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One of the greatest success stories in the car world of recent decades is Skoda’s rise to become a hugely credible mainstream maker of good-value, good-sense cars.

Central to that success has been its place within the VW Group, alongside the Volkswagen brand itself, plus the likes of Seat and Audi. That has given it access to exactly the same underpinnings for its cars as the other brands, and it has complemented this by adding its own developments, from the way the cars drive and ride through to the features they have and the pricing.

The result is a range that extends from a city car to a large executive saloon, with family and large seven-seat SUVs too. There’s a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are competitive for the class.

As a result, Skoda has a range of cars that is almost entirely class-leading or among the class leaders, and it has enjoyed long-time success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

SKODA

OCTAVIA

It's a good choice of practical family transport that should give reliable motoring

Used Skoda Octavia Estate 1998 - 2004

Even though this Octavia was the first Skoda to make the breakthrough in quality, it's still better news for buyers than sellers, with many bargains to be had.

Various surveys and studies have acknowledged that this is not an expensive car to run, even if the 10,000-mile service intervals do not seem especially lengthy by modern standards. Dealer charges have increased, but they are still below the class average.

Insurance costs are reasonable, too. Apart from the hot vRS in group 16, the rest of the range falls between groups 5 and 11.

You can't expect fantastic fuel economy if you opt for either of the two turbocharged 1.8-litre petrols because they'll all too easily dip below 30mpg in everyday use. All the more reason, then, to go for either of the two 1.9-litre turbodiesels, where 40mpg is obtainable with a little careful throttle use.

It's a good choice of practical family transport that should give reliable motoring

If you're after a countryside hauler that's going to earn its living in all weathers, the 4x4 Elegance - introduced in 2001 - could be the car for you. It uses a 150bhp, 20-valve, 1.8-litre petrol turbo motor. There's only one other version that's faster - the high-spec 180bhp vRS, which was introduced a year later.

If you're not after performance, either of the 1.9-litre turbodiesels will do the job. They were around right from the car's launch, and sound a little clattery on start-up, but quieten down once on the move. Overall, they're the pick of the range, and the non-turbo 1.9 SDI diesel and the 1.6-litre and early non-turbo 1.8-litre petrols are not so impressive.

Safety is good across the range, with most models getting twin airbags and anti-lock brakes. Classic trim is basic, but Ambiente adds air-con and a CD changer, while Elegance gets side airbags, alloy wheels and a sunroof.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

There are some terrific estates at most price ranges. The humble Skoda Fabia Estate offers cavernous space for not much cash at all, for example.

Further up the price range, another of our perennial favourites is the Skoda Superb Estate;&nbsp;it’s great to drive and as practical as most people should ever need. Meanwhile, for serious mile-munching ability and a premium, well-finished interior, it’s hard to look beyond the BMW 5 Series Touring.

If you can find a well maintained, privately sold 1.9 TDI with a full service record at the right price, snap it up. However, it's not only private motorists who have recognised the Octavia Estate's virtues, and sadly company car and taxi drivers may not have looked after their charges as well.

Have a good look around for usual tell-tale signs of misuse and abuse, such as scuffed bumpers, shaved alloy wheels and dodgy paint repairs.

At least the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/review/n39">Skoda Octavia</a> enjoys a good reputation for reliability as its strong showing over the years in our What Car? JD Power Reliability Index reflects.

Not that there are no problems to look out for, of course. Avoid 1.8-litre 20v engines that haven't had their timing belts replaced by 70,000 miles. The 1.6 engines can also suffer timing belt trouble, but unlike the 1.8, this rarely results in a wrecked engine.

Introduced in 1998, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/review/n39">Skoda Octavia</a> was the car that really turned Skoda around. It was the first of its fleet to be designed and built under VW's stewardship, and it shows.

Behind the wheel, everything feels nicely put together and it's all well laid out. Getting a decent driving position should be no problem, thanks to a good range of seat and steering wheel adjustment. And, the seats are well bolstered, remaining comfortable even on long motorway journeys. However, back-seat occupants are not so well catered for, with an obvious lack of legroom.

Practicality is good, though, even if the mid-sized Octavia can't match the more commodious Peugeot 406 estate. The boot is large, and the seats fold down to produce a spacious and well shaped load area.

There is a wide range of variants to choose from, including a hot 180bhp vRS. The drive on all models, though, is competent and capable, rather than outright exciting.

Used Skoda Octavia Estate 1998 - 2004 review

Why the overall winner won

Best small SUV

Best family car

Best small electric car

Best luxury car

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Even though this Octavia was the first Skoda to make the breakthrough in quality, it's still better news for buyers than sellers, with many bargains to be had.,Various surveys and studies have acknowledged that this is not an expensive car to run, even if the 10,000-mile service intervals do not seem especially lengthy by modern standards. Dealer charges have increased, but they are still below the class average.,Insurance costs are reasonable, too. Apart from the hot vRS in group 16, the rest of the range falls between groups 5 and 11.You can't expect fantastic fuel economy if you opt for either of the two turbocharged 1.8-litre petrols because they'll all too easily dip below 30mpg in everyday use. All the more reason, then, to go for either of the two 1.9-litre turbodiesels, where 40mpg is obtainable with a little careful throttle use.

Find out how much the Skoda Octavia 1998 - 2004 costs to run, covering expected MPG, servicing costs and insurance costs.

Car of the Year Awards 2023 >>

Used Skoda Octavia Estate 1998 - 2004 review

SKODA Octavia 1.9 TDI Pure Drive Elegance 5dr

SKODA Octavia 1.9 TDI Ambiente 5dr

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