One Million For Octavia
Published: 18th February 2004
It’s a fantastic achievement for the car that began the difficult task of turning the tide of Škoda’s fortunes. From launch in the UK in 1998 the Octavia began to convince the British public that Škoda was a force to be reckoned with. Its wide-ranging abilities and finely balance levels of practicality and luxury laid the foundations for the turnaround Škoda has since enjoyed. Octavia continues to be a major success in the UK – a total of 14,766 were sold here last year.
From the distinctive design of the Octavia hatchback, through the rugged styling of the 4x4, to the sporty performance and good looks of the vRS and estate, the range offers great choices for contemporary driving. Available in four equipment levels – Classic, Ambiente, Elegance, and the sporty vRS – the car was updated in 2000 and will be replaced with the all-new Octavia in summer this year.
The current range is available with a choice of nine engines; 1.4-litre MPI (75bhp), 1.6-litre MPI (102bhp), 2.0-litre MPI (115bhp), 1.8-litre 20v Turbo (180bhp), 1.9-litre SDI (68bhp), 1.9-litre TDI (110bhp), 1.9-litre TDI PD (130bhp). Automatic transmission is available on the 1.8-litre 20v Turbo (150bhp) and the 1.9-litre TDI (90bhp).
The range starts at £10,260 on the road for the 1.4-litre Classic Hatchback and reaches £16,645 for the 1.8-litre Turbo automatic Elegance Estate.
Voted the ‘Best Family Car’ by consumers in the 2003 J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Index, the Octavia was rated seventh model overall in the same survey. Additional awards include ‘Best Used Medium Car’ from Used Car Buyer magazine in August 2003, ‘Best Diesel Estate’ by Diesel Car magazine in 1999 and ‘Best Towcar under £16,000’ by the Caravan Club in 2001.
Savvy Škoda Octavia buyers also have the choice of a new special edition – the Octavia Ambiente SE, introduced at the beginning of the year, which offers £975-worth of equipment for just £300 over the price of the corresponding Ambiente models.
Chris Craft, Director of Škoda Auto UK said, "I am not surprised the Škoda Octavia has reached the 1 million mark – the car offers fantastic value for money and has set the scene for an exciting future at Škoda. The all-new Octavia is bound to build on the successes of the current model and will go on, I am sure, to even further heights."
As with the rest of the Škoda range, the Octavia comes with a full peace-of-mind warranty package which provides three years'/60,000-mile cover plus three years' paint/ten years’ Anti-Perforation warranty and three years' Roadside Assistance emergency cover.
Skoda Octavia
Our Skoda Octavia Guide lists the full specification of the current UK Octavia range, including car prices, fuel consumption, dimensions and other vital data.
Price Range: £11,145 - £20,070
Body Style:
Fuel:
/ 
Models in the range: 15
We have road tested the Skoda Octavia, to read our in-depth car reviews:
Skoda Octavia Review - Nov 2004
Skoda Octavia Review - Jan 2007
Our Car Buyer’s Guide covers all of the UK’s major new cars and includes CO2 ratings and car insurance groups. Data updated on the 28th Nov 2008
