Skoda Octavia

Richard Fisher, General Manager,

Peugeot Launceston

"If ever there was a car that quietly gets on with the business of being brilliantly sensible, it's the 2017 Skoda Octavia Estate 1.5 TSI DSG in SE L trim. This is the kind of machine that motoring journalists quietly recommend to friends and family when asked, "What should I really buy?" It doesn't shout about its talents, but spend a few minutes with it and the value proposition becomes impossible to ignore. First off, the space. This Octavia Estate is cavernous. With 610 litres of boot capacity (expandable to a frankly van-like 1,740 litres with the seats down), it's the kind of practicality that makes SUV owners take a second look. Whether you're hauling flat-pack furniture or the family dog plus a week's luggage, the Octavia takes it all in stride. And it does so with a cabin that's smart, well screwed together, and in SE L spec, genuinely well equipped, think sat-nav, dual-zone climate, and a crisp infotainment system with smartphone connectivity. Under the bonnet, the 1.5 TSI engine is a bit of a gem, refined, eager, and more than up to the task whether you're pottering about town or gobbling up motorway miles. Mated to the DSG gearbox, it delivers a smooth, relaxed driving experience that's hard to fault in daily use. It's not a car that sets pulses racing, but then again, it doesn't need to. What it offers is the kind of well-rounded excellence and honest value that makes you wonder why you'd spend more. In a world obsessed with badge prestige and high-riding crossovers, the Octavia Estate quietly proves that sometimes the best answer is the simplest one."