Faults:

Trapped wire on the ignition caused the car to cut out or lose power. 4 trips to the dealer to fix.

Split turbo hose, replaced under warranty, blew off again 2 miles from the dealer!

Clutch burnt out whilst at dealer, would not admit fault. Offered to replace for a discounted £500. Got it done at a specialist for £300.

Rattles from roof, creaking from off side rear.

General Comments:

Took me two months before I got the seat position right. It gave me terrible back ache at first, I thought I was going to have to sell it.

After all the negative things I have said, I still think this is the best car I have owned. That includes a WRX wagon and a Civic VTi.

It is quick enough to see off most cars on the road, but I still managed 47mpg on a 35mile trip! forget that in the WRX or VTi.

It also has climate control (but in a stupid place) parking sensors, cruise control 6CD changer, electric everything and all for half the price of a similar spec used A4.

Compared to the WRX it is less than half the running cost, and it doesn't feel that much slower in normal driving.

Huge boot, but little rear leg room.

Looks nice with the 16 inch alloy wheels and green metallic paint.

Very disappointed with the dealers though, can't compare to my Honda dealer.

Faults:

Nothing so far.

General Comments:

I've had my Octavia for only a week, so I can't post any meaningful comments on long-term reliability. However, my expectation is that this car will prove to be as well built as any from the VW-Audi group.

The performance from the 110hp TDi is great. Although 0-60 is obviously slower than a lot of cars, the 50-70 time is really very quick and on a par with a lot of 'high-performance' cars. The low down torque suits 'real-world' driving and makes overtaking easy and safe (and fun). On top of that I recently averaged just over 60mpg on a 400 mile round trip.

Equipment levels are generous on the Elegance model – climate control, electric windows/mirrors/sunroof, CD changer, alloys etc. The look and feel of the interior is good. You can see the VW influence over the switchgear (much of it from the Golf) and the choice of plastics. I would say that it feels (deliberately) slightly downmarket from the Golf on which it is based. But to be honest, if that's really important to you, buy a Golf instead.

The driving position is very good. The seat goes a long way back (I'm 6'5") and the steering wheel is adjustable for reach and rake. Both front seats are also adjustable for height and lumbar support. Legroom in the rear is a little tight, but sufficient for children. We have a child car seat in the back and our 3 year old has enough room. To be fair this could cause a problem for some people so if in doubt, check it out before you buy.

The boot is huge. I was initially looking for an estate, but settled for a hatch as there were more available and it has more than enough space for our needs.

The exterior is quite understated, but elegant. It lacks the prestige of the VW/Audi brands, but again, if that's what you're after don't buy a Skoda.

In summary – I love it (so far) and I plan to keep it a long while.

Faults:

Boot lock warning light comes on even when boot is locked. Fixed twice under warranty. Is going back shortly for a THIRD time!

General Comments:

This is the Estate version of the car.

The Boot/Luggage Area is massive, there is nothing I have bought that wouldn't go in. Including a double bed.

This is the best car I have ever had for fuel consumption, on my regular 18 mile commute to work (A and M Roads) I always get at least 50mpg. On longer all Motorway driving it averages well into the 60's.

With height adjustable seats, rake adjustable steering and climate control you can't fail to get comfortable, even on the longest of drives (though this is no excuse not to take a rest once in a while)