Plenty to like about Octavia

With fuel saving such a hot issue for car buyers, the little-known Škoda Octavia diesel auto is well worth a look. The car's punchy 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine delivers a very frugal 6.4L/100km, the sort of economy usually associated with pint-sized cars such as the Toyota Yaris and Mazda2.

Mid-sized petrol auto rivals, such as the Subaru Liberty and Honda Accord Euro, consume about 9.0L/100km.

The Octavia also provides an outstanding tank range of about 830km, making a return trip from Perth to Albany on a single tank possible.

Increasingly important for car buyers is low CO₂ emission and the Octavia delivers here too, with 150g/km compared with about 210g/km for equivalent petrol competitors.

The automatic diesel Octavia sells for $36,290, while a manual variant, which uses just 5.7L/100km, has a $33,990 price tag.

A gauge of the auto diesel's value is that the Volkswagen Jetta and Ford Mondeo, with similar drivetrains, sell for $37,790 and $39,990 respectively.

Buyers should note that on-road costs need to be added to all prices in this report.

Škoda, a Volkswagen Group subsidiary based in the Czech Republic, re-entered the Australian market two years ago after a break of about 40 years.

The brand is well established and highly regarded in Europe, with its cars generally having the substance of a VW but a cheaper price tag.

The Octavia, which accommodates five occupants, has a luxury feel and looks particularly flash in darker colours.

Its muscular shape and solid build give it a sense of substance and the car is not let down in the design of the interior, where a clean, contemporary ambience pervades and all materials are high quality.

High levels of standard equipment include 16-inch alloy wheels, an MP3-compatible six-CD audio, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone air-conditioning, cruise control, touch-screen controls and a trip computer that provides handy information such as distance to empty.

The numerous storage pockets include a sunglasses holder, an upper dash pocket with a closing lid, an armrest box with a 12-volt power socket, an under-seat storage compartment, big front-door side pockets with one-litre drink bottle holders, side pockets to the rear doors, drink holders in the centre and rear consoles, and a chilled glove box.

The cargo area is very generous, despite the full-size spare wheel, and features two double-hooked shopping bag holders and six tie-down brackets on the floor.

The safety story is also strong, with six airbags and electronic stability control standard.

The sophisticated drive experience is underpinned by a sporty engine that delivers 103kW, 320 Newton metres of torque and a smart 0-100km/h time of 9.6 sec.

The Octavia is quick off the mark, excels at finding urge for hill climbing or passing and cruises effortlessly at highway speeds.

When pushed, the car even delivers a sporty exhaust note rather than the rattle expected of a diesel.

The twin-clutch auto transmission, known as a Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), is really two gearboxes in one, with one clutch operating the uneven gears and the other the even gears.

Because the next gear stage is permanently idling, there is no break in power when changing gears.

To the driver, the transmission works just like an auto - it can be left to change gears by itself or clutch-less manual shifts can be made with a flick of the gearstick.

The transmission's ability to provide slick shifts and excellent fuel economy is generally as good as a proficient driver would achieve with a regular manual gearbox.

The diesel model is part of a complex line-up of hatchbacks and wagons, which starts at $26,990.

The 1.6-litre petrol base model provides a very low entry price for a European mid-size hatch, though it is necessary to use the gears on hillier roads.

Far sportier are the 1.8-litre turbo petrol range, which begins at $31,490, and the 2.0-litre turbo petrol and diesel RS variants, which start from $37,690.

The range is rounded out by the $39,990 all-wheel-drive Scout wagon.