Skoda Octavia Pre Model S 1.4 16v 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The small engine has a fairly low power output of just 79 bhp at 5000 rpm with torque figures also fairly low at 98 lb-ft at 3800 rpm. The top speed of 108 mph is not bad for a car of this class but the time it takes to get there makes acceleration feel rather laborious. The car takes 14.3 seconds to travel from 0-62 mph and this means that those looking for good performance levels will probably need to upgrade to a larger engine.

Although the steering lacks some feel, there is plenty of grip on the road and handling is stable which makes the car comfortable to drive. Noise disturbance from the engine is fairly limited and the petrol engine works quietly. Road noise is quite loud though, especially on rough road surfaces, and there can also be a high volume of disturbance from wind noise when travelling at speed.

In terms of efficiency, this model achieves a moderate 44.1 mpg on a combine cycle which makes it fairly efficient for a petrol car. Carbon emissions of 149 g/km are neither particularly high or low for a car of this class and place the car under a mid-range road tax band (F).

The S model comes with a decent selection of basic equipment. A number of luxuries are not available or incur an additional cost but for those after a budget car this is unlikely to be a problem.

Standard equipment which comes with the model includes power steering, central locking, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows and an advanced stereo system with MP3 connectivity.

Bluetooth connectivity, leather seats, rear parking sensors, cruise control and climate control are all unavailable and options such as stability control and alloy wheels are only available for an additional cost of £395 and £400 respectively.

This practical car offers a fairly spacious boot; when the rear seats are in place storage space totals 585 litres, expanding to 1,455 litres when these 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 a large range of movement within the steering column to give them the optimum driving position.

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

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 this makes the car feel safe to drive.

The advanced safety kit comes with the car as a standard feature. This offers driver, passenger and front side airbags all as standard features with an immobiliser also included as standard. However, those who want the additional security of a fitted alarm will be expected to pay an extra £285 for the privilege.

Reasonably priced at £13,280 there is a lot of car on offer here for a relatively small amount of money. The resale values are also pretty strong within this range and that means that these cars are a wise investment for long term ownership.

Running costs are more than manageable with fuel efficiency of 44.1 mpg combining with low insurance premiums under group 7 and affordable road tax costs under band F. Unfortunately, the car is let down by low performance and that means that many buyers are likely to look at the slightly dearer models to get a better all-round performer.