Skoda introduces new service packs

The new plans cover either 3 years/45,000km or 5 years/75,000km and are priced from $760 and $1600 respectively, dependant on model grade.

Coming on the back of record sales, Skoda believes its new aftersales incentive competes neck-and-neck with Asian rivals, despite its European origins and “the myth that all European cars are more expensive to maintain than those from Korea or Japan.”

Covering its entire range, the three- and five-year plans ($760/45,000km and $1600/75,000km) are cheapest on Fabia and Rapid models where they mostly beat offers from competitors such as the Toyota Yaris ($840/60,000km, three-year only), Mazda 2 ($895/30,000km and $1501/50,000km), Hyundai i30 ($777/30,000km and $1395/50,000km) and Kia Cerato ($1055/45,000km and $1967/75,000km), though aren’t as competitive as the Hyundai Accent ($735/30,000km and $1325/50,000km).

While the above examples show the Mazda 2 is more affordable over five years (but with lower mileage), Skoda points out its plans on all models includes brake fluid changes – a $130-$242 cost every two years/40,000km with Mazda – and air pollen filter – a further $69-$91 cost every two years from the Japanese maker.

Further up the range the Skoda Octavia and Octavia RS are priced from $780/$1600 and $860/$1700 for the three- and five-year servicing that mostly beats the competition on the balance of cost and mileage - such as the Ford Mondeo, Mazda 6 and Kia Optima - but can’t touch the Toyota Camry with its $585/45,000km and $975/75,000km cost over the same time frames.

However, Skoda believes it is with its top SUV offerings where the difference will bolster the importer’s sales further, with both the Karoq and Kodiaq ahead on most metrics. The Karoq, priced at $790/45,000km and $1650/75,000km, is competitive against the Hyundai Tucson ($825/30,000km and $1505/50,000km), Mazda CX-5 ($937/30,000km and $1571/50,000km) and Toyota RAV4 ($1080/60,000km, three-years only).

The Kodiaq is priced over three- and five-years at $950/45,000km and $2100/75,000km and is also competitive to its peers the Kia Sorento ($998/45,000km and $1842/75,000km), Mazda CX-9 ($1039/30,000km and $1746/50,000km) and Toyota Kluger ($1080/30,000, three-years only).

On balance, the Skodas are most competitive on price over the shorter three-year period and middle of the pack over five years, but mostly offer a longer kilometre period.

“Comparative data sourced from manufacturer websites busts the myth that all European cars are more expensive to maintain than those from Korea or Japan,” said Skoda Australia director Michael Irmer.

Irmer added the new service packs “dispel the outdated perception that cars from Europe are necessarily more expensive to own than those from Japan or Korea.”

“There is more to value than recommended retail pricing. In Australia Skoda customers prefer higher specification variants and we have sought to make optioning up more accessible with value priced equipment packages.

Skoda three- and five-year fixed-price servicing costs:

Skoda Fabia                $760/45,000km and $1600/75,000km

Skoda Rapid                $760/45,00km and $1600/75,000km

Skoda Octavia             $780/45,00km and $1600/75,000km

Skoda Octavia RS        $860/45,00km and $1700/75,000km

Skoda Superb              $890/45,00km and $2100/75,000km

Skoda Karoq                $790/45,00km and $1650/75,000km

Skoda Kodiaq              $950/45,00km and $2100/75,000km