25 years have passed since the launch of the first generation of the Skoda Octavia Combi. It was in March 1998 and, since then, more than 2.8 million units of a true best seller have been sold, making it one of the most successful family cars in its category.
This model is now in its fourth generation and offers a wide range of mechanical possibilities, including an interesting version equipped with mild-hybrid technology, that is, light hybridization.
This version, baptized with the acronym m-HEV, uses a one-liter, three-cylinder in-line TSI gasoline engine, always associated with a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission and electrified thanks to a 48-inch belt-driven starter motor. volts and a 40 volt lithium ion battery, with a capacity of 0.6 kWh.
With this mild-hybrid technology, an electrical impulse of up to 50 additional Nm is available if necessary and, in another order, it allows the vehicle to circulate in retention with the engine completely disconnected, thus generating a reduction in consumption of up to 0.4 l/100 km. But its benefits go even further: we have been able to verify during our test that the engine can be started faster, smoother and with less vibration.
Its performance figures, with a maximum power of 110 hp and a torque of 200 Nm, might seem insufficient for a car of its dimensions and weight. In practice, it can be said that it offers more than acceptable performance, exceeding 200 km/h top speed and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.6 seconds.
Very satisfactory are the fuel consumption averages. At legal speeds, this Octavia Combi does not usually exceed 6.5 or 7 liters of average gasoline consumption per 100 km. In fact, this figure drops to about 5.5 liters when it comes to traveling on highways at stabilized speeds. In this way, autonomy far exceeds 700 km and becomes an ideal ally for long journeys.
In the dynamic section, this family offers many satisfactions to its driver. Skoda has achieved a very comfortable set with good dynamism, configurable through the available driving modes and which can adapt the vehicle’s response based on specific needs and circumstances.
The dynamic virtues of the Octavia Combi are combined with high levels of safety generated by systems such as the multi-collision brake assistant, frontal with predictive pedestrian protection, blind spot assistant, proactive occupant protection or Travel Assist based on predictive cruise control. , signal recognition, adaptive lane departure warning assistant, traffic jam assistant, or the emergency assistant that can slow the car down to a stop, in case of imminent risk.
The aforementioned are more than enough arguments to consider the Octavia Combi as a serious option for our mobility needs. But its real added value is the interior capacity. It is one of the most spacious and versatile family members in its segment that enjoys outstanding interior dimensions. The distance between rows of seats allows the occupants of the rear seats to travel easily, with plenty of space for the legs.
With its 640 liters of volume, the boot is infinite in capacity. For better control and distribution of the load, it has an adjustable double floor and a system of fastening nets. Apart from the trunk, we like the Octavia for the ingenious solutions provided by Skoda such as the space in the doors to locate an umbrella and the presence of spacious compartments where to deposit objects.
The tested unit included electric opening and closing of the tailgate with a hands-free function, an added value to its outstanding qualities as a car with a family philosophy. Comfort is maximum when loading and unloading objects.
The Octavia Combi driver enjoys an optimal position behind the wheel, the front seats hug the back well and the basic controls are always within reach. The instrument panel is digital, most of the functions are activated from the screen located in the center of the dashboard and there is also a voice command recognition system, the Laura Digital Assistant.
The Octavia Combi’s infotainment system allows the driver to personalize and assign the most important functions to the home screen. That is, individual elements can be moved and rearranged by touch, just like they can on a smartphone.
Finally, it is good to remember that one of the strengths of the Skoda Octavia is safety. In this regard, remember that it has achieved a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP benchmark test for crash safety. In addition, it has obtained an 86% score for the protection of adult passengers and 84% for child passengers.