- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.4T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
110kW, 250Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 5.7L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
7 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2019)
2023 Skoda Octavia review: DCOTY 2023 – Best Medium-to-Large Car
Winner of the 2023 Drive Car of the Year Best Medium-to-Large Car
- Decent engines, even in entry-level specification
- Interior feels premium with nice practical touches
- Plenty of space in the second row and boot
- Some features buried inside touchscreen because of...
- ... a lack of physical buttons and dials for key functions
- Up to $4500 more expensive than 12 months ago
The Skoda Octavia is the 2023 Drive Car of the Year Best Medium-to-Large Car.
Under Drive Car of the Year rules, every category winner is invited back the following year to defend its title against either an onslaught of new combatants or, at the very least, significantly updated rivals. That didn’t happen in 2022, leaving the Skoda Octavia to hold on to its crown as Australia’s Best Medium to Large Car for another 12 months.
That lack of competition doesn’t detract from the Octavia’s award-winning credentials, the Czech brand’s offering taking on some tough competitors in 2022, the first time it won the crown. You can read about that competition here.
The essence of what made the Octavia great in 2022 remains in place this year. Something of a quiet achiever, the Skoda Octavia offers a level of quality and refinement that would be expected of cars twice the price.
Key details | 2023 Skoda Octavia sedan |
Engine | 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol |
Power | 110kW |
Torque | 250Nm |
Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
Transmission | Eight-speed automatic |
Power-to-weight ratio | 78.0 kW/t |
Weight (tare) | 1410 kg |
Tow rating | 1500kg braked 660kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 11.1m |
Available as either a sedan or station wagon – and with a choice of engines from a 1.4-litre turbo with 110kW to the 180kW 2.0-litre turbo four in the performance-focussed Octavia RS, there’s a breadth to the range that speaks to a lot of buyers.
Of particular note, interior comfort and space with a smattering of Skoda’s clever touches iced the cake of the Octavia’s engine combinations which, even in its mildest 1.4-litre trim, still delivers pleasing performance while remaining eminently usable day-to-day.
A pleasing list of standard equipment from the base Style variant also helped the Octavia secure the coveted title.
The price spread for the Octavia ranges from $40,990 drive-away for the entry-level sedan to $57,490 drive-away (nationally) for the RS station wagon, a not insignificant jump over the last 12 months. Skoda is not alone, however, in raising the prices of its cars.
Last year, the judges said the “torque-rich engine and snappy transmission response make the Octavia a delight around town, as does the stable roadholding on the open road”.
In 2023, the Skoda Octavia remains as delightful as ever and a worthy winner of the Medium to Large Car category.
Note: These ratings have been pulled from the most recent Skoda Octavia review (read it here) and as part of Drive Car of the Year 2023 all finalists will be freshly reviewed in the near future.