfort, so the suspension is highly pliant, delivering a comfortable and smooth experience when pottering about. Overall handling is also tidy but unremarkable, with some body roll expected from the soft-skewing suspension.
It is quiet, too. The engine potters along in the background, and with mild-hybrid assistance it can either go into 2-cylinder mode, or else coasting mode where the engine is entirely shut off.
The resulting efficiency is quite good. Skoda claims 16.4km/L, and after 6 days of driving the car I achieved 14.4km/L. Considering this included a fair bit of low speed driving (whilst filming content) and also a larger proportion of 50-60km/h roads, I think it's a pretty reasonable figure. On a day with more highway driving, I was doing 16.9km/L. All things considered, I think 15+km/L should be quite achievable for most drivers.
The Octavia is not a car that's going to get pulses racing. This model is arguably most emblematic of Skoda's brand appeal - high on functionality and practicality, sensibly designed for ease of use. It fulfils every criteria of a practical family car, with the plus side of upsized cargo space with this Combi.
At its current $177,900 price point, the Octavia Combi delivers excellent value-for-money in our current COE climate (and the liftback variant is $8,000 cheaper). Think about it - that's cheaper than a Honda Civic Turbo, a base Hyundai Avante (barely at $99 cheaper), a VW Golf, a Mazda 3 Hatchback, and just a little more pricey than a Toyota Altis.
It's no sexy choice, that's for sure. But it's a choice that makes plenty of rational and practical sense. And I must say, I think that in this current price climate, I think it is quite a compelling choice indeed. The fact that its a wagon just makes it that much more appealing.
Here are some other practical family cars to consider:
A hybrid powertrain elevates the Avante's already stellar offering
The Toyota Corolla Altis brings sleeker styling and increase ride comfort to a familiar family-friendly package
The Mazda 3 is pretty on the eyes, while boasting a quality cabin as well
The Kia Niro Hybrid offers is approachable and easy to drive
