SKODA

Skoda Octavia gets five stars in Euro NCAP test

The Skoda Octavia Estate surely remains one of the most pragmatic car you can buy in the UK. It’s right-sized for most situations (including parking spaces), boasts the additional practicality of that extra load space, and remains excellent value for money at a time when household budgets are still getting tighter. This review covers the latest facelifted Octavia Estate, which first launched in 2024.

Having spent six months driving a pre-facelift model that same year, which I carefully specced to suit the my family transport needs I’m very familiar with this car’s fundamental strengths and weaknesses. The Octavia Estate facelift is far from dramatically different, but Skoda has reacted to some feedback, and built an even better wagon as a result.

It’s also added a whacking-great 13.0-inch infotainment screen, and moved to replace some of the interior materials with more sustainable alternatives. Keep reading for a full low down of everything you need to know – or find out more about how we test cars to see why you should trust us.

Should you buy a Skoda Octavia Estate? Probably, yes. It’s not the most thrilling thing to drive, but it is incredibly well thought out, offers great quality and lots of kit for the money, and it’s comfortable, too.

On the inside there’s no missing that larger central screen – it’s so big you might loose a little of it behind the steering wheel, depending on your driving position. How obvious the new sustainable features are depends on the trim level, more basic models get a spackled strip across the dashboard that’s clearly a nod to its recycled origins. I don’t mind this, you may be mortally offended; some of m’learned colleagues think it cheapens the look of an otherwise high-quality cabin experience.

The seat upholstery is a little jazzier in general, with some intricate stitching options and a renewed choice of ambience via a number of coordinated new Skoda Design Selection finishes. Mood lighting always prevented the pre-facelift Octavia being too much of a blackhole, but this is a more concerted effort – though beware the lighter upholstery if you do have younger kids…

The Skoda Octavia has achieved a five-star safety rating in the Euro NCAP test, reinforcing its reputation as one of the safest compact models available. This top rating was confirmed following stricter test criteria introduced in 2022, with the car successfully defending its rating. The Octavia achieved strong scores for both adult and child occupant protection and performed well in safety assistance systems, making it one of the best performers tested by Euro NCAP.

Key performance highlights:

-Overall safety: The fourth-generation Skoda Octavia has successfully defended its five-star Euro NCAP rating under tougher, new criteria introduced for the 2022 test year.

-Adult and Child Occupant Protection: The Octavia achieved a strong 86% for Adult Occupant protection and 84% for Child Occupant protection.

-Safety Assist Systems: The vehicle scored 81% for its Safety Assist systems, which surpassed its previous 2019 result.

Significance of the Euro NCAP rating:

-Benchmark for safety: Euro NCAP is a rigorous independent safety assessment that helps consumers make informed choices about vehicle safety.

-Stricter criteria: The five-star rating is particularly significant because it was achieved under new, more stringent test criteria that were introduced in 2022, making the result a powerful indicator of the car's safety capabilities.

-Valid until 2028: The five-star rating will remain valid for the European Union, United Kingdom, and Norway until the end of 2028, confirming its long-term safety performance.

Autonews