Skoda Octavia Hatchback (2004 - 2012) 2.0 TDI PD Sport 5d (2006/56) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

I know what I want in a car and I don't buy rubbish.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They liked it very much, it was spacious, reliable and quick! Some found the ride too hard, especially in the back, but to be fair it had the word "Sport" on the doors...bit of a hint there.

Would you buy this car again and why?

I never buy the exact same car again, don't see the fun in that as you already know exactly what the car is like. However, I have just bought the newer face-lifted Octavia VRS. The Octavia Sport was a very good car and I had no regrets owning it whatsoever. It is also worth noting that the Sport is a very rare trim level and it will hold it's value better than the mainstream models if it's in good condition.

What are you likely to buy next?

I've bought the VRS as I've always wanted one in that lovely Race Blue colour.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£0

When did you buy the car?

December 2010

Did you get a good deal and why?

I got a good deal in the end after pushing the salesman for a bit extra for my part exchange.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I was looking for something more powerful than my Seat Leon which, whilst it was a brilliant car, only had a small petrol engine and I was doing more motorway miles.

What was the dealer like?

Very easy going. I had travelled 70 miles to this dealership as I found the car on Skoda's UK website. I was allowed to test drive the car without being accompanied and the whole experience was very relaxed. I did not feel pushed into doing anything.

What's it like to drive?

I really enjoyed driving this car. It was powerful enough yet economical with a 6 speed gear box. It was fine driving around town but it was definitely more suited to the motorways and A roads. The ride was firm but not uncomfortable, uneven roads and cattle grids were very noticeable.

What's it like to park?

I found this much easier to park than my Leon, which had a high boot line. Although the Octavia is bigger, the mirrors were adequate and the vision is pretty good all round.

Have you had any problems with the car?

I had two faults develop during the time I owned the vehicle. One was the rear wash/wipe pump which failed and instead leaked screen wash into the boot. That was fixed / replaced by my local Skoda dealership. The second fault was a minor malfunction with the circuits behind the speedometer display. I couldn't reset the trip meter and would have cost £650 to replace as the entire unit needed replacing. Luckily this was covered under Skoda's extended warranty which is actually a brilliant warranty to have.

What's most practical about your car?

The boot was massive! I lost my service kit in it amongst other large objects.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

I very much liked the.6 CD changer. I liked it even more when I came across it in the boot by accident as I didn't even know it was there when I bought the car! It wasn't even listed on the specification.