Škoda Roomster 1.6

HOW MUCH? $26,990 (man) or $29,290 (auto)
ENGINE: 1.6-litre four-cylinder. 77Kw/155Nm
WHAT'S IT GOT? Six airbags, stability/traction control, ABS with EBN and BA, tyre-pressure monitor, climate air, power windows and heated mirrors, cruise control, trip computer, remote locking, CD player with aux input, two 12-volt outlets, three cupholders, 15-inch alloy wheels, engine immobiliser, three years/unlimited km warranty.
FOR: looks like no other, cabin is roomy and flexible, with huge carry capacity, excellent road manners, sharp value, economical, well equipped, affordable diesel option, strong safety.
AGAINST: looks like no other, petrol four lacks power and requires premium unleaded, optional panoramic sunroof cooks cabin in summer, poor small-item storage for back-set occupants.

Let's be honest – Škoda is not a name that generally provokes warm feelings in Australians, at least among those old enough to remember the Czech purveyor's horrid little rear-engine buzz boxes of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

But today's Škoda, comfortably ensconced under the wing of the VW/Audi Group rather than a communist regime, is a different proposition. And now it's back in Australia.

Leading the way back are the Octavia and the funky named Roomster.

The Octavia is a perfectly normal vehicle, simular to VW's Jetta. The Roomster? It's not. Normal, that is.

What do you get?

Škoda says the Roomster has no direct rivals and that's certainly correct in terms of looks. From he front, with its jet-fighter style glasshouse; it changes spectacularly into a straight-sided, big-windowed box.

The effect will be too bold, too disjointed for some. But just as many are probably going to fall for the sheer brio of the shape.

Despite the claims, though, the Roomster isn't a lone shark. Renualt's Scenic is also built to cater for the functional needs of family buyers, as have latter-day vehicles such as VW's Caddy Life.

The Škoda, though, has value on its side. Pricing starts at $26,990 – well below the Scenic and less even than the commercial van-based Caddy – and standard toys include climate control air, cruise control, trip computer, CD/MP3 player, alloy wheels and a full, flat safety component. Going for the six-speed auto bumps the price to $29,290, or $300 more than the gutsier, thriftier and (for now) manual-only, 74kW/240Nm turbo diesel version.

HOW SAFE?

A strong five-star NCAP rating is bolstered by a bulging specification sheet. Standard items include twin front, side and curtain airbags, stability/traction control, and anti lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist. You also get a tyre pressure monitor.

WHAT'S INSIDE?

Those absurdly proportioned side rear windows might look funny from the outside but they make perfect sense. Instead of the cave-like environs of many back seats these day, the Roomster delivers brilliant vision for the smallest back-seat occupants.

The other aspects of the Škoda's interior are similarly impressive.

The ultra-roomy back seat is actually three individual seats, each of which can be adjusted forwards or back, reclined or tumbled to boost luggage space. Remove all three, which is a cinch, and you have a big, box shaped 1780-litre space to play with. You can even get mounting points for carrying bicycles.

The big boots also touts hooks for shopping bags, plus a divider so you can stop bottles and the like from sliding around. Nice.

Issues? The optional panoramic glass roof turns the cabin into an unbearable glasshouse on hot days, which the feeble air-conditioning struggles to rectify. And the back seat is curiously short of the plentiful storage everywhere else.

Up front, there's less to tell. Anyone who has spent time in a VW or Audi product will feel right at home, though the Škoda's more budget-conscious character is reflected by harder, shinier (read: cheaper) plastics. No such concessions to the fundamentals – comfortable seats, plenty of seating and steering adjustment and logical controls make for an A-grade driving environment.

UNDER THE BONNET

The 77kW 1.6-litre petrol four is a trier, and quite smooth and refined, but delivers lacklustre performance. In general urban driving, you notice a lot of the time is spent with the tacho in the upper reaches.

Normally an auto would be a death-sentence with so few herbs but the smooth six-speed auto has the smarts and ratios to cope. Just.

Another black mark is the requirement for premium unleaded. Thankfully, it isn't very heavy on the costly brew – Škoda claims 7.7L/100km for the auto, and we weren't far off that with our 8.1 L test average.

ON THE ROAD

The first thing you notice from the driver's seat is just how bright and airy the cabin is. Unlike the growing number of cars with slitty windows and thick pillars, and consequent vision problems, the Škoda is easy to see out of in every direction.

And despite it basically being a tall box, there's little to differentiate it from the normal compact hatchback on the road. The Škoda corners flat and faithfully, with accurate steering, faithful response and sheer predictability even making it fun on a suitably serpentine road.

The Roomster's ride is firm enough to tell you what's going on underneath bit it soaks most surface irregularities without complaint. But it's not amazingly quiet, with noticeable wind roar and the coarse-chip tyre noise at highway speeds.

VERDICT

The Roomster's fate here is likely to be less about what it is than what it looks like. Some shoppers will love it; others will steer clear of its oddball appearance. Which is a pity because the Roomster makes a smart alternative to a big sedan or compact 4WD, providing competitive space and flexibility, excellent safety, sharp value and sweet driving manners in a compact and economical package.

It's a collection of advantages that should be hard for family buyers to ignore.

THE COMPETITION

Chrysler PT Cruiser Classic
How much: from $29,990
Engine: 2.4 litre four-cylinder 105kW/214Nm
Safety: three-star NCAP rating. Four airbags, traction control, ABS
What's it got? Air-conditioning, power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, remote central locking, CD player, 16-inch alloy wheels.
For: cabin is roomy and flexible unique appearance, flexible petrol engine.
Against: engine lacks refinement, mediocre road manners, brittle cabin plastics, so-so quality average safety.
Our score: 2.5 stars

Renault Scenic Expression
How much? From $33,990
Engine: 2.0 litre four-cylinder (98kW/191Nm) or 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbodiesel (98kW/250Nm)
Safety: five star NCAP rating. Six airbags, stability/traction control, ABS.
What's it got: climate control, air conditioning, power windows, power heated mirrors, cruise control, trip computer, remote central locking, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlights, CD player.
For: roomy cabin is clever and practical, heaps of storage, composed road manners, loads of equipment, strong safety.
Against: not cheap, auto transmission stunts performance.
Our score: 3.5 stars

Volkswagen Caddy Life
How much? From $27,990
Engine: 1.6 litre four-cylinder (75kW/148Nm) or 1.9 litre four-cylinder turbodiesel (77kW/250Nm)
Safety: No NCAP rating. Two airbags, traction control, ABS.
What's it got? Climate control, air-conditioning, power windows, power heated mirrors, cruise control, remote central locking, CD player, 12-inch alloy wheels.
For: same sophisticated drivetrains as Roomster, drives well, seating for seven, heaps of space and carrying capacity.
Against: meagre luggage space with seven seat occupied, commercial-van looks, petrol-four lacks punch and requires premium unleaded.
Our score: 3.5 stars