Bigger and roomier than everyone else in its class, the new Octavia is set to seal its place as the best-value continental choice.

Compared to its predecessor, the Octavia has grown significantly in length and width. The new model is 90 mm longer and 45 mm wider than the second-generation Octavia. At the same time, the wheelbase has grown by 108 mm, mainly benefiting the interior and space on the rear seats.

Also, the new GreenLine series of engines on the Škoda Octavia can achieve CO2 emissions as low as only 89 g/km (on the 1.6 TDI) and consumes a mere 3.4 litres of diesel per 100 km. In all, four petrol engines, all with cutting-edge TSI technology, and four modern TDI common-rail diesel engines are available. The line-up runs all the way to the top option, the 1.8 TSI with 180 bhp. Modern manual and automatic DSG transmissions are available, with all-wheel-drive versions in the works. A sporty-trim Škoda Octavia RS with 220 bhp is also in the pipeline.