Skoda Octavia Pre Model vRS 2.0 TDI CR 5dr Pre-Model Car Review - March 2012

The car is comfortable to drive, with plenty of grip on the road and stable handling. The steering does lack a little feel, but this is unlikely to have a major impact on driving. Noise disturbance from the engine is fairly limited and this petrol model works quietly. Road noise is fairly high though, especially on uneven road surfaces, and there can also be a high level of disturbance from wind noise when travelling at speed.

In terms of efficiency, this model falls short of other diesel models in the range and offers just 49.6 mpg on a combined cycle – although this is still better than the efficiency offered by the petrol models.

The engine’s power output of 168 bhp at 4200 rpm is great for a car of this size and combines with torque figures of 258 lb-ft at 1750-2500 rpm to give this model high performance credentials. A top speed of 140 mph is one of the highest for the range and acceleration is fairly rapid with the car taking just 8.3 seconds to travel from 0-62 mph.

The trim level is advanced in this model and that means there is plenty of interior comfort for buyers.

Standard equipment which comes with the model includes power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control and an advanced stereo system with both CD and MP3 connectivity.

Optional extras available at an additional cost include leather seats for £850, Bluetooth connectivity for £395, a built-in sat nav for £1,660 and rear parking sensors for £300.

With spacious boot capacity, this car offers great practicality. The hatchback offers 585 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1,455 litres when they are folded down. To make the space within the cabin even more practical there is plenty of adjustment available in the seats and this allows both passengers and drivers to be comfortable. The driver also benefits from plenty of movement within the steering column giving them the optimum driving position.

The advanced safety kit which comes with the car as a standard feature. This offers driver, passenger and front side airbags all as standard features with an immobiliser and fitted alarm also included as standard. The arrangement of internal instruments is logical and well organised, allowing drivers to operate controls whilst driving with ease. The visibility from the car is also high and makes the driver feel more secure in the hatchback.

Reliability is expected to be a strong point of the car and the vehicle comes with a three year warranty for 60,000 miles to give customers increased assurance.

Priced at £21,155 this car is a little expensive compared to other models in the series. However, the resale values are pretty strong across the range and this combines with low running costs to make this model a good investment.

Running costs are fairly manageable considering the size of the car, with road tax falling under band F and the good fuel efficiency rating of 49.6 mpg. Insurance premiums are likely to be the biggest expense for drivers, with the car belonging to insurance group 28. This means buyers need to decide how highly they value interior comfort and performance when choosing a model from this range.