Skoda Octavia 4×4

So you want a vehicle that can get you down the farm tracks or round the field headlands without getting stuck? But you don’t want the bulk, fuel consumption or higher running costs of a full-blooded off-roader? Oh, and it’s got to be civilised enough to pick up your son from college 200 miles away without leaving you shaken but not stirred?

Hmmm, well you could opt for an Audi A6 Allroad (very capable but expensive), Volvo XC70 (ditto), or a Subaru Outback (terrific but petrol only until the new diesel arrives). Or what about a Skoda Octavia 4×4 estate?

So let’s line up some pros and cons. Pros first: it’s new, it gained a 2-ltre 140hp diesel earlier this year in place of the 105hp unit, it’s built to VW group standards. Oh, and at £18,675 (or £19,675 for the higher-ground clearance model), it won’t give the bank manager a coronary.

Cons? There weren’t too many that we could find. The designers went for an anonymous,  won’t-offend-anyone shape that will signal to the world that you’re a sensible, modest and unassuming sort. But it won’t get your pulse going. And the interior, though beautifully made, is as sensible and sober as Ryvita with low-calorie cottage cheese on it.

So what’s it like to drive? The good news is the engine, which was as eager as a Jack Russell that’s scented a rat. It’s a bit raucous when pushed, but then aren’t all diesels? Other than a bit more noise, it’s hard to think of any reason why you’d opt for a petrol engine instead.

Things aren’t quite so jolly in the transmission department. Nothing wrong with the quality of the shift, but it’s the way the six speeds are arranged that took a bit of getting used to. First is very low (which is great if you’re towing) but it means that as soon as you’ve engaged it it’s time to shift up to second. Four wheel drive comes in automatically if there’s any loss of traction.

Sixth doesn’t seem any higher than a normal 5^th, so what’s the point of the extra gear? The answer is probably that marketing pressure is forcing manufacturers to fit six-speed boxes even though modern common-rail diesels are so flexible they don’t need them. Ah well.

That small thing aside, the Octavia was well equipped and came with a decent-sized boot. The ride is on the firm side, but that’s true of most of the current generation of cars.

Verdict: Not the most charismatic car on the road, but the lively engine, good fuel consumption and good build quality make this the sensible choice for anyone wanting a 4wd estate that won’t give the accountant kittens..